Re: replacement dials
- From: bogart@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: 8 Jul 2005 15:23:34 -0700
jdh wrote:
> Hi all. I've recently had a problem that I am hoping that someone here can
> help me with.
>
> I have an Elgin pocketwatch, c.1905-06 according to the info I've found. I
> got it off Ebay and bought it because it was the first watch I saw that
> really jumped out at me. I loved everything about it, but mostly how
> distinctive it was (to my inexperienced eye anyway). But it had been stored
> with no crystal and the dial was quite dirty and I wanted to get it cleaned.
>
> So I ema iled an online shop to see about it. I told them I didn't want to
> mess up the dial more than it already was by working on it myself so I
> wanted a pro to work on it. The Man said that after the dial refinish 'an
> expert could tell it had been wor ked on' which I took to mean that I
> probably wouldn't be able to tell.
>
> Long story short ("Too late!") the dial that came back was not the dial I
> sent out. It was totally different, and I was crushed by it. I couldn't
> even look at it or thi nk about it for a month because I just got sick every
> time I though about it. It was so different I thought that the dial had
> been replaced rather than refinished. But The Man says that it is the same
> dial, which means that the watch face I loved so much is gone forever.
>
> But I am hoping that someone here might know of a shop that can reproduce my
> original dial from some detailed photos or know of where to look where I
> might find another dial like the original. I'd even take a dirty, soot
> covered face like my original dial. Maybe someone that can recognize the
> face and know what it is I am looking for exactly? I'll take any hints or
> help at all to get my dial back.
>
> Pics:
> http://snipurl.com/dials - overall view, new and original (119kb)
> http://snipurl.com/secs1 - second hand dial, new and original (99kb)
> http://snipurl.com/secs2 - second hand dial detail, new and original (227kb)
> http://snipurl.com/bm91 - detail photos of the original, with index page
>
> Than ks,
> Josh
Just to be clear, the dial you were attracted to as "original" probably
wasn't
original to the watch. This type of dial, with the seconds register at
the
3:00 position was manufactured to permit putting a 'hunting' movement
into an 'open face' case, and have the 12:00 at the stem,
Elgin made a passel of watches and also made a whole bunch of these
kinds of replacement dials. I have one sitting in front of me, which
is, unfortunately, even less like your 'original' than the refinished
version.
However, it should be noted that just about any replacement dial for
that particular movement could be refinished in this way -- you don't
need
to take that one off your watch, just send off a different dial with a
clear
picture of what it is you want. (At least you have the pictures). A
good
refinisher should be able to get pretty close.
I'm assuming that your watch is a 16-size, 'hunter' movement. If you
can
identify the movement or post a jpeg of it, as you did with the dial,
it
should be possible to match you up with a decent 'to be refinished'
dial, if that's the direction you want to take. I could make this one
available
for a bit more than postage, if it's right for your movement.
Others on this group could probably identify the movement from the
serial
number -- it's all about getting the right size and dial feet
locations.
Good Luck
Lloyd
******
.
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- replacement dials
- From: jdh
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