The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Right chaps, I've been wrestling with this for over a year now and I'm still undecided. I've had my Navi 67ish Gen 4 for a while now, it has an aged look to it as a watch of this age surely must have. I quite like this look, but, I am leaning towards the look of Vintages (Paul I think, apologies if I'm wrong) Cossie. I think that crisp new dial look is stunning and makes the watch look brand new.

I have noticed what I can only describe as spotting coming on my 6 oclock sub, I'm not to happy with, I do not wear my Navi very often when I'm out and it's stored in a normal climate.

So I'm toying with the idea of having the dial refurbished, I would like to hear your opinions of doing this. I have looked at Kurt's keepers that look brand new, Fred's collection from what I have seen on here all have a beautiful finish to them as do many of the vintage pieces proudly shown off by other members. I am only the custodian of my watches and they will be passed down to my son, I don't particularly care about the value of my watches it's really a case of how much the dial will decay if I don't do something now.

Is it really taboo to get dials restored to virtually as new condition, I am sure many of you have also had this dilemma and as I am still very much a newcomer to vintage watches I would like to hear your thoughts and advice on this matter.

Thanks Phil

It's a very personal choice - your watches, your decision. For myself, I would much rather have the dials cleaned every few years than restored, but that's me.

If by restored you mean just a dial clean, by all means go for it. If you mean repaint or doing anything that's not original to the dial than you might as well keep it the way it is.

I am in a similar position; I've got a tiny spot of white paint on my 6 o'clock sub-dail, which I would like to get removed however my watchmaker tells me that these dials are just a transfer and trying to remove it may well damage/ flake the dial and that if he was to use a cleaning liquid,the dial might get airbubbles under the transfer once dried is this right?

Ya, leave it. Just a thing. Great watch.