What is your most acceptable patina for vintage timepieces?

Whoever had this one first must have smoked two packs a day🤣

completely blows on it too, probably 😂 nice patina! i am a sucker for these too

This is an interesting and important question. Personally, I am pretty strict about dial condition since rarely can anything be done to improve it. "Just needs a cleaning" is largely a myth, right up there with "it's just overwound!" But recently, I am becoming more tolerant. As long as the price is (appropriately) discounted to reflect it. A less than excellent dial should knock off at least two-thirds of the price. Right at this moment, I am struggling with whether to bid on an Ebay watch with a marginal dial, but I know I'll never see another one of that model. So I'll probably buy it and send it Jack Alexyon to see what he can do. I'll post before & after photos if I pull the trigger.

keeping options open is a good thing; especially with hard-to-find timepieces. i like patina but tolerance will never be "it is okay to buy a watch with a water damaged dial"

i had one of those instances: "oh, i dont like it but ill find a better copy". that day never came again.

I have not (yet) been bitten by the vintage bug and as such have no interest in vintage watches. Vintage styled reissues and recreations though: Love them! It is like getting the looks of vintage but without the hassle of sourcing and caring for one - of course a few vintage lovers have told me therein lies the joy of owning vintage. To each their own and i have no quarrel with how you enjoy this hobby 🤗🥰

ahia! dont get bit! 😂 it can be addicting - with all the research and hunting; the joy is found within the wearer! been wearing vintage pieces daily on some certain months :)

Some radium patina.

Some UV patina.

More UV.

This may just be decrepitude. (I could go on, but I will stop.)

Ber months? Kanta na tyo ng christmas carols 🤣

Beautiful #vintage timepiece

jose mari chan!

that last watch you shared has a lot of character. i never heard of this brand! so much art deco in that watch (screams 40s)

the second watch, im curious how it aged like that... well, as they say, more radium the better (i hope it wont kill our watchmaker or us! 😂)

The last watch is a Gothic, a defunct American brand. It is probably late '20's or early 30's. It is a nickel case, which means it is prior to the 1940's. The Benrus is due to UV light operating on the varnish or paint on the dial. Benrus from the 1950's is particularly vulnerable to this. (So is Rolex, but Rolex would replace any tropical dial that came in for service so they are rare.)

The 2nd watch aged due to UV exposure according to the post

Very nice, what lug to lug is that, looks quite long?

whats the movement within the gothic? im very curious with movements :)

Patina Parade!🍻

I don’t like it.

My 1964 LeCoultre had the most.

My oldest, from 1899 has escaped it.

And my 2nd oldest from 1947 also doesn’t have any though it could use a good polishing before wearing it again.

Whilst not exactly vintage (1986) I absolutely love those watch (probably the cheapest in my collection). The blue dial is amazing and the fading chrome plating and showing base metal just make it so much better imo.

this looks like a felsa based movement, no? these felsa movements remind me of pocket watch movements.

art deco-styled watches, like these, are really cool although i cannot wear them... it will not suit my age! haha! this has just a good amount of patina

these doesnt even look like it has patina from afar :) good clean copies, if i say so myself. silver dials age less (or not at all) based on observations. this also covers enamel dials.

edit: dont polish the case! just polish the crystal on the third watch @JonInAtl 👍

the dial has some dust or is part of the dial design? im curious with the movements used by sekonda: quartz or a mechanical movement?

i also think that anything below 2000s is now considered vintage. since at most, these are more than 20 years old.

The dust & hair is on the crystal, was playing with the dug about 30secs afore the fotie. Its a quartz movement (couldn't tell you calibre) cost me £19.99 in 86 probably still worth that today. By not strictly I meant less than 50yr auld.

I'm OK with it on this one.

what happened to this one? is this water damage from moisture? unique patterns, btw.

I'm honestly not sure. Maybe a combination of moisture and radium?

it needs more character 😂

nice watch, mate

I love a good bit of patina - the speckled pattern on this avia has got to be the best I have to offer

with even spread too haha i wonder how did this happen? probably hard dirt since theres no lume to begin with, no?

Honestly no idea! No lume at all so not that, doesn't look like water damage either so very strange indeed! Only a couple of other examples on the internet and none of them look at all similar