For me, part of the joy of a vintage watch, and the restoration, is bringing something with a story back to life. I don’t think having the blemishes on the dial and batons takes anything away from the work you’ve done thus far and allows a watch with a rough history to carry that history along while being given a new chance to be worn proudly on someone’s wrist. My vote is to keep the dial as is. No lume necessary. No replacement necessary. Nice work as always.
I can’t imagine anyone would expect the dial to be in perfect condition, after all, it is a vintage watch. I think it looks pretty good for what it is. That’s part of the charm.
@@MyRetroWatches That dial work is awesome, I think if you like a lumed dial then buy a new watch. Im resto-cleaning a dial from the 70s and Im with you, its a lot of work and uncertain result.
@@MyRetroWatches given the condition of the rest of the dial, having new lume would look out of place and, because of such a stark contrast, make the dial as a whole look worse.
Plain distilled water warmed to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, works wonders on dials place in water let sit for about 10 mins remove, blot with soft sponge, repeat, keep in mind it took along time for this to accumulate. Each soaking breaks up more and more dirt. Awesome job on this restoration. Relume and leave dial as is. Spit is hit or miss due to differing acid content but is readily available.
thank you Milton, I will consider this in the future. This one seems way to sensitive so no liquids in any form will go near it. Not sure on the indices relume, big job quite risky and I have to commit 100% or nothing I cant do one and mess it up I will decide in the next video.
Been following this from the beginning. Extremely excited for a chance to win this one! There’s so much history on this piece, whoever gets it will be extremely lucky
I am baffled by the desire to keep old, faded and otherwise expired lume in the name of authenticity. Lume, at least for me, is a serviceable part of the watch and should be reapplied periodically.
I think the mottling on the dial is absolutely fine and adds to the character of the watch. It looked good on the movement with the chapter ring in place.
Hi Guys, I am hoping for your feedback in the comments. I am wanting to know your thoughts on the dial and also what to do with the hour markings. This has to be the most disappointing video I have made and I am genuinely really upset that I would make a mistake like this when nearing the finishing line. To be honest the dial is usable but had I not tried that extra bit it would have been find with just the rodico cleaning. Also my sound quality is not brilliant. I have been having issues for a while now and this video I used a different recording software to fix the original distortion issues, I now find its recording too quiet... One very kind subscriber is helping me with advice so with luck the up and coming videos should be better sound quality.
It's your fault I bought my first Seiko last week, it arrived today and I'm already hooked! Diamatic 2517 September 1970 - yes, I've even look it up. The way the dial has an electric blue stripe when it catches the light, the feel of wearing it ... it's useless to fight it. PS My advice is not worth having about the dial but you're doing a great job, can't wait to see the finished watch!
I think scraping the relume and replacing it would look great, but if it's very time consuming as you say then leave it as it is. Keep the dial as it looks good. I love the fact it has 24hr dial, I have never seen one like that before. I think it will look beautiful when finished.
Cleaning dial is always a challenge. What about distilled water, have you ever tried it? Instead of scratching with the tweezer tip, try to scratch it with the very sharp match stich dipped in water, wait for a while, repaeat and then scratch. Lets see what comes out. Am sure it will work. Fingers crossed.
Hi Michael I can really hear your disappointment and would like to offer a replacement or another project if you decide to use your dial. I live in Brisbane Australia and have a 6309-865L TH it has a blue dial that looks to be in good condition that I picked up in a bunch of watches. It is missing the crystal and is not running. I have to get rid of this one one way or another as it is quite humid here so only a matter of time till the dial rots and the movement rusts. I would be happy to post it over to you as my way of supporting a channel that I learn a lot from.
Thank you so much for this offer. It is certainly worth me considering this as an option. In an ideal world I would like to keep as much as possible original that way its a true reflection of its history. if too many parts are exchanged then in reality it is not original.
Dawn dish liquid is known for being mild in fact I think that’s the soap they use on animals after crude oil spills, I would think it would help gently clean yet being mild enough without ruining the dial. Would be interesting to get a junk dial and try it. Great video
Ok as we speak I have just made one good electric motor out of two. Never throw anything away! But more on topic how does that much dust get into a watch if that's not too daft a question? When you finish this project its going to look like it left the factory yesterday! Superb! Cheers,Len.
Oh also reading comments ref.dial refinishing why not leave it as it is,finish the case up,the movement is now sweet and let the eventual recipient of a free watch decide to spend their own cash on it from that point on? Sound advice! Cheers.There will never be such a thing as a free lunch?
I also vote for a dial relume. This is maybe the only improvement we can get of it. What you can do is cut some paper or plastic sheet to have a protection around every index. In that way you can remove the old lume without the risk of damage the dial
The dial looks OK from just cleaning it with the Rodico. If you were to replace the dial then it wouldn’t have the patina of age so I would leave as is. I also wouldn’t bother with reapplying lume to the indices. Great job I’m looking forward to seeing the case restoration
Dial looks fine and I would not go to the trouble of re-luming the indices. Were it here and mine, I might try spraying the dial with a matt finish plasticizer we have called Krylon. The idea of dial dots to hold the chapter ring on is spot on. On some Seikos, I fold them in half and place them on the movement holder to avoid getting them in the way of the motion works. Great work!
HI Bob. Thanks. Dial dots I will try first possibly but the issue might be that they lift it up too high. It is supposed to be sitting flat on the dial. if it does not look right then I will be forced to use some glue GS Hypo probably as you can be very precise with the application. I would be more inclined to glue from the back where the feet would have gone. Just line the holes with a small amount that way its not going to ooze out and make a mess.
I think, if the winner wont like this dial, he can replace it by himself. In my opinion, leave it as is. Great job and the idea of video series about restoration of giveaway watch!
I think that dial looks quite reasonable considering how bad it did look. I'd personally like to try re luming the indices but it could be tricky to do that neatly?
