Restoration when is it too far or not far enough

Submitted by waynebrieske on May 15, 2023 - 9:32pm

Hi folks, thanks for adding me to the group. My question is;

When restoring these 1940's and '50's time pieces, when is it detrimental to the restoration, ie, should the case be left alone if it is in need of replating, or should a dial be left alone?

I have a number of quite rare pieces that I have recently serviced, including replacing a balance staff and getting the movement to work with only 0.3ms beat error.

Any help, views or advice would be most welcome.

mybulova_admin
Posted May 16, 2023 - 7:33am

For me this is very much an individual choice. Bulova watches aren't (IMO) considered highend expensive watches where originally counts for everything.

Some collectors are happy to do a complete restore, others a minor cleanup, others untouched....each to their own.

If you are happy to wear an all original well worn watch I applaude that. If you do a complete restore (including a case replate), I applaude that as well, but that's just me.

Either way I don't think restoring a vintage Bulova hurts it's value in any meaningful way..

neetstuf-4-u
Posted May 16, 2023 - 9:30am

In reply to by mybulova_admin

I agree with above comment. I personally am drawn to original condition and am a "minor cleanup guy". If a watch runs and keeps reasonable time I hand polish the case and crystal, and do a minimal cleaning of the dial if possible to spruce it up to make it the best original condition it can be. Replace crystal if it's really bad. I see some plating wear and spots on the dial as character.

Others like their watches to look original/new with physical resto (re-plate, refinish dial, etc). There is certainly an equal market for both, and neither option is preferred by all collectors.

 Some of my watches I call the automotive collecting term "rat rods". Mechanically and structurally excellent but physically poor/ugly and I actually like them (and wear them) that way.

I guess it basically boils down to personal goals in collecting vs. $. Example: If you get a really rough watch for let's say $5 (or free) and invest $150 into restoring it to make it worth $125 retail is that good or bad? If the intent is to save it, wear it, love it and the story; it's a good thing. Personal satisfaction of saving it. If it's an heirloom (grandpa's watch) it's priceless and worth every penny.  If the intent is to make money, not so much...just get it to run and wear it as is or pass it on for $25 

A tip, I use polishing cotton wadding called NEVR-DULL  on plated and solid cases and metal bands (not lacquered as it will strip the colored finish). It's easy to use and doesn't harm acrylic crystals. Available in hardware stores and ebay - comes in a can. It does an amazing job of hiding plating wear and isn't abrasive or caustic. It takes very little effort and also softens and makes easy removal of crud buildup with a wood toothpick..

 

mybulova_admin
Posted May 17, 2023 - 5:57pm

I'm going to buy some NEVR-DULL and give it a go.

neetstuf-4-u
Posted May 17, 2023 - 6:12pm

In reply to by mybulova_admin

It's great stuff and lasts forever. Pull a chunk out, use it and put it back in the can. Polish afterwards with a soft cloth. Same marble size piece will do 5 to 15 watches with bands. The can I have, I have been using for over 20 years and half of the wadding is still unused. .

waynebrieske
Posted May 17, 2023 - 6:08pm

I have ordered some myself. I have bought and serviced around 20+ '40's thru '50's mens Bulovas in the last 15 days.

And only a week before started buying tools and mobius lubricants. I am now fully hooked.

Probably spent 4k on tools and spare parts etc. And the plan is to have at least one type of watch (Bulova) at least from 1940 thru 1960 all tuned up and functional.

My favorite is a photo flip that is in excelle t condition closely followed by a rare "Surgeon" from I believe 1942.

So I thank all you for your comments so far. I will be posting some photos of the collection soon.

waynebrieske
Posted May 17, 2023 - 6:18pm

Hi folks, this might be useful. Once the piece has a gleaming shine, try using  this....the British royals use it on their stuff.....it keeps the shine and prevents finger prints etc, really good stuff, I have used it in the past, so as soon as the never dull arrives, I will use this as a final coat of protection. Renaissance micro crystalline wax, you can get it from Amazon....it comes in a small tin

1955mercury
Posted May 17, 2023 - 6:37pm

In reply to by waynebrieske

I use that wax on my guns. Never thought about using it on watches too. 

waynebrieske
Posted May 17, 2023 - 6:18pm

Hi folks, this might be useful. Once the piece has a gleaming shine, try using  this....the British royals use it on their stuff.....it keeps the shine and prevents finger prints etc, really good stuff, I have used it in the past, so as soon as the never dull arrives, I will use this as a final coat of protection. Renaissance micro crystalline wax, you can get it from Amazon....it comes in a small tin

JEV1A
Posted May 18, 2023 - 1:40am

In reply to by waynebrieske

The smell is awful... ceramic coating for cars works good too. Be really careful as if there are any air holes between the crystal and the bezel the wax can penetrate and get inside the dial. 

JEV1A
Posted May 18, 2023 - 1:37am

Nobody can agree to anything on your question. As a watchmaker, I don't restore dials. I love patina! But corrosion, rust and the like needs to be cleaned up. I use ultrasonic cleaning for everything. If a case has plate loss, I lightly polish. If a case is solid or gold filled I can hand polish and restore with much better results. Parts for movements are so difficult to replace, many times I simply exchange movements. I disagree that Bulova's are not high end. Check out original Accutron Spaceviews these days in auction. If you need full and complete restoration I can help. 

John V. 

Time & Again 

waynebrieske
Posted May 18, 2023 - 9:13am

In reply to by JEV1A

Hi John V,

                I am in agreement with you that Bulovas are not cheap. If they were then this group would not exist and we would not be putting in the effort to restore these time pieces. Junk from China probably will not be around in 75 years or have any anything but a curiosity attached to them, whereas these Bulovas strike me as having a mystique and a history that has long since faded, and each time I have resurrected one, I ask it, " I wish I knew what stories you could tell"...pretty stupid I know...it is after all an inanimate object, but I feel like a man possessed...it's more than meditation, anyhoo back to the work.

         I have found a place that will restore dials back to original, but holy hell is it expensive (3 to $500 and around 6 weeks). My wife thinks I have already gone round the bend. The dials alone would cost me around 10 to 15k, so I think I am going to look into getting set up for re-plating some of the cases and continue to simply buy watches that may have nicer dials (just for the dial- rework the movement and archive the movement), that way I will have a very good functional timepiece with a functional back-up that goes along with it......if nothing else, it should help the sale of the piece.

          I have already amassed quite the collection of stuff from NOS from either dead or retired clockmakers and literally thousands of crystals and still more keep coming (wife thinks I'm nuts).

         My biggest challenge is with roller stones and shellac and seperating the hairsprings to get the jewel in balance coque lubricated. Proffessionally I repair robots in the beverage industry ( as big as a house) then when I'm not traveling for that I come home and work on this tiny things, and it is this tiny balance work that is my biggest nemesis. It only took me 2 hours, give or take to discover I was missing a roller stone from a balance (10bt movement), which had me in aghast that it took me that long to discover the issue, so off to the garage to look at motorcycles and drink beer...10bt can wait.