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pricing of watch replating
By now you are wondering what is a reasonable price to pay for all of this wonderful work. How do you tell what is a fair price to pay for watch replating? That question is probably the most difficult thing to answer. Most plating specialists who replate watches will provide a ball park estimate based on your description. The best watch replaters in the business generally will not provide a firm quote until they have a chance to actually inspect your watch in detail. If it is an especially valuable watch they also may want to discuss specific finishing issues with you to better understand your level of expectations.
It is important to keep in mind that due to the different watch case designs, surface contours, case condition and other factors, each watch in need of goldplating presents its own unique requirements for refinishing and replating. The ultimate price determinant for any watch replating job will be based on the level of refinishing you decide to have done.
Lets talk a little pricing for your replated watch. One of the dead giveaways of an inferior watch replate can be detected in the initial price estimate. If you are quoted 20-45 dollars to replate your watch, you can almost bet that the price does not include the removal of the mechanical parts from the watch casing. It will also not include the careful refinishing and surface restoration that will be required prior to replating. In some case it may not include even the basic repolishing! Make sure you ask enough questions to ensure that you know what you are getting for your money. Remember wrong assumptions are the mother of all disappointments.
Some watch replaters will tell you that they meet all of the government standards for heavy goldplating (2.5 microns), including military standards for gold plating; and they probably do. But based on the 7 factors reviewed earlier that is not enough for the type of watch replating that guarantees a long lasting finish!
Depending on your watch and its value, you should expect to pay anywhere from 95-175 dollars for a technically competent refinishing and gold replating of your watch. For some expensive luxury swiss watches, the price could be much more.
The low end of this price range ($95) is based on a watch in reasonably good shape, with no deep surface scratches or damaged lugs. This price would include a top quality repolishing operation and replating in gold with a thickness of a least 5 microns.
The high end ($175) is usually reserved for those special class of watches whose owners are seeking a top quality restoration based on a multitude of intrinsic and market factors. This price would include a light mechanical overhaul, removal of all surface imperfections, rebuilding of worn lugs, and a heavy goldplating of at least 6-7 microns, in the desired color based on original manufacturers specifications.
Admittedly, for many of us this would seem like over doing it a bit, and for the majority of the watches in need of replating it is! However, for fine quality watches, this level of restoration is an excellent decision. The transformation of a competently refinished and replated watch can be astonishing and well worth the time and expense.
Yet, in spite of all these advantages, to some people even the low end price will still seem rather high. Like everything else, you get what you pay for and watch refinishing and replating is no exception. The author is very confident that most people will find someone to replate their watch within their price range and expectations.
Quite frankly, they would be better off to throw their watch back in the sock drawer.
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