About Refinished Watch Dials

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NOS Vintage Benrus Watch Dials Home Page

You may be asking yourself why you would want to buy an unused factory original dial? After all, if you send the dial to a refinisher you wouldn't have to search through hundreds of dials in order to match yours. You wouldn't have to measure your watch dial or figure out where the connecting posts are. You may be thinking that if you send your dial to a refinisher you'll get your dial back "good as new" & all you will have had to do was pack it up & drop it in the mail. So, what is the advantage of buying a NOS factory original dial?

It should go without saying that the dial is the most important cosmetic feature of a watch. It doesn't matter how well the watch functions or what a great time keeper it is -if your dial is discolored or faded, it makes the watch look tired and worn out. Much like your car, you feel secure knowing that it is running perfectly but you're certainly not going to parade it around if it's covered in scratches, dents & rust.

Replacing you battle weary dial with a fresh NOS factory original dial will not only improve your watches appearance but it will also increase the value of your watch. Imagine if you could take that beat up, rust bucket of a car, & instead of taking it to the garage to be patched up & repainted you could simply call up General Motors & have them send you a brand new "body" for it. Now imagine that it would cost the same or even less!

If you've ever had a dial refinished or if you have purchased a vintage watch with a refinished dial, I am sure you already know that a refinished dial will also make a watch look better. But, it does not improve the value of the watch. Actually, the opposite is true. A refinished dial lowers the value of a watch.
This is because a refinished dial is not of the same quality of an original dial. If we go back to the "old rust bucket" car, which would you rather buy? The one with the new factory original body or the one that has been patched up & repainted?

If you have ever tried to sell a watch with a refinished watch, you already know that they are considered inferior. I have had some dials refinished over the years. Many of them were returned to me looking very nice but many others were very disappointing. Sometimes the finish is rough or just not like the original. Many dial refinishers are simply not set up to duplicate all the variations found on old dials. For example, the lettering can be a bunch of jumbled up block letters, where the original was in script. Some dials - such as the Masonic dial or those with unusual finishes or graphics - could not be easily reproduced by anyone, no matter how much equipment their shop has available to them.

Another problem with refinished dials, is that they simply don't hold up as good as originals. Original dials have a baked on enamel finish, sometimes with a clear coat covering the dial color and also applied over the markers to keep them from tarnishing. Refinished dials appear to be painted and have ink stamped lettering. The paint on the dials is more like a flat latex that you would paint the walls in your home with. You will notice that the dials with this finish mark up easily. Even when they've only been handled long enough for you to install them, you'll still notice every tiny mark you may have made simply but touching the edges with your fingertips.

Original dials have the applied markers soldered on. When dials are refinished the markers are glued on. This not only leads to loose markers down the road, it causes globs of glue under the dial. Many times after installing one of these dials you'll find that the date feature will not work. This is because the glue is "rubbing". It's made the dial just a tiny bit thicker. But, with a watch - that "tiny bit" causes big problems.

As I stated previously, I have had watch dials refinished in the past. In all cases it was because there was no vintage original replacement dial available. Dial refinishing can be great & definitely has it's place in the vintage watch collecting field. But, it is the opinion of most collectors, myself included, that it should be used only if you have no other choice. It's certainly much better than discarding the watch or continuing to let it look like a train wreck.

Three Refinished Dials

This is an older refinished dial. You'll notice on this dial that the lettering is actually under the crossbars. You'll also notice how badly it has yellowed over time.

This dial I sent out myself to be refinished. You'll notice that although the markers are yellow, they decided to do the lettering and the sub second lines in white. Thanks guys!

This too is also an older refinished dial that has yellowed with age. It doesn't show well in the photo but, the lettering in the word Benrus is so bad it's pitiful.

Most dial refinishing is done on a "first come, first served" basis with no guarantee (or even an "guestimate") as to how long the job will take or when you can expect to have your dial back in your possession. Most of the time, you will not get a price quote before sending the watch. When they finish the dial, they'll send you a bill. With our NOS factory original dials you know in advance what the total price will be AND, once your dial is paid for, you'll have it in your hands & on your wrist within days.

Installing a NOS factory original dial on your Benrus watch will improve it's value. Refinishing your old dial will only make it a old watch with a second class dial. Most dial refinishing now costs between $35.00 and $75.00 and can take anywhere from several weeks to several months to be returned to you. If you have the choice between having your dial refinished and buying a original factory replacement for around the same price (and, in many cases, much less), there should not be a doubt in your mind as to which is the better choice.