Case Refinishing

[Ray916MN]

Anyone ever had a case refinished (i.e. replated)? Got any recommendations on case refinishers? I've got a case which needs not only refinishing, but also some soldering to rebuild some places which have broken off.

Ray

[sjmcolorado]

Anyone ever had a case refinished (i.e. replated)? Got any recommendations on case refinishers? I've got a case which needs not only refinishing, but also some soldering to rebuild some places which have broken off.

Ray

Ray,
I found a place that refinishes as well as repairs watch cases. I have not used them, yet. I did talk with a gentleman there quite a while back and he reassured me that they do an outstanding job and their customers' items are kept very secure. I have a case that I would love to get refinished, but haven't taken that step. Here is their URL: http://www.artisanplating.com/pricing/pricinggold.html

If you use them or find anyone can you post your impressions?

Regards,
Steve

[Ray916MN]

Ray,
I found a place that refinishes as well as repairs watch cases. I have not used them, yet. I did talk with a gentleman there quite a while back and he reassured me that they do an outstanding job and their customers' items are kept very secure. I have a case that I would love to get refinished, but haven't taken that step. Here is their URL: http://www.artisanplating.com/pricing/pricinggold.html

If you use them or find anyone can you post your impressions?

Regards,
Steve

Yep, I found them via Internet search. I also found an article on doing it yourself, using a local plater. The before and after photos on the astisanplating site are interesting. The cases certainly look much nicer, but they also seem to be subtly reshaped too...

Hopefully someone will pop up with some real world experience, or maybe I'll get to be the guinea pig here.

Ray

[sjmcolorado]

Yep, I found them via Internet search. I also found an article on doing it yourself, using a local plater. The before and after photos on the astisanplating site are interesting. The cases certainly look much nicer, but they also seem to be subtly reshaped too...

Hopefully someone will pop up with some real world experience, or maybe I'll get to be the guinea pig here.

Ray

FYI. Forgot to mention the one thing that bothered me about what the guy said at artisan is that he said they completely strip the gold from the case then electroplate the finish back on. That is about the last thing I had in mind at the time.

[sevesteen]

FYI. Forgot to mention the one thing that bothered me about what the guy said at artisan is that he said they completely strip the gold from the case then electroplate the finish back on. That is about the last thing I had in mind at the time.

Not that I know much about plating, but that is what I'd expect them to do to avoid any chance of the different surfaces causing a different affect. I don't see any advantage to leaving the original plating on--If you are getting it re-plated, the case probably has brassing already so the remaining gold is in low-wear areas.

[Ray916MN]

Not that I know much about plating, but that is what I'd expect them to do to avoid any chance of the different surfaces causing a different affect. I don't see any advantage to leaving the original plating on--If you are getting it re-plated, the case probably has brassing already so the remaining gold is in low-wear areas.

This is pretty much exactly what my watchmaker said.

I saw him today and asked him about refinishing the case, and in particular the areas of the case where the metal has deteriorated. He commented that all the finish would have to be stripped from the case to ensure that new plating would stick and to avoid having the seam where the plating is gone and where there still is plating show through the new plating.

The bad news is in his opinion the places where the case has deteriorated are irrepairable. We'll see what Artisan has to say. I sent them photos of the watch today and asked for an estimate and starting looking around to recase the watch.

Thanks for the all the feedback guys. Anyone got a case and dial for a Hamilton 36000?

Ray