Hello everyone,

So I'm learning and am looking for some education as to how to properly denote hairline cracks on a dial?

For example, I have a watch that an individual told me had a hairline crack at 39 m9n. I've attached a photo of the dial for your review.

I believe what the individual saw was a scratch on the crystal but I do think there is a hairline from the center post to the sub-dial at 21 to 27.

I guess the education I'm looking for is with regards to the 39 m9n - what does that mean? I'm assuming 39 minutes but what does the m9n mean?

Thanks in advance for the help!! - Dennis

Welcome aboard Dennis!

Hairlines usually show up pretty well in digital photos if you take off the bezel. They can be hard to see under a thick glass crystal.

To find hairlines I put on my spectacle loupe and examine the dial under strong light. When you look at the reflections, you can spot all the hairlines easily, even those that haven't broken out on the surface of the dial yet.

Hi Ed,

Thank you for the welcome! That makes sense regarding a digital photo without the bezel. I've uploaded one. I can also upload a higher definition pic to a website if that helps so please let me know...but in the meantime - what do you think? Am I correct on denoting using 27, 28, 29 with reference to the minutes? But what did this individual mean when they said m9n? I'm assuming it's a fractional location? Thanks again - Dennis

Welcome Dennis,
I enlarged the last picture you posted and it looks like there might be the start of a hairline at the 38 to 39 minute mark along the outside of the dial. I think the person meant the 39 minute mark as that looks like the only line i can see anywhere on the dial.

Isnt that another one from bottom of center hole curved down to the 10 second mark on the seconds bit

Good eye, Robert!

Hi Robert - yep, that's the one I see also. Is the correct way to denote it as "from center hole curved down to the 10 second mark" or do you say "from center hole to the sub-dail at 21 to 27" or does it make any difference how you denote it so long as you do? I'm trying to figure out what is the standard/correct way to say there's a hairline crack here and over here and so forth.

Man you guys eyes are better than mine.

There also appears to be a hairline between the 29 seconds bit and the 30 seconds bit that runs through the red 3.

m9n is probably a typo for min. I make lots of typos so I can relate.

Thanks everyone for the feedback!! Mike, now that you say it's probably a typo that would make sense! I guess the 9 is directly above the letter i on a keyboard.