@@MyRetroWatches It's an awkward one, considering it's a giveaway watch I'd be wary of messing up a relume for someone, but at the same time it's a learning curve AND someone is getting a free watch that's been serviced and restored with a video history. I say, go for it. I did my first dial relume yesterday having only done hands and there were a few clench moments but it looks OK I think.
It looks better than I thought it would look!! So, I consider that every single detail in the dial, is just a battle scar and reflects the life the watch had, which gives it character and almost anyone that enjoy watches will appreciate (I certainly do.), i would leave the paint as is. And to relume or not to relume that is the question 🤔. Either way the watch is going to look awesome 😉, and I would leave as is, but if you want to invest more time on it I would love to see how those indexes turn. Any way the future lucky owner of this watch is going to be in love with it, and grateful that you had invested all this time on the watch just to give it away, great work as always!!!
Diego David Reyes thank you sir. A great comment! Battle scar indeed. At least I’ve show you all how not to do it. The lume for the indices is a tough one . You have to commit 100% or walk away
@@MyRetroWatches no, you showed us that things happens from time to time even to the best. When dealing with old and most importantly, exposed dials tend to be unpredictable and the appearance of them tend to be deceiving, once i messed up a Citizen speedy dial when trying to remove dirt from it using the same technic, even though the dial seemed to be in perfect condition 😔. Lucky me, it wasn't some one else's, but since then, to remove more difficult dirt i use makeup brushes which tend to be more soft and until now it seems to work fine, but i guess some day luck will run out 🤣. About the lume, if you go with it or not, you effort is and will be highly appreciated by all of us that enjoy your videos 😉
That dial is lovely Michael, it is an old watch!. With new glass and polished case it will look great!👍. Wouldn't be reluming the batons, too much time spent!. And stop spitting on dials!!!.😂😂😂. Well done. Adrian
Carry on Mike. You’ve done exceptionally well from how it was when you started. Those battle scars on the dial gives it the character and history that makes it a vintage worth keeping :)
I've once cleaned a dial with a dillution of shampoo. In my opinion, shampoo is effective to remove dirt and fat, but save enough not to damage the lacquer..
Should remove dust with a brush - that prevents any scratching. It won't in any way stick to the face and pull off any surface. And it gets into the tight corners where the indices attach to the dial.
Michael try to preserve the watch and it's history and I would be proud to win the watch and wear it as it is and keep up the great work that you always do!!!
Treat it as your own, It’s your watch until you choose the new owner. If you have a donor dial perhaps you could experiment with this one or leave it be. Personally I think it would be fun to have a well aged watch with a solid movement under the case.
Hi they are pegged. I have never tried to remove them before. In part because when I have looked at some Siekos before close up under the scope I dont think they are made of steel or are plated. I really need something to practice on..... off to the junk box I go!
Mild soap and warm water should help clean the dial. Lacquer should not be affected by the mild soap and water solution. Use a very soft natural hair brush to gently help loosen the debris. You can use a fine ground screwdriver to gently chip away the old lume then make sure to clean it again if you did not remove the old lume first. A pointed wooden dowl can also be used if you think the fine ground screwdriver will be too harsh. The lume will simply crumble away with light pressure.
I personally think that since you are doing the giveaway out of the goodness of your own heart, and you are the one putting in the time to get this watch back up and running, that you can decide to do whatever you think would work best. I know if i was the winner of the watch i would just be ecstatic that i had won and wear it however it is. So whatever direction you go with i would be good with. But i know im new to this group and have only recently gotten into watches so it is ok to take my suggestion with a grain of salt. Lol.
I agree that the indexes should stay as they are, albeit a bit cleaner, as per the stain, it is barely noticeable and you risk damaging the dial if you proceed with the cleaning. If you have another dial to test, it is quite simple to make a Shellac solution and try that as a laquer, and it usually sits on top of the previous layer very well. At least in wood it does, never tried it on a dial... BTW Sound improved, and loved the cuts ;)
Thanks for your reply and of course your help with my sound issues. I need to play around more with the settings and make the final cut louder but hopefully the beginnings of better quality sound and video.
Well Michael, you've got a dilemma....indeed. After all the work you put into it, it's a pity to refrain from going a step further and attempting to relume. Now, reluming and maintaining the character of this fine watch dial is the hardest part. At a certain point you were considering getting another dial... With that in mind I would have a go attempting to relume. It will be a good experience and for sure you'll do well (as usual 😉)...if not, you can always put another one on. Good luck whatever you decide!
Hi Adam, thanks for your comment. Not sure on the relume of the dial right now . Its a lot of work and you have to commit 100%. I have not done many indices so I have a reluctance to do it on the giveaway watch. I might look through some of my donors though! thanks for watching and your support.
I think it looks great! I like that it looks a bit used & old & tattered. It shows the age & wisdom of the piece. If it looked brand new, it wouldn't look right. Great job! Leave it as is! It's clean and that's enough. Just put the Seiko badge on and call it a day! It's f@ckin' awesome! DO NOT USE A REPLACEMENT DIAL! YOU WOULD RUIN IT!
Thanks Troy. Your definitely right however I do plan to do a good job on the case. To replace the dial may have been an in the moment comment as to actually find one we could be waiting 6 months for a donor watch plus the price to pay for it! thanks for your support.
Good job, l have 6119 Seiko and i relacquered it again but after two days the lacquer seems like ice or particles of ice, how do i remove them?? Please
If you go down to a light lacquer route, you will have to find what the original used lest it reacts then ruins it all, a gentle coating of lacquer would really cover up some sins I am thinking but it is a vintage watch but you also don't want the lacquer degradation to carry on in the future where the paint starts flaking off. I think the ring hides a lot of sins and the dial doesn't look too bad, I suspect a shellac lacquer may have been used as it reacted to the acid in saliva maybe? Will you attempt to recolour the faded red on the outer ring? The batons you could quite easily affix lume strips readily available for all makes of watches, being pre-cut would take a lot of the aggro I am thinking :) If not they would look quite nice cleaned and polished and maybe affix lume dots at the ends to give some functionality at night.
