Guest Post: Used Men's Watches - Do Refinished Dials Reduce the Value of Your Investment?

A SMILE ON YOUR DIAL?
A dial is, arguably, the most important visual feature of a watch. Irrespective of the excellence of the movement or its timekeeping qualities, if the dial is badly discoloured or flaking it makes the watch look sub-standard, tired or worn out and certainly diminishes its value.

Often Collectors are put off by flaking and badly discoloured dials on otherwise quite original used men's watch Constellations. Many shy away from such watches because of the general assumption that moisture is the primary cause of dial disintegration. The theory goes, that badly discoloured dials provide a good outward clue of a possibly rusty movement and are best avoided.

There is another possible cause of dial discolouration that behoves the canny buyer to look more closely at watches with discoloured dials.

Sun damage is another cause of paint failure and sun can mimic water damage to the dial paint in many cases.

A beautiful movement with no water damage can lay below, and this type of paint failure, while not good for collectors of original watches, is a wonderful candidate for restoration. However, even seasoned buyers need to be careful when buying watches with badly deteriorated dials - you need to determine very carefully whether the watch dial is damaged from sun or moisture.

So, the first thing that needs to be done when chancing upon an used mens watches with a badly discoloured dial is look under the bonnet with a jewellers loup. A clean, rust free movement is easily identified, and if the seals on the case have held up well, there will be no tell-tale rust spotting on the non-copperised parts of the movement and no corrosion of the case, particularly at the caseback seam.

If the movement has stood up well to the elements and history or use, you have a choice: Buy and restore (or have restored) or continue on your journey to find a vintage used men's watch with an original dial. If you take the restoration route, you could have the watch sent to used men's watch in Bienne, wait for quite a while, and ultimately receive the watch back with a new factory dial.

In the case of Pie Pan Constellations, however, it's believed that used men's watch has run out of factory dials and will replace old Pie Pan dials with convex Constellation dials from the same period. Given the increasing likelihood of not being able to source an original Pie Pan dial, you may choose to opt for a re-dial.

So if you choose to re-dial, what are you letting yourself in for? If you can source an excellent re-dialler - they are few and far between - then a dial refinished to look exactly like an original will indeed make a watch look much more attractive.

But, from the standpoint of collecting original used men's watch it may not improve the value of the watch - there is an exception and we'll review that later. From a vintage collectors point of view, a refinished dial diminishes the value of a watch when compared with a watch with an original intact dial that may have a nice patina.

Why is this? Well, generally, refinished dials are not of the same quality as the factory originals. Many refinished dials don't last as long and are not as durable as original dials. Factory dials may have baked-on, anodised and other manufacturing finishes such as clear coatings covering both the dial and markers to inhibit the ageing process.

Refinished dials are often painted, have ink stamped script and are finished to a lower level of quality and durability. They may mark more easily and often do not contain the level of detail of the originals.

Also, many original dials have the markers soldered to the dial, whereas in quite a number of refinished dials I have seen, the markers have been glued back rather than soldered (for the obvious reason that the soldering process could damage the paint on a re-dial) On occasions the glue is so thick on the back of the dial that it interferes with the running of the watch, particularly with date models.

A bad re-dial with inaccurate detailing can have the value of your watch dropping quicker than a souffle placed in a refrigerator! It's fair to say that there are many more slap-dash, incompetent and inferior refinishing houses than there are high quality re-dialers. So, if you chance upon one, treat him like royalty.

Now, to the exception mentioned earlier. Because of the globalisation of the vintage watch market and accessibility of stock, many more people have the opportunity to buy Used men's watches. A new niche has emerged in the vintage watch market for vintage watches that look almost showroom new. This market is driven, largely, by newcomers. I can attest to that from a continuous flow of emails from such individuals, and, to them, 'look' is very important and 'patina' and originality is often overlooked. These buyers will pay big money for look and wearability, so you will see on occasions quite high prices being paid for watches with refinished dials.

I imagine though that quite a number of newcomers to collecting, if they're serious, will ultimately develop a greater level of collecting sophistication and become interested in the finer points of detail, originality, richness of patina and other collectibility factors.

Because of the diminsihing supply of new-old-stock Used men's dials, particularly Pie Pan Constellations and other early models, re-dialing will increasingly become a fact of life. Never-the-less, from a long-term collectibility standpoint, re-dialling should be an option when you have no other options.

Five Lessons to Learn from Your Competition

It goes without saying that competition drives innovation. While your goal is to ultimately be the best, you simply cannot build a sustainable business without competitors consistently improving the landscape. Therefore, learning from your competitors is crucial when it comes to driving your business forward. Let's look at the various ways in which business rivals can actually help you beat them at their own game.

1. Know where they stand

As a small business owner, you may already be familiar with your audience's main necessities, but so is your competition. Knowing what the other guys are offering is a great way to deliver higher value. What are your rivals doing differently and how are they going about it? Perhaps they offer similar services but have more attractive incentives or rewards programs.

