It is always good to see an old friend - give them a proper hug and chat about stuff as if you meet up every week, even though you've not seen them for ages. Comfort, familiarity, the easiest of interactions.
In the same way it was great to get an old friend of a watch back yesterday that has been gone too long, and I am very glad to have it back on my wrist again.
Here it is, on its favourite, battered-soft grey Zulu.
But, just like the Zulu has lost some weight (in the sense that it is now converted to 3 ring, from 5), the old friend has got better looking since I saw it last.
How?
Well, this old friend started its association with me back in 2011 as a very battle-scarred veteran, with 2 huge cuts to the caseback where someone had been attempting to get in without having a Rolex Case wrench.
And a dial that only a mother could love, with at least 3 dial indices partly or wholly cracked off, and another repaired with the addition of a large gob of white paint.
So this has been a rolling restoration.
I got Rocco to laser weld the caseback and re-machine it to shape. Even now some of the castellations are missing.
He serviced the movement and I sent the dial and hands off to James for repair and relume.
James did a great job with limited resources, and I really appreciated the results, which were infinitely better.
So I wore the watch a lot, doing all sorts. It went swimming with me on holiday, to the workshop, everywhere, over the space of about 6 years.
But, having spent more time on forums, and having gained a bit more experience, I realised that there was such a thing as a dial magician available.
So, last year, as auto-winding became a bit noisey and power reserve a bit low, I realised that service time had come round again, I thought I would treat my old mate to a makeover.
This is not a thread about value, which is immaterial as I never intend to sell this watch. But it is pertinent to say that dial work of this order is very expensive, and the fact that snowflake prices have risen so extensively has meant that I could sensibly afford to have it done in this case. Without it, I wouldn't have done it.
So, Duncan took the watch apart for me early this year, and sent me back the dial and hands to go to the spa.
Off they went to the other side of the globe.
Quite a few weeks later, I got an email showing the dial completed.
Needless to say I was very excited, and the fact that DHL only took about 70 hrs to get them back to me was a surprise.
Opening them up in person was even more exciting. this was going to be good.
But more waiting was required, as I was still a few weeks from being at the top of Duncan's to do list.
And now the wait is over, and I have my old friend back, looking as fit as ever.
Sure, there are still scratches on the crystal, and on the case sides, plus a bit of chrome bubbling on the edges of the hands, and the bezel pearl is a no-trit replacement.
But the dial spots are still there, just a little less obvious than before, and I have a new WR test to prove we can go swimming whilst on holiday.
It has been a fun journey so far, and I am sure we will continue it for a lot longer to come.
Dave
Lovely looking watch. It's clear to appreciate your affection for the watch, where cost becomes immaterial. I'm not sure where you sent the dial to be refinished (and there is no before and after to see the difference), but sometimes there's as much pleasure to be derived from finding the expert as seeing the fruits of their labour (as also witnessed in classic car restorations by individuals with skills and passion). A watch that shows its years but looks all the better for it.
Ant
Okay, so here is how the dial was when I got it
And here it is after James had done it first time
Dave
Wow, even more impressive!Originally Posted by sweets
Ant
That's true devotion. Well done. It owes you many years of pleasure now.
Very nice piece.
That's a nice sympathetic restoration.
You would not know the lume has been touched.
I have thought about doing similar to mine but in the end I chicken out. I still look out for a dial from time to time though.
Enjoy it.
Thanks gents, here is the dial post-restoration
The level of precision (the reinstated 5-minute index outlines and single minute indices) combined with randomness (seeming shrinkage of the lume in the plot centres and slight porosity of the lume) is staggeringly effective.
The fact that all the old blotches remain, just a little less obviously, is also great. But the circular scrape is gone........
Dave
Great write up, great work, and a great watch! It's refreshing to see a watch being cherished and enjoyed as it should be, without thought of value and the dreaded "residuals". I know where you're coming from, as I've owned my Datejust from new since 1984 and have worn it through all sorts of stuff. Bravo!
F.T.F.A.
Nice resto. Good to see it back to glory.
Lovely restoration work there.
Hope it gives you many more years of pleasure.
Cheers.
Final missing element, the wrist shot.
Dave
That's a lovely watcha and a superb restoration job. I can understand that you're absolutely thrilled with it now. Not jealous at all!
That is absolutely gorgeous!
I've been meaning to have mine serviced for a while, can you recommend anyone?
And do you have any details on the grey zulu, looks fantastic!
Mine says hellow
Sorry, a late reply.
Yes, Duncan TheWatchBloke is to be highly recommended, by me at the very least.
Well, the old zulu I have came from god knows where, but Watchgecko do a perfectly good one, I have one of those too, and it is commendably stiff and sturdy.
Dave
ps - lovely looking snowflake
Last edited by sweets; 16th July 2018 at 09:11. Reason: add ps
Very attractive watch.
Restoring it was the right thing to do, the watch now looks in good 'lived in' condition, old but still aesthetically attractive. The acquired 'patina' just made the watch look scabby. I can't imagine why 'purists' would prefer to keep the scabby look, something the makers never intended, apart from some value orientated originality thing, where apparently it is better to let the dial, lume and hands disintegrate rather than touch them.
Mitch
One of the nicest looking watches ever made in my humble opinion.
Absolutely unreal! What a great job 👍👍👍
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