I agree, the Monaco issue has a real impact on visuals and to some degree on values too, although i'm not sure everyone realises the importance. On the Monaco's the red second hand is significantly longer and it hangs too close to the "swiss" sign, at some angles covering it. I think that's the worst aspect, but obviously if the minute and hours hands are service then unless it's relumed to match the hour marker lume and hand lume won't match and besides that the service hands just don't look as good and sometimes look plain wrong. (A greenish lume on hands with an original yellowish lume on the hour markers looks terrible...

As you say and as was pointed out to me again yesterday, it's the real original that should always command the premium. I'm not sure at the moment that is the case, but suspect the further into the future we get the more it will matter (the pricier objects get the pickier people tend to become and the fact that we all get more informed every day, will only add to this)

R

: Does anyone know why Heuer and later TAG Heuer would go and make
: service hands that don't look the same as the original parts?
: Its easy to tell which watches have had their hands replaced and
: which are original- in some cases there is an extreme difference
: (The "All Red" Monaco minute and hour hands that we
: sometimes see look nothing like the originals).

: Would you be happy if you sent your silver car in for a service and
: it came back with a blue roof?

: Did Heuer purposely make changes to the design? Was it simply a
: case that no-one really cared that there were minor differences?

: I've posted my thoughts here, but I wonder if anyone knows more

:
: http://www.calibre11.com/2009/09/04/finding-parts-for-your-vintage-heuer/