Dial touch-up advice

[scott60]

This 61 y.o dial has plenty of small stains and bubbles yet still looks pretty good on the wrist. If not for the one large bald spot I'd be pretty happy with it.

 

I have no intention of sending it for "restoration" and am hoping that one of you guys will have some advice on a touch-up technique that will make the area less noticeable..

 

TIA

[krpster]

Very cool dial. I would be afraid that unless you can colour match one of the existing shades on the dial any touch up would be more noticeable then the naturally worn vintage look it has now. Also, if you only repaint portions they won't age the same and may look funy down the road even if you get the colour to match perfectly from the start. I think I would either leave it as is or do a full restore.

[scott60]

Yes, I agree. My only real hope is that one of the better restorers out there may take pity (and a wad of cash) and tackle this. No need for perfection here, just want it to look a bit better than it does now.

[freddy333]

I do not know of any way for a non-professional restorer to touch-up a dial without making it look 'touched-up', especially when you have to match 60 year-old paint. Your only options are to leave it as-is or have the dial professionally repainted.

[scott60]

Your only options are to leave it as-is or have the dial professionally repainted.

 

Yeah, this is what I keep hearing.

 

But...there are people who do sympathetic restorations of artwork. It's not too much of a stretch to think that someone out there has the skills to do a decent touch-up.  Using a nitrocellulose lacquer and tinting it for starters.  If the dial were pristine I would be more inclined to throw in the towel. But since it has staining and some bubbling on the surface I think that someone in the art world may have a technique that can at least make it look a bit less noticeable.

 

Thanks for your reply.

[fraggle42]

I certainly wouldn't get it restored, it looks lovely as is apart from that blob as you say.

 

I think you will need to cast your enquiry net a whole lot further.

 

The first person that springs to mind is Yddgrasl (sp?) as she professionally paints dials on watches and clocks. She will know a heck of a lot about how various paints change colour as they dry, which types of paint to use, how to prep the area, but most likely she may be able to point you towards someone who can do what you want.

 

Or at least put you in touch with someone who'll know.

 

It can't hurt to ask!

[Bidle]

Just leave it as it is!! I've a couple of dials that even look 'worse'. It's just telling you it's life. 

Also it won't help the value of it. 

 

Some dials weren't that good to begin with. Just like the '89 dials, nowadays almost all are restored. Another good example are Zenith chronometers 135.

Edited December 20, 2013 by Bidle