Watch Dial Refinishing in the United States
4 listed shops
Dial Refinishing restores a damaged or faded watch dial by cleaning, repainting and reprinting it. It can bring a watch with a water-damaged or badly discoloured dial back into daily use.
It is specialist work, and many shops send dials out to a dedicated refinisher, so expect the watch to be away for some weeks. Ask how the printing, hour markers and luminous material will be restored, and whether the original hands are reused.
The main trade-off is originality. A refinished dial is no longer original, which can lower the value of a collectible watch, so a gentle clean may be a better choice for vintage pieces.
Los Angeles Watch Repair
Los Angeles
607 S Hill St Ste 241C, Los Angeles, CA 90014, USA
A & B Watch Repair
Chicago
29 E Madison St Ste 1407, Chicago, IL 60602, USA
RK Watch Service
Chicago
815 Waukegan Rd, Northbrook, IL 60062, USA
Time Delay Corporation A 40-Year Obsession with Quality
Dallas
12660 Coit Rd #250, Dallas, TX 75251, USA
Dial Refinishing by city
What to expect
What to expect from dial refinishing
- It affects originality
- A refinished dial is no longer original, which can lower the value of a collectible watch; a gentle clean may be an alternative.
- Specialist work
- Dial refinishing is specialist work, and many shops send dials out to a dedicated refinisher.
- A longer turnaround
- Because the dial often goes out to a specialist, expect the watch to be away for some weeks.
- Matching the details
- Ask how the printing, markers and luminous material will be restored, and whether the original hands are reused.
Frequently asked questions
How long does Dial Refinishing take?
Dial Refinishing usually takes some weeks, because many shops send the dial to a specialist refinisher and the watch has to be dismantled and reassembled around it.
What affects the cost of Dial Refinishing?
The complexity of the printing, applied markers, the amount of luminous material and the condition of the dial all affect the price.
Does Dial Refinishing reduce a watch's value?
On collectible and vintage watches it often can, because a refinished dial is no longer original. For those pieces, a gentle clean may be preferable to Dial Refinishing.
When is Dial Refinishing worth doing?
It makes sense when a dial is badly water-damaged, flaking or discoloured and the watch is worn for its own sake rather than kept as a collectible.