: I wonder if its one of those occasions that now we are aware we
: have to take the rough with the smooth, i've heard some people
: get new dial, cases, etc replaced unexpectedly, which is clearly
: a major bonus. Let me say upfront that i have never sent
: anything to TH, id rather use Nic or Abel...

I'd want the restorer to do only what was specified, nothing over and above even if they think it should be done. Bar mechanical things, like "If we don't fix x the watch won't work", I'd have to take that on board but I'd want anything cosmetic to be my decision. That's why agreeing a schedule of work is so important and communicating throughout equally so.

: However it does beg the question...can they not remake some of
: these old parts?

They can't remake these old parts because in most instances they didn't make them in the first place! Case, movement, dial, none of these were actually made by Heuer. Watch assembly takes advantage of a huge number of specialist firms providing parts and knowledge and unfortunately a lot of those either no longer exist or only exist in a form where they are tied to a parent and cannot supply to their earlier customers, like Valjoux. It's really analogous to car restoration, where you might need to go to, say, Weber for carbs and Smiths for instruments (if you don't mind your instruments not working of course, but then that's true to the originals :) ). And sooner or later we'll be in the same situation as restorers of early cars and some parts are just not available and either another watch/car needs to be cannabalised, or the parts need to be fabricated specially, often at huge cost. In some cases, we're there already.

: If they cannot and the parts are being "overhauled" then its another
: clear indicator that buying a beater and sending it away for restoration,
: may no longer be possible the further down the line we get...

Precisely.