Competition analysis will help you stay ahead because it enables you to develop a more valuable strategy for both consumers and your business infrastructure. You do not need to reinvent the wheel here; just rise above your competitors with a new angle.

2. Assess their weaknesses

In contrast to the above, analyzing your competitor's weaknesses is a surefire way to stand out. Thankfully, businesses tend to leave various clues about their intricate operation methods—even in subtle ways. For example, what is their social media strategy? How often do they engage with their target audience? Are they choosing the best possible times to do so? How do they communicate or come across?

Whether your competitor lacks a hassle-free refund policy or has a disorganized in-store experience or website setup, there is always a way to find their weaknesses and use that to your advantage.

3. Customers are your highest priority

Successful businesses do not focus primarily on their competitors, but rather on their customers. While competitive analysis helps you stay ahead, customer satisfaction ultimately helps you stay afloat.

UPS' competitive advantage lies heavily on outstanding customer service. This is something that most competitors naturally integrate, but few actually go above and beyond to ensure unquestionable satisfaction. Even if your competitor is proficient in this area, analyzing their inner workings (and aforementioned weaknesses) allows you to gain the upper hand with your target audience.

4. Analyze their company culture

Employees are often dissatisfied with their company culture, whether a business has unnecessarily strict regulations or their methods feel robotic and bland. What can you learn from other businesses to improve employee satisfaction?

While figuring out your competitors' internal culture may prove difficult, you can still assess the situation through various means. For example, become a regular customer for a limited time and take a look around from a professional's perspective. Be curious, and study employee behavior and communication. In addition, survey your own employees, as well as your customers, to improve upon your strengths and deliver greater value. Diligent homework combined with genuine feedback can help you establish the right company culture and stand apart from any and all competitors.

5. Study their brand and persona

A small business's brand plays a substantial role in the way customers interact. Your brand has the power to represent your business's personality, which naturally leads to higher customer engagement and sales. However, what if your client base relates better to your competitor's image? Perhaps they have adapted a sense of humor that your company lacks, or have a welcoming aura that reassures customers that they will have a great time while shopping. Maybe your store lacks background music or a greater level of customer-friendly interaction.

Sweat the small details to inject more personality into your brand, regardless of how your competitors are doing. Entertain customers who are waiting in a long line or surprise loyal customers with a free gift, especially if your business is kid-friendly.

5 Ways to Balance Your Day Job and Side Business

Whether you own a side business for supplemental income or plan to turn it into a full-time endeavor, your day job still takes priority until your side business is fully dependable. It is critical to find a way to make both businesses successful without burning yourself out. Here is a look at some effective ways to balance your time and energy while simultaneously managing your day job and your up-and-coming business.

1. Develop a long-term plan

A side business can be long-term and even blossom into full-time work. Like any other venture, it requires planning to ensure that it meets and exceeds your expectations over time. Depending on your goals, creating a business plan might be the best way to envision the long-term success of your side business. This enables you to better balance it with your day job because every step of the way is mapped out.

In addition, set financial goals and detail potential expenses, such as the acquisition of tools, inventory management, and additional assistance required to make it successful. Compile a list of goals to help envision the amount of time and resources required to manage both your job and your side business more effectively.

2. Plan ahead for tax season

Whether your side business is small or large, prepare ahead for tax season in order to better assess potential write-offs. Keep careful records of all income and expenses. This can be achieved with software or by creating a simple spreadsheet. Once tax season arrives, managing all financial details will be easier to balance because everything is neatly organized.

3. Operate both businesses separately

In order to avoid potential conflict, resist the urge to focus on your side business during regular work hours. While it may not cause legal repercussions with your main source of income, some employers may frown upon your focus on other opportunities outside of your day job. If management feels like you lack focus, they may assume that you will eventually leave and not consider you for promotional opportunities. At worst, they may even start looking for a replacement.

Refrain from talking about your side work—even with close friends and trusted colleagues. In addition, create separate social media accounts for personal use and for your side business.

4. Manage your time efficiently

With a day job and a side business, you most likely work over 40 hours per week. This makes proper time management critical to avoiding potential burnout. Managing your time well will also help you stay focused at your day job and make your side business more successful.

Though there will be days where both your side and day jobs require extra attention, focus on getting all tasks done properly and efficiently. Do not allow for unneeded interruptions, and focus solely on your side business when time allows. Self-discipline is crucial when managing your own ventures or striving for self-employment.

5. Take a break

Allow yourself to take a break from both your day job and side business. While you may take a vacation from your day job and dedicate additional time to your side business, consider stepping away from everything as a way to replenish your focus. Even if it is only for a few days, plan a vacation each year and refrain from working during this time. This will help you reduce fatigue from working extensive hours and will get you ready to tackle priorities with renewed interest.

With proper planning and preparation, balancing your time between two jobs can be done efficiently and effectively. The key is to find the right combination of proper timing, adequate focus, and the ability to step away when time allows.