I have never tried to lacquer anything so I dont really intend to try on the giveaway dial now. Interesting that there is a possibility of doing this in the future. The chapter ring will stay as is.
I'm sorry to see that mate. I hate that feeling. I can report similar bad experiences trying to clean dials with anything but rodico. Dial manufacture is a mysterious business and it's really hard to know what sort of paints and lacquers are on there and how they might react to liquids. To my way of thinking, the dial is the watch. Nowadays I avoid any watch with any imperfections whatsoever on the dial. I might miss out on some bargains but at least I avoid the heartache. I did see someone in the FB group who looked to be refinishing dials... somewhere in Europe IIRC.
Hamish Spencer I know a few restorers of dials but then price will be at least £50 and more so restoring is not viable. As this is all out of my own pocket I just can’t justify that spend. My current thoughts are to soldier on and keep going with this. Dial is a knock back but it’s not so damaged you would not wear. My last giveaway had similar (not by my own hand) damage. In all the dials I have done Rodico and the odd bit of spit always worked well. On this occasion the fragility of that dusty dial was an oversight by me
Have you tried the babyoil once? I would imagine that it just collects dust but if there is no dust or dirt in the working environment and is handled and applied carefully i think it could actually make the dial look better. I will try this with some watches and will inform you on the result
I think a lot can be said just for a little bit of a soapy water rinse, as long as you dry it well afterwards. You should find some ones with messed up laquer and do experiments!
It's a old video, but I've heard the last stage after rodico, could be done with clear car wax. Ever tried that? Great video btw. Helps alot. Very good that you've shown how fast a dial can be damaged
Hi Mike. The dial looks good to me, and honestly I'd let the indices as they are now, but it's just my opinion. I don't remember how the hands' lume is, if you really have to relume the hands then maybe you'll have to go with the indices too or they could look too different.
I've heard, ( but not tried), that baby oil is used on faded black dials as it helps to restore the deep color. Not sure how it would work out on this dial.
That dial is fine as it is & has some history & looks good. I think using the microscope is too critical, you would never look at that magnification normally. I think the indices could be cleaned of any loose lume with some pegwood, but they may look out of place if re-lumed. If you are going to re-lume the hands, its those that you actually look at in the dark, the indices are irrelevant actually. Good job.
Thank you David. nice comment sir. I am really not sure on the indices right now, hands I will do and you make a good point that its only them that we look at. Microscope helps to examine and yes can give the illusion of bad damage but also helps to clean some of the worst off easier. Thanks for watching.
I think i would try a small paint brush to try and brush away dust around Lum. Perhaps test some microcrystaline wax on dial surface ? Otherwise leave as is to show its age .
To think I have been sandblasting mine. No wonder I can not tell time probably anymore. The good news is a black dial like yours comes up shiney and silver afterwards. Just kidding folks. I actually clean mine basically the same way. But may also use a soft felt tip slightly wet to finish up. I have done quite well over the years doing it this way. The last watch I cleaned however really had so many issues . It is a Raymond Weil Maestro and the hour markers basically just fell off. I am not too impressed with their dial works. As for baby oil, I wouldn't. Anything like that may be kinda okay ( although I would imagine causes a weird oil rainbow) but I think overtime could lift the enamel. As for the Lumen I usually just purchase replacement markers. If none are available then you may have to go extreme and paint new Lumen in. It is a bit of a microscopic thing and a extremely steady hand. One dial that is rather rough to deal with are the vintage paper dials. Forget it.
Thanks for the video! as usual very entertaining. I like your real time candid reactions to each challenge you encounter with this dial... I wouldn't relume the batons. from a close up vision it looks horrible as you say but it is not so noticeable from a "normal" view... so go ahead with it, I say!
Cristobal Osuna thanks for watching and this is an encouraging comment for me. I tend to film everything “live” if there are any edits it’s just to cut out waffle or if I really do say something completely wrong!
That dial “damage” is not too bad. I think the indices and faded outer ring are more of an issue at this stage. However if you’re going for the NOS look with a polished case and new crystal you probably needed to consider a new dial (and outer ring) anyway otherwise it might look out of place when the rest of the watch is in mint condition. Perhaps putting out an appeal to anyone who may have spares? If you’ve already replaced broken movement parts, replacing the dial and outer ring will not in anyway affect the integrity of this watch.
Thanks Max, finding a dial would be hard. luming the indices is equally a challenge as its all in or go home so if I mess it up.... cost, workload and time all play a part too. I have a watch in my collectino that I restored all but a really bad dial and its much worse than this one yet I like that look. I will decide what to do in the next episode I think.
looks great, you don't have to relume the batons the look fine it's an old watch and new lume would look out of place. I do want to see how to relume the batons though maybe another time ^_^
Hello, my name is Mike. if your starting out either a small 4 piece set from Bergeon like these amzn.to/2SWSEN7 or goto Cousins and buy the set I use A&F for £50.00 www.cousinsuk.com/product/af-swiss-stainless-steel-9-pieces-rs
if this was my watch I would get some plastic tweezers and cut off a very small piece of magic eraser, if you don't know what that is it is a sponge with a super fine grit, possibly soft enough to not damage the lume but gritty enough to sand off the garbage layer. I have not cleaned a watch face or indices with this method myself but it seems like the right thing.
Could you use a hobby spray clear coat on the dial to firm up the lume & the laquer damage? I believe this it what Spencer Klein does. Other than that I would leave the dial as is, I think whoever receives the watch should be very grateful anyway considering the effort you've put in, cheers
Peter Nemeth hello , sorry I did not film that part. It’s delicate work to line it up with the holes. No glue is used I would have used GS Hypo cement if needed and only under the dial however I placed it back in and it’s tight in the holes so no glue required
Leave the dial on please, I saw a Sub with a "crackeled" dial for about twice what a new one cost, and a Pepsi same story., although that one was about the same money as a new one. I'd be interested to see you re-lume those batons , hough , if you can, one of my watches has batons I'd like to have re-lumed But I'm a little afraid I'd ruin the dial. Another interesting vid ,thx .
