Stain on dial after service

[Juhuatai]

Hi just got my 1016 back from service two days ago and there is a big stain on the dial I am sure wasn’t there before the service. It’s hard to see, I just noticed it today under the light. It seems to be originating from the center...

To all the watchmakers in the forum, is this fixable?

What could be the cause of this?






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[SubMarine]

Yikes

[Juhuatai]

Originally Posted by SubMarine

Yikes

Yeah this was my biggest fear when I sent it to get serviced and now it's happened....

[oysterquartz17000]

Is that a divot? It looks pretty bad, I'd make them repair it.

[Dan S]

Hopefully that's not an oil stain.

[offrdmania]

Too much oil used possibly and it made its way onto the dial? Was it serviced by Rolex or at an independent?

[Juhuatai]

Originally Posted by Dan S

Hopefully that's not an oil stain.

It looks like oil to me, but I wasn't sure. It seems to have originated from the center where the hands are?

[Juhuatai]

Originally Posted by offrdmania

Too much oil used possibly and it made its way onto the dial? Was it serviced by Rolex or at an independent?

Independent but it's a well known and respected one for vintage. I've used him for other watches and never had a problem. I've let him know and I'm waiting for his response,.

[Juhuatai]

Is an oil stain repairable?

[offrdmania]

Originally Posted by Juhuatai

Is an oil stain repairable?

If its still wet then Rodico putty may be able to get it all up. If it has already soaked in then the dial may have to be refinished.

[Juhuatai]

Originally Posted by offrdmania

If its still wet then Rodico putty may be able to get it all up. If it has already soaked in then the dial may have to be refinished.

It's been two days since the service and I specifically sent it out to a well known watchmaker on the forums since there wasn't anybody near me that specialized in vintage. I'm guessing even if I can get to somewhere tomorrow it will have dried up. What should my recourse be with the watchmaker?

I'm so frustrated right now...

[offrdmania]

Originally Posted by Juhuatai

It's been two days since the service and I specifically sent it out to a well known watchmaker on the forums since there wasn't anybody near me that specialized in vintage. I'm guessing even if I can get to somewhere tomorrow it will have dried up. What should my recourse be with the watchmaker?

I'm so frustrated right now...

If it were me, I would contact them and send it back to them to see if they can remove the substance with putty. If they cannot then they need to replace the dial with an identical one in the same condition or have it restored at their cost.

[Kingface66]

Originally Posted by offrdmania

If it were me, I would contact them and send it back to them to see if they can remove the substance with putty. If they cannot then they need to replace the dial with an identical one in the same condition or have it restored at their cost.

Even if they restored it (and yes, absolutely at their cost) he’ll still have a dial whose value will have taken a hit to the value. That wouldn’t do it for me. They’d have to either replace it with dial of absolute equal value, or arrange some financial compensation reflecting the now-lower value of the watch.

[Juhuatai]

I just talked to the watchmaker I sent it to, he’s going to have me send it back so they can take a look at it....if they can fix it without restoring it they’ll do so. The problem is I don’t have any evidence that it wasn’t there so he’s going to talk to his watchmakers to confirm it wasn’t there before service but I’m positive it wasn’t. I didn’t think to take any photos beforehand.

I guess financial compensation is probably the only way forward but I’m not sure how we’re gonna sort that out...

[Dan S]

At the risk of getting ahead of things, I do think it would be good to find a photo of the dial before-hand. Even if the watchmaker believes you, if this ends up going to an insurance claim, which is a possibility, the insurance company may want proof.

Are you sure you don't have any photos at all from before the service? If you had the watch for a while, you probably took some photos. Or if you bought it recently, maybe the seller has photos.

[Juhuatai]

I unfortunately don't have insurance on the watch. None of the photos I had beforehand are in great lighting unfortunately...but I am 100% sure it wasn't there. I've been wearing the watch for a year and I've never noticed it and I spend a lot of time looking at my watches. I'm hoping this gets resolved amicably.

[77T]

Originally Posted by Juhuatai

None of the photos I had beforehand are in great lighting unfortunately...but I am 100% sure it wasn't there.

Maybe the seller who sold it to you has good pics from the original listing?




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[Michael M.]

Appears to be from over-oiling. Fairly common, unfortunately. Rodico will not remove the oil.

[77T]

You made some good pics on the 1016 you sold earlier this year...

Maybe the seller who sold this one to you has good pics from the original listing?

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[Juhuatai]

It was an eBay listing and I can’t access the original listing.

[77T]

Originally Posted by Juhuatai

It was an eBay listing and I can’t access the original listing.

But the seller might do that for you. You would have all the details of the purchase in your eBay history. It’s worth a try.


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[Juhuatai]

Originally Posted by Michael M.

