Horological Meandering

Over coffee today, a good friend (who will be reading this) lamented that he had not seen many 'good' examples of patina. It may be hard to define, but we know it when we see it: that effect of ageing which enhances, rather than detracts. This was the onl...  

there is big difference between brands in perception of it. Maybe the biggest in horological world Super cool Patina for brand xx watch is completely destroyed in need of service dial for watch from brand xy Cool subject mate Yours D

Here are a few examples of "damaged" or "patina" dials.... Depending on your point of view! :) Best Blomman ...  

.....but I take my chance.... and please, don't shoot me, I am only the conveyor of my opinion;) The dial playing with the Toblerone is very attractive, the uniformity of the patina adds to the charm of this watch. Very nice indeed. (keeper as is) The dia... 

It just shows how different we all are and what we do or do not like in watches! :) When it comes to the Zenith S. 58 - I agree on the hands. That is very high up on my todo list for my watchmaker once he is done with some other engagements... As for the ... 

Wow! interesting the read that someone from Down Under is/was flooding the market with "NOS" parts!!!!!! For some reason, go figure why, if someone was offering me say, theodolite "NOS" parts coming from Bhutan.....I would be a tad suspicious;) I would ne... 

The only one that sticks out for me is the AP. For me, the only patina that works on a dress watch is a very slight, very even mellowing of the overall tone of the dial. In the case of a watch in the ultraluxury class, even that should be present only if ... 

...of the 'range' of effects that may properly be termed 'patina', but the UG is stand-out! Thanks for showing. Cheers, pplater.

Here is a small avant gout... ...  

is the only really nice one I have seen so far

As I only saw let's say 5 for sale in the last 10 years ( European, of course ). Best, Nicolas

never saw one live

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and we'll have a drink somewhere nice while talking watches And I might visit Paris in the near future....as that Chronometre Bleu keeps on haunting me

The dial on the Rolex could do with a little help. However the JLC is superb and the Blancpain? well, mysteriously celestial!;) Cheers my friend Francois

an excellent example of a very attractive, a little mysterious and all magical "patina". Very nice indeed! Compare it to...... ...a dial which could do with some help;)......for my taste! Cheers Francois (my apologies for the size, couldn't scale it down)...  

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Tony, hope you are well! As always, an impeccable sense of aesthetics in both the patina and watches you illustrate! best

Wabi-sabi ( 侘 寂 ? ) represents a comprehensive Japanese world view or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete". [ 2 ] It is ...  

I have several grails, though, and you own some of them, my good friend.... ;) Best, Nicolas

Actually make that two armfuls. Thanks my friend.

Oh, I like that, the balance of aesthetic tranquility, the dignity and grace of time past. Very nice. Cheers Francois

. . . Omega of yours; recall your initial posting several years ago, but it's never reappeared on our forums since, to the best of my recollection. Here's a manual wind cousin of your example . . . . . . that belongs to a friend of mine. A few years older...  

... I view myself in a mirror, Time is more generous with objects than with Humans! Lol! My beloved objects I collect -like vintage watches, vintage pens or vintage folding knives- seem to get older with much more dignity and beauty than how I grow old! L...  

37 mm? Un abrazo, Nicolas, salivating.

My friend, please come over to the North part of our forum and present your GP beauty in more details! :) Best Blomman

... for your kind and enthusiastic comments about the GP monopulsoir chrono! Nicolas: the case is 36 mm diameter and got a Valjoux GHT22 inside, circa mid 1940´s. Blomman: Lol! ... Not hidding it ... Lol! ... I have presented it here at the GP forum on Ma... 

With all of these great examples mounting, shall we turn it into something like the weekly wristscan? Ubik : would you accept the role of nominating the most 'wabi' piece, in your view? Nico : would you accept the role of nominating the equivalent of the ... 

....even though I had in mind to live a little longer;) as my idea of a nice "patina" may draw some heated disagreements! The "perfect patina"? I don't think so, but aesthetically pleasing? certainly! Although beauty is in the eye of the beholder, there m... 

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. . . they were the Fab Four! I'll take your Omegas, any day ;-) . . .

"Praise for Patina is the Rationalisation of Rust or the Mitigation of Mould." It should not be the raison d'absolution from the care and cost of restoration. Age is not an excuse. This is an example from 1788...... People have looked after it with care f...  

Kind regards ...  

tick tock doctor Dual Time or Resonance pocket watch? ;) What a name on the dial! Regards, MTF

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. . . an original Omega dial for your Dad's chronometer, Steve, or is this another watch altogether? Cordially, Art

... that's quite a memory you have! I'm approaching an age where I visually have to write a note to remind me to put on my socks in the morning. This is a different watch. I decided however much time and money I spent on my Dad's, it wouldn't make it the ... 

in my view are these ...  

I picked this one up at Christmas, because I thought it was a charming deco-flavored watch. It has, i believe, a Revue 73 movement. The watchmaker guessed it's from the 1940s. I especially like the A-shaped crystal, which casts a nice prism-caused light r...  

. . . for the road. I didn't really consider this one to qualify as the gold dial hasn't aged much to the naked eye, but after taking this image . . . . . . I'm not so sure. Minimal vs maximal patina could be the subject of another thread. ...  

;) ...  

. . . which is even less common with black dials. Crying a river, Art

by what we don't have, rather than what we do. Or is it our blessing!

Not sure about my source, though... ;)

but a few decent members of the patinated league: ...