You say you saved the logo to reattach, where did you find it? My Seiko 5 one has dissapeared and the watch has not been taken apart????? Did it slide in to the day date area?
Do you know of any way to get a stain off an old 6309-7040 dial? I got an amazing dial but it has a stain above the water150 stamp and I tried rodico, won't come off. Thank you.
Short answer is no. Dials are not good to work on so I generally leave alone. It will be the lacquer that has marked most likely and this is why you can’t get rid of it.
Oh and btw if you are bored I could send you a watch that will make you go dizzy trying to clean the dial. I have a early Cimier Seven Seas Sextant which needs a proper clean on the dial. This watch makes me rather nervous due to how busy the dial is along with brass highlights. The hands are not replaceable mainly due to being part of the whole sea theme aspect. Like a sail , anchor chrono second hand ( kinda like a Breitling) and depth of the multi tier dial. The movement I have kept serviced. So that is all good. It is just the dial. I have a 18k Daytona that could use a bit of a dial clean. But another watch I start to shake over Hey listen , for those of you in the watch world do any of you know a watch service center that can work on a Dubois Depraz module and movement? Hard to find a service center that can deal with both. I have a Zodiac , Versace, and a few Daniel JeanRichard with the Dubois Depraz modules.
Quite the dilemma, we want the patina, the character of the old watch and at the same time, as amateur restorers, we also want to know how to clean and restore to its original beauty as much as possible. Where's the line? I support you either way. I know from sad experience you can go too far and ruin all the other work you've done, especially with the dial.
Thank you for your comment Howard. nice reassurance. I do not plan to touch the dial itself again now as its just too risky. Indices I am still on the fence. I have to commit 100% or nothing which is another big gamble.
Wow!! I just found your channel, and I love the idea of what your doing. The 24 hour dial is awesome!! I just got my Dad's turtle 6309-7049 back from a seiko repair guy I found on ebay. His watch is working great now. He was a US Navy Diver in the 70's and 80's, he went on to spend 30 years in the Navy! Both me and my Brother joined the US Navy in the 90's, following in his footsteps. The point is to this day we use military 24hour time. I have been looking for a bezel insert that is 24HR time like your dial is. No luck so far. Are you going to sell this watch you're fixing? I hope so!! Keep up the hard work!!! Turtles rule!!!
Ok I've watched more videos, and I see that you are going to give the watch away! That's awesome, I want a 24hr watch. I'm currently looking for a 24hr bezel insert for my Dad's seiko 6309-7049, so this dial that is already 24hr is great for me. Keep up the great work!!
To be honest Michael the dial is part of the history of the watch so just keep going, I'd be very happy with the watch. Great work by the way
Shane & Ella's daicast restorations thank you . I am thinking the same to be honest. Keep going and then asses at the end. Thanks for your comment
Don't be dejected. Soldier on. This is a restoration, the small imperfections are what makes it beautiful and gives it character. YOU ROCK
Thank you so much for your support
For me, part of the joy of a vintage watch, and the restoration, is bringing something with a story back to life. I don’t think having the blemishes on the dial and batons takes anything away from the work you’ve done thus far and allows a watch with a rough history to carry that history along while being given a new chance to be worn proudly on someone’s wrist. My vote is to keep the dial as is. No lume necessary. No replacement necessary. Nice work as always.
Thank you for your comment. I am inclined to agree with you right now.
I can’t imagine anyone would expect the dial to be in perfect condition, after all, it is a vintage watch. I think it looks pretty good for what it is. That’s part of the charm.
Nicely said thanks .
Leave the old dial but scrape and relume the indices.
We all love a nicely lumed dial after all :)
Simon g thanks for your comment . I am still unsure on the indices. It’s allot of work and it might not be successful.
Yep agreed, gotta have that lume
@@MyRetroWatches That dial work is awesome, I think if you like a lumed dial then buy a new watch. Im resto-cleaning a dial from the 70s and Im with you, its a lot of work and uncertain result.
@@MyRetroWatches given the condition of the rest of the dial, having new lume would look out of place and, because of such a stark contrast, make the dial as a whole look worse.
Plain distilled water warmed to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, works wonders on dials place in water let sit for about 10 mins remove, blot with soft sponge, repeat, keep in mind it took along time for this to accumulate. Each soaking breaks up more and more dirt. Awesome job on this restoration. Relume and leave dial as is. Spit is hit or miss due to differing acid content but is readily available.
thank you Milton, I will consider this in the future. This one seems way to sensitive so no liquids in any form will go near it. Not sure on the indices relume, big job quite risky and I have to commit 100% or nothing I cant do one and mess it up I will decide in the next video.
Been following this from the beginning. Extremely excited for a chance to win this one! There’s so much history on this piece, whoever gets it will be extremely lucky
Thanks for your support. Still a few more videos to go until we can think about the giveaway!
Keep the dial and re-lume. Great work it all tells the history of the watch.
I am baffled by the desire to keep old, faded and otherwise expired lume in the name of authenticity. Lume, at least for me, is a serviceable part of the watch and should be reapplied periodically.
I agree, especially if the hands are re-done as at least all the lume will look the same.
I think the mottling on the dial is absolutely fine and adds to the character of the watch. It looked good on the movement with the chapter ring in place.
Thanks. ps what a great name!
i agree with
Simon g Leave the old dial but scrape and relume the indices.
