Refinish gen dials

[netniet]

I have recently bought 2 gen slightly damaged IWC Big Pilot dial on fleebay, and I am wondering if there is someone who can fix the damaged spots on these dials. The damage was caused by crappy storage.

These were relatively cheap, the one with the damaged 4 marker was bought for $16, and the other one was $41. (excl. shipping cost) I thought this is a very nice for gen dials which I am planning to use in a franken project.

 

 

Edited July 4, 2018 by netniet

[automatico]

My guess is that it would be hard to repair the 4 on the dial because the repair would have to match the color, thickness, and texture of the original number or it will look worse than it does now.  The other dial is not bad enough to repair imho. 

Something else...I doubt many dial refinishers will have an image plate for this dial and if they add the cost of having a plate made to the job, it will be expensive.

 

Very few dial refinishers will attempt such a repair because it is easier to refinish the complete dial.  Otoh very few dial refinishers can duplicate the factory's first class painting and printing so paying $75 to $150 for a refinishing job usually results in disappointment (in my experience).  I am in the USA and have had 100+ dials refinished over the years by 4 or 5 different refinishers.  The only dials that ever came back 'good as new' were vintage dials for Elgin, Hamilton, Ball etc watches.  Most rolex, omega tudor etc were only fair at best, and that is being generous.

 

Some of the best jobs were vintage Ball Trainmaster RR dials done by International Dial Co in Ohio.  There was a catch though...the white base color was so slick that a few of the printed black numbers slid out of place inside the glassine shipping envelopes.  Never saw that before.

 

Saw you have a 6694.  One of my favorites, have one in 85/90% condition (561xxxx) and one nos (882xxxx), both with silver dials.  Paid $925 at AD for the nos in June 1989 and $850 for the other one in like new condition August 2001.  I wore it quite a bit.