Appears to be from over-oiling. Fairly common, unfortunately. Rodico will not remove the oil.

Was my fear. This was a well known company however, I’m just shocked this happened.

[btinl]

Which watchmaker?

[Juhuatai]

Would like to wait until we’ve sorted everything out before disclosing the name.

[scooba]

Could you not cover the whole dial with oil so it is all the same ?

I read somewhere on Rolex Passion Report mineral oil is used in rejuvenating dials with radium burn

[007Sub]

Good watchmakers will take photos of the dial before servicing and after in order to assure that everything is as good as it was when it came in after leaving. Additionally, watchmakers should have liability insurance such that in the event something like this happens, they can cover the cost of fixing or replacing the part.

Unfortunately, it looks to be an oil stain. This is caused either by over oiling or carelessness in work space such that a droplet of oil touched the dial. I always keep my dials far away from the movement until all movement work is done before remounting in order to avoid this sort of issue. I'm afraid to say most likely, this dial is not repairable as is. However, I've heard that sometimes some mild benzine solution along with a cotton swab might pull that oil off. If the stain is fresh enough this could work. Chances are though after a few days of setting into the paint, it's not removable.

Best solution is to source another dial. Sorry for the grim news.

[Juhuatai]

Originally Posted by 007Sub

Good watchmakers will take photos of the dial before servicing and after in order to assure that everything is as good as it was when it came in after leaving. Additionally, watchmakers should have liability insurance such that in the event something like this happens, they can cover the cost of fixing or replacing the part.

Unfortunately, it looks to be an oil stain. This is caused either by over oiling or carelessness in work space such that a droplet of oil touched the dial. I always keep my dials far away from the movement until all movement work is done before remounting in order to avoid this sort of issue. I'm afraid to say most likely, this dial is not repairable as is. However, I've heard that sometimes some mild benzine solution along with a cotton swab might pull that oil off. If the stain is fresh enough this could work. Chances are though after a few days of setting into the paint, it's not removable.

Best solution is to source another dial. Sorry for the grim news.

Thanks for the insight. From the pattern I would guess over oiling since it seems to have originated from the center. I have resigned myself to the fact that the dial is damaged beyond repair. It's a shame since the watch was in fantastic condition before the service. Hopefully the watchmaker will make it right.

[Racer X]

I would contact the watchmaker and have a discussion. Give them an opportunity to make things right. You can mention that you identified the issue on TRF and the consensus is that it's an oil stain. This both identifies what the problem likely is (and therefore what can/cannot be done to resolve the issue), and that how they respond will be a matter of discussion in the vintage Rolex community (and therefore their reputation in the community may be at stake). Hopefully they will do the right thing and make you whole. Good luck.

While it's too late for the OP, this underscores the importance of taking close-up photos of valuable watches immediately before turning them over to someone for service. Best to do so with some sort of date stamp (metadata) or other evidence of when the photos were taken.

[uncleluck]

I’d be interested in seeing before pics and a decent pic now (in focus)

I’m quite surprised to see people saying oil stain that much, if that’s an oil stain then god knows what someone was doing to get that much oil anywhere near there.

Not sure if people realise just how little oil is actually used when servicing these things but you’re literally using something akin to a flattened pin head to apply tiny amounts into jewel wells and greasing similarly tiny amounts of contact points on the keyless works. We’re talking amounts you’d only see under magnification here.

If people think oil has run out from the centre hole of the dial then I can assure you nobody who has a hint of knowledge in servicing watches would use that amount of oil so it’s highly unlikely.

I can’t really make it out to be a stain as such but the pic isn’t clear enough to me, it almost looks like a lighter spot on the dial like the finish is worn through or thinner and the light hits it you can see the dial plate shining through.

[offrdmania]

Originally Posted by uncleluck

I’d be interested in seeing before pics and a decent pic now (in focus)

I’m quite surprised to see people saying oil stain that much, if that’s an oil stain then god knows what someone was doing to get that much oil anywhere near there.

Not sure if people realise just how little oil is actually used when servicing these things but you’re literally using something akin to a flattened pin head to apply tiny amounts into jewel wells and greasing similarly tiny amounts of contact points on the keyless works. We’re talking amounts you’d only see under magnification here.

If people think oil has run out from the centre hole of the dial then I can assure you nobody who has a hint of knowledge in servicing watches would use that amount of oil so it’s highly unlikely.

I can’t really make it out to be a stain as such but the pic isn’t clear enough to me, it almost looks like a lighter spot on the dial like the finish is worn through or thinner and the light hits it you can see the dial plate shining through.

The oil may not have been from the actual service. The dial may have been laid in oil or a drop of oil may have landed on the dial while the technician moved across the desk. It may have just been extra ordinary circumstances.