Hi Guys, I am hoping for your feedback in the comments. I am wanting to know your thoughts on the dial and also what to do with the hour markings. This has to be the most disappointing video I have made and I am genuinely really upset that I would make a mistake like this when nearing the finishing line. To be honest the dial is usable but had I not tried that extra bit it would have been find with just the rodico cleaning. Also my sound quality is not brilliant. I have been having issues for a while now and this video I used a different recording software to fix the original distortion issues, I now find its recording too quiet... One very kind subscriber is helping me with advice so with luck the up and coming videos should be better sound quality.
It's your fault I bought my first Seiko last week, it arrived today and I'm already hooked! Diamatic 2517 September 1970 - yes, I've even look it up. The way the dial has an electric blue stripe when it catches the light, the feel of wearing it ... it's useless to fight it.
PS My advice is not worth having about the dial but you're doing a great job, can't wait to see the finished watch!
I agree with all the others Mike, the dial is a part of it's history, please keep it.
Definitely keep the watch as original as humanly possible. always. it shows the character, age, use, history of the watch
I think scraping the relume and replacing it would look great, but if it's very time consuming as you say then leave it as it is. Keep the dial as it looks good. I love the fact it has 24hr dial, I have never seen one like that before. I think it will look beautiful when finished.
Thank you. A new video on this one is coming.
Mike, I'd absolutely keep the watch original. It's part of it's charm. Really nice job!
Cleaning dial is always a challenge. What about distilled water, have you ever tried it? Instead of scratching with the tweezer tip, try to scratch it with the very sharp match stich dipped in water, wait for a while, repaeat and then scratch. Lets see what comes out. Am sure it will work. Fingers crossed.
Hi Michael I can really hear your disappointment and would like to offer a replacement or another project if you decide to use your dial. I live in Brisbane Australia and have a 6309-865L TH it has a blue dial that looks to be in good condition that I picked up in a bunch of watches. It is missing the crystal and is not running. I have to get rid of this one one way or another as it is quite humid here so only a matter of time till the dial rots and the movement rusts. I would be happy to post it over to you as my way of supporting a channel that I learn a lot from.
Thank you so much for this offer. It is certainly worth me considering this as an option. In an ideal world I would like to keep as much as possible original that way its a true reflection of its history. if too many parts are exchanged then in reality it is not original.
Carry on, I'm with the others, the dial is part of the story, demonstrate your re-luming skills. Excellent videos as always.
Thank you.
Dawn dish liquid is known for being mild in fact I think that’s the soap they use on animals after crude oil spills, I would think it would help gently clean yet being mild enough without ruining the dial. Would be interesting to get a junk dial and try it. Great video
Ok as we speak I have just made one good electric motor out of two. Never throw anything away! But more on topic how does that much dust get into a watch if that's not too daft a question? When you finish this project its going to look like it left the factory yesterday! Superb! Cheers,Len.
Oh also reading comments ref.dial refinishing why not leave it as it is,finish the case up,the movement is now sweet and let the eventual recipient of a free watch decide to spend their own cash on it from that point on? Sound advice! Cheers.There will never be such a thing as a free lunch?
I also vote for a dial relume. This is maybe the only improvement we can get of it. What you can do is cut some paper or plastic sheet to have a protection around every index. In that way you can remove the old lume without the risk of damage the dial
The dial looks OK from just cleaning it with the Rodico. If you were to replace the dial then it wouldn’t have the patina of age so I would leave as is. I also wouldn’t bother with reapplying lume to the indices. Great job I’m looking forward to seeing the case restoration
Thank you Steve I am inclined to agree with you.
Dial looks fine and I would not go to the trouble of re-luming the indices. Were it here and mine, I might try spraying the dial with a matt finish plasticizer we have called Krylon. The idea of dial dots to hold the chapter ring on is spot on. On some Seikos, I fold them in half and place them on the movement holder to avoid getting them in the way of the motion works. Great work!
HI Bob. Thanks. Dial dots I will try first possibly but the issue might be that they lift it up too high. It is supposed to be sitting flat on the dial. if it does not look right then I will be forced to use some glue GS Hypo probably as you can be very precise with the application. I would be more inclined to glue from the back where the feet would have gone. Just line the holes with a small amount that way its not going to ooze out and make a mess.
@@MyRetroWatches GS Hypo cement is a very good idea. I like that better than dial dots.
Fantastic work so far. I would be tempted to leave the old face on what is an old watch, it's part of it's history and character.
Gerry McIvor I am gauging the feedback so far and I feel the only viable option is to continue and see how it looks at the end.
I think, if the winner wont like this dial, he can replace it by himself. In my opinion, leave it as is. Great job and the idea of video series about restoration of giveaway watch!
I think that dial looks quite reasonable considering how bad it did look.
I'd personally like to try re luming the indices but it could be tricky to do that neatly?
I am really on the fence with doing the indices. its go hard or go home situation. I really dont want to make it worse at this point.
@@MyRetroWatches It's an awkward one, considering it's a giveaway watch I'd be wary of messing up a relume for someone, but at the same time it's a learning curve AND someone is getting a free watch that's been serviced and restored with a video history.
I say, go for it.
I did my first dial relume yesterday having only done hands and there were a few clench moments but it looks OK I think.
It looks better than I thought it would look!!
So, I consider that every single detail in the dial, is just a battle scar and reflects the life the watch had, which gives it character and almost anyone that enjoy watches will appreciate (I certainly do.), i would leave the paint as is. And to relume or not to relume that is the question 🤔. Either way the watch is going to look awesome 😉, and I would leave as is, but if you want to invest more time on it I would love to see how those indexes turn.
Any way the future lucky owner of this watch is going to be in love with it, and grateful that you had invested all this time on the watch just to give it away, great work as always!!!
Diego David Reyes thank you sir. A great comment! Battle scar indeed. At least I’ve show you all how not to do it.
The lume for the indices is a tough one . You have to commit 100% or walk away
@@MyRetroWatches no, you showed us that things happens from time to time even to the best.
When dealing with old and most importantly, exposed dials tend to be unpredictable and the appearance of them tend to be deceiving, once i messed up a Citizen speedy dial when trying to remove dirt from it using the same technic, even though the dial seemed to be in perfect condition 😔. Lucky me, it wasn't some one else's, but since then, to remove more difficult dirt i use makeup brushes which tend to be more soft and until now it seems to work fine, but i guess some day luck will run out 🤣.
About the lume, if you go with it or not, you effort is and will be highly appreciated by all of us that enjoy your videos 😉
That dial is lovely Michael, it is an old watch!. With new glass and polished case it will look great!👍. Wouldn't be reluming the batons, too much time spent!. And stop spitting on dials!!!.😂😂😂. Well done. Adrian
Adrian Birkett haha that’s told me! Thanks I will keep going I think
Carry on Mike. You’ve done exceptionally well from how it was when you started. Those battle scars on the dial gives it the character and history that makes it a vintage worth keeping :)
Thank you Dennis. I am hoping that once all complete in a nice case it should look great.
I've once cleaned a dial with a dillution of shampoo. In my opinion, shampoo is effective to remove dirt and fat, but save enough not to damage the lacquer..
Should remove dust with a brush - that prevents any scratching. It won't in any way stick to the face and pull off any surface. And it gets into the tight corners where the indices attach to the dial.
Michael try to preserve the watch and it's history and I would be proud to win the watch and wear it as it is and keep up the great work that you always do!!!
Thank you Richard.
@@MyRetroWatches you're very welcome sir
Looks fine as is, you removed plenty of grime with the Rodico as it now looks 100% better.
I think you should try to relume the indices.
Take them of the dial, give them a good scrub, relume and put them back on the dial.
Treat it as your own, It’s your watch until you choose the new owner. If you have a donor dial perhaps you could experiment with this one or leave it be. Personally I think it would be fun to have a well aged watch with a solid movement under the case.
The dial isn't too bad. But the indices should be relumed. That'll freshen up the looks for sure. Are they pegged so they can be removed?
Hi they are pegged. I have never tried to remove them before. In part because when I have looked at some Siekos before close up under the scope I dont think they are made of steel or are plated. I really need something to practice on..... off to the junk box I go!
I think it looks fine. I like the patina.
Mild soap and warm water should help clean the dial. Lacquer should not be affected by the mild soap and water solution. Use a very soft natural hair brush to gently help loosen the debris. You can use a fine ground screwdriver to gently chip away the old lume then make sure to clean it again if you did not remove the old lume first. A pointed wooden dowl can also be used if you think the fine ground screwdriver will be too harsh. The lume will simply crumble away with light pressure.
Thank you.
I personally think that since you are doing the giveaway out of the goodness of your own heart, and you are the one putting in the time to get this watch back up and running, that you can decide to do whatever you think would work best. I know if i was the winner of the watch i would just be ecstatic that i had won and wear it however it is. So whatever direction you go with i would be good with. But i know im new to this group and have only recently gotten into watches so it is ok to take my suggestion with a grain of salt. Lol.
What a great and thoughtful comment. Agreed that in reality it is my decision what I do with it. dial relume is possibly hours of work.
I agree that the indexes should stay as they are, albeit a bit cleaner, as per the stain, it is barely noticeable and you risk damaging the dial if you proceed with the cleaning.
If you have another dial to test, it is quite simple to make a Shellac solution and try that as a laquer, and it usually sits on top of the previous layer very well.
At least in wood it does, never tried it on a dial...
BTW Sound improved, and loved the cuts ;)
Thanks for your reply and of course your help with my sound issues. I need to play around more with the settings and make the final cut louder but hopefully the beginnings of better quality sound and video.
Well Michael, you've got a dilemma....indeed. After all the work you put into it, it's a pity to refrain from going a step further and attempting to relume. Now, reluming and maintaining the character of this fine watch dial is the hardest part. At a certain point you were considering getting another dial... With that in mind I would have a go attempting to relume. It will be a good experience and for sure you'll do well (as usual 😉)...if not, you can always put another one on. Good luck whatever you decide!
Hi Adam, thanks for your comment. Not sure on the relume of the dial right now . Its a lot of work and you have to commit 100%. I have not done many indices so I have a reluctance to do it on the giveaway watch. I might look through some of my donors though! thanks for watching and your support.
I think it looks great! I like that it looks a bit used & old & tattered. It shows the age & wisdom of the piece. If it looked brand new, it wouldn't look right. Great job! Leave it as is! It's clean and that's enough. Just put the Seiko badge on and call it a day! It's f@ckin' awesome! DO NOT USE A REPLACEMENT DIAL! YOU WOULD RUIN IT!
Thanks Troy. Your definitely right however I do plan to do a good job on the case. To replace the dial may have been an in the moment comment as to actually find one we could be waiting 6 months for a donor watch plus the price to pay for it! thanks for your support.
Good job, l have 6119 Seiko and i relacquered it again but after two days the lacquer seems like ice or particles of ice, how do i remove them?? Please
If you go down to a light lacquer route, you will have to find what the original used lest it reacts then ruins it all, a gentle coating of lacquer would really cover up some sins I am thinking but it is a vintage watch but you also don't want the lacquer degradation to carry on in the future where the paint starts flaking off. I think the ring hides a lot of sins and the dial doesn't look too bad, I suspect a shellac lacquer may have been used as it reacted to the acid in saliva maybe? Will you attempt to recolour the faded red on the outer ring? The batons you could quite easily affix lume strips readily available for all makes of watches, being pre-cut would take a lot of the aggro I am thinking :) If not they would look quite nice cleaned and polished and maybe affix lume dots at the ends to give some functionality at night.
I have never tried to lacquer anything so I dont really intend to try on the giveaway dial now. Interesting that there is a possibility of doing this in the future. The chapter ring will stay as is.
I'm sorry to see that mate. I hate that feeling. I can report similar bad experiences trying to clean dials with anything but rodico. Dial manufacture is a mysterious business and it's really hard to know what sort of paints and lacquers are on there and how they might react to liquids. To my way of thinking, the dial is the watch. Nowadays I avoid any watch with any imperfections whatsoever on the dial. I might miss out on some bargains but at least I avoid the heartache. I did see someone in the FB group who looked to be refinishing dials... somewhere in Europe IIRC.
Hamish Spencer I know a few restorers of dials but then price will be at least £50 and more so restoring is not viable. As this is all out of my own pocket I just can’t justify that spend. My current thoughts are to soldier on and keep going with this. Dial is a knock back but it’s not so damaged you would not wear. My last giveaway had similar (not by my own hand) damage.
In all the dials I have done Rodico and the odd bit of spit always worked well. On this occasion the fragility of that dusty dial was an oversight by me
Have you tried the babyoil once? I would imagine that it just collects dust but if there is no dust or dirt in the working environment and is handled and applied carefully i think it could actually make the dial look better. I will try this with some watches and will inform you on the result
Hi I have not tried it. I would not want to put anything on a dial through worry it would make it worse.
I think a lot can be said just for a little bit of a soapy water rinse, as long as you dry it well afterwards. You should find some ones with messed up laquer and do experiments!
It's a old video, but I've heard the last stage after rodico, could be done with clear car wax. Ever tried that?
Great video btw. Helps alot. Very good that you've shown how fast a dial can be damaged
I have heard this too but unsure if I could clean it all off afterwards.
Go For It! its history refurbed!
Hi Mike. The dial looks good to me, and honestly I'd let the indices as they are now, but it's just my opinion. I don't remember how the hands' lume is, if you really have to relume the hands then maybe you'll have to go with the indices too or they could look too different.
I would go ahead and use the original dial the way it is it just shows it’s age in history .if you’re in the old watches that’s what it’s all about.
I've heard, ( but not tried), that baby oil is used on faded black dials as it helps to restore the deep color.
Not sure how it would work out on this dial.
That dial is fine as it is & has some history & looks good. I think using the microscope is too critical, you would never look at that magnification normally. I think the indices could be cleaned of any loose lume with some pegwood, but they may look out of place if re-lumed. If you are going to re-lume the hands, its those that you actually look at in the dark, the indices are irrelevant actually. Good job.
Thank you David. nice comment sir. I am really not sure on the indices right now, hands I will do and you make a good point that its only them that we look at. Microscope helps to examine and yes can give the illusion of bad damage but also helps to clean some of the worst off easier. Thanks for watching.
@@MyRetroWatches Cheers Michael, always enjoy the videos, building up to servicing my Seiko diver .
Well done !!! Better than i could've done it
I think i would try a small paint brush to try and brush away dust around Lum.
Perhaps test some microcrystaline wax on dial surface ?
Otherwise leave as is to show its age .
use a wood toothpick for the hour markers, does not damage the hour markers when done gently. greetings from the Netherlands :D
Thank you .
To think I have been sandblasting mine. No wonder I can not tell time probably anymore. The good news is a black dial like yours comes up shiney and silver afterwards.
Just kidding folks.
I actually clean mine basically the same way. But may also use a soft felt tip slightly wet to finish up. I have done quite well over the years doing it this way.
The last watch I cleaned however really had so many issues . It is a Raymond Weil Maestro and the hour markers basically just fell off. I am not too impressed with their dial works.
As for baby oil, I wouldn't. Anything like that may be kinda okay ( although I would imagine causes a weird oil rainbow) but I think overtime could lift the enamel.
As for the Lumen I usually just purchase replacement markers. If none are available then you may have to go extreme and paint new Lumen in. It is a bit of a microscopic thing and a extremely steady hand.
One dial that is rather rough to deal with are the vintage paper dials. Forget it.
I would keep the dial as is. When starting to relume next steps wil follow.
Looks great as is to me good patina quite acceptable. 😊
Thanks for the video! as usual very entertaining. I like your real time candid reactions to each challenge you encounter with this dial... I wouldn't relume the batons. from a close up vision it looks horrible as you say but it is not so noticeable from a "normal" view... so go ahead with it, I say!
Cristobal Osuna thanks for watching and this is an encouraging comment for me. I tend to film everything “live” if there are any edits it’s just to cut out waffle or if I really do say something completely wrong!
That dial “damage” is not too bad. I think the indices and faded outer ring are more of an issue at this stage. However if you’re going for the NOS look with a polished case and new crystal you probably needed to consider a new dial (and outer ring) anyway otherwise it might look out of place when the rest of the watch is in mint condition. Perhaps putting out an appeal to anyone who may have spares? If you’ve already replaced broken movement parts, replacing the dial and outer ring will not in anyway affect the integrity of this watch.
Thanks Max, finding a dial would be hard. luming the indices is equally a challenge as its all in or go home so if I mess it up.... cost, workload and time all play a part too. I have a watch in my collectino that I restored all but a really bad dial and its much worse than this one yet I like that look. I will decide what to do in the next episode I think.
looks great, you don't have to relume the batons the look fine it's an old watch and new lume would look out of place.
I do want to see how to relume the batons though maybe another time ^_^
ammar dalati thanks for your support. I may still do the hands. Dial indices are a lot of work
It looks fine. Carry on. It's got character.
Do they make a 24 hour field watch style dial for seikos? If so Im buying one asap!
I love the wear of time! I would keep it as is, as long as it's cleaned 👍
Thank you.
@@MyRetroWatches no problemo! Keep up the good work! 👊
MB go for re lume, it’s looks old n crusty like it is. Could you use some silicone spray on dial?
Looks fine the way it is when viewed normally. :)
I think it looks great as is.
Another good vid, Mike! Thank you for sharing this with us. Wish you well!
Антон Бондов thanks for your support
Hi Simon, great video series on the Seiko, can you advice me on a good set of screwdrivers please.
Hello, my name is Mike. if your starting out either a small 4 piece set from Bergeon like these amzn.to/2SWSEN7 or goto Cousins and buy the set I use A&F for £50.00 www.cousinsuk.com/product/af-swiss-stainless-steel-9-pieces-rs
Mike, I would leave the lume on the dial as it is.
if this was my watch I would get some plastic tweezers and cut off a very small piece of magic eraser, if you don't know what that is it is a sponge with a super fine grit, possibly soft enough to not damage the lume but gritty enough to sand off the garbage layer. I have not cleaned a watch face or indices with this method myself but it seems like the right thing.
interesting I have not heard of them. Opening Google up now!
I say definitely relume the existing dial!!!
Could you use a hobby spray clear coat on the dial to firm up the lume & the laquer damage? I believe this it what Spencer Klein does. Other than that I would leave the dial as is, I think whoever receives the watch should be very grateful anyway considering the effort you've put in, cheers
Thanks for the tip. everything is worth testing but I feel not on the giveaway watch. perhaps one of my many scrap pieces.
Looks pretty good to me!
Personally I'd leave it as is, its part of the watches history, and its very hard to improve it without doing more damage.
I'd be happy to win it in any state. But now that you showed us the indices under microscope, they kinda grosse me out! :o)
What about the SEIKO logo. Fist it was missing, than -while under the microscope- it was back again...
What glue have you used for the logo?
Peter Nemeth hello , sorry I did not film that part. It’s delicate work to line it up with the holes. No glue is used I would have used GS Hypo cement if needed and only under the dial however I placed it back in and it’s tight in the holes so no glue required
I vote the character of the dial should be kept. Cleaned but left
Scrape the old paint off and respray, take of indices and Seiko badge off, reprint the dial using decal LaserJet and oven method, hey presto
MrTech800 sounds simple when you put it like that !
A replacement dial is in order. Will be very hard to locate one
Leave the dial on please, I saw a Sub with a "crackeled" dial for about twice what a new one cost, and a Pepsi same story., although that one was about the same money as a new one. I'd be interested to see you re-lume those batons , hough , if you can, one of my watches has batons I'd like to have re-lumed
But I'm a little afraid I'd ruin the dial. Another interesting vid ,thx .
I still cannot understand making the outside look as is while the inside making it good as new.
You say you saved the logo to reattach, where did you find it? My Seiko 5 one has dissapeared and the watch has not been taken apart????? Did it slide in to the day date area?
The seiko logo had fallen off and was found at the edge of the dial somewhere (cant quite remember as it was a year ago now)
Please keep it as it is
I would be tempted to use some spray waterbased lacquer.
Looks great, thanks
What is the cleaning material ?? Please
Do you know of any way to get a stain off an old 6309-7040 dial? I got an amazing dial but it has a stain above the water150 stamp and I tried rodico, won't come off. Thank you.
Short answer is no. Dials are not good to work on so I generally leave alone. It will be the lacquer that has marked most likely and this is why you can’t get rid of it.
@@MyRetroWatches I see, thank you.
Yes the dial was slightly damaged but its vastly improved on its starting condition, I wouldn't worry about it
Thank you. nicely reassured.
I think you should relume the indices. Selfishly this is because I would like to enjoy watching you do it :)
haha thats cruel.
With which material you cleaned the dial
Oh and btw if you are bored I could send you a watch that will make you go dizzy trying to clean the dial.
I have a early Cimier Seven Seas Sextant which needs a proper clean on the dial.
This watch makes me rather nervous due to how busy the dial is along with brass highlights. The hands are not replaceable mainly due to being part of the whole sea theme aspect. Like a sail , anchor chrono second hand ( kinda like a Breitling) and depth of the multi tier dial.
The movement I have kept serviced. So that is all good. It is just the dial. I have a 18k Daytona that could use a bit of a dial clean. But another watch I start to shake over
Hey listen , for those of you in the watch world do any of you know a watch service center that can work on a Dubois Depraz module and movement? Hard to find a service center that can deal with both. I have a Zodiac , Versace, and a few Daniel JeanRichard with the Dubois Depraz modules.
Quite the dilemma, we want the patina, the character of the old watch and at the same time, as amateur restorers, we also want to know how to clean and restore to its original beauty as much as possible. Where's the line? I support you either way. I know from sad experience you can go too far and ruin all the other work you've done, especially with the dial.
Thank you for your comment Howard. nice reassurance. I do not plan to touch the dial itself again now as its just too risky. Indices I am still on the fence. I have to commit 100% or nothing which is another big gamble.
Wow!! I just found your channel, and I love the idea of what your doing. The 24 hour dial is awesome!! I just got my Dad's turtle 6309-7049 back from a seiko repair guy I found on ebay. His watch is working great now. He was a US Navy Diver in the 70's and 80's, he went on to spend 30 years in the Navy! Both me and my Brother joined the US Navy in the 90's, following in his footsteps. The point is to this day we use military 24hour time. I have been looking for a bezel insert that is 24HR time like your dial is. No luck so far. Are you going to sell this watch you're fixing? I hope so!! Keep up the hard work!!! Turtles rule!!!
Ok I've watched more videos, and I see that you are going to give the watch away! That's awesome, I want a 24hr watch. I'm currently looking for a 24hr bezel insert for my Dad's seiko 6309-7049, so this dial that is already 24hr is great for me. Keep up the great work!!
thanks for your comment sir. nice story on the 6309. The turtle is highly collectable so keep hold of them. Really happy to hear you enjoyed my video.
take wooden tip and srape it down, you can also add abbrasive paper to it
I would leave it in that state. It's old watch and if there is some age visible that's ok to me.
A small, thin, dry paintbrush under the microscope should be all you need to clean the edges of the dial marker without damaging anything.
It's water damage. Out side of cleaning the indices should be popped out and relumned.