A friend has an Illinois 163A. It is supposed to be all original. However, the watch has a metal dial. Can that be correct? The same friend has a Hamilton 950B with a terrible melamine dial. Can it be replaced with a correct enamel dial?

I think you'll find factory original metal dials were long gone by the time your friend's 163-A came was produced. Most collectors prefer one of the four styles of porcelain-enamel "variant dials" as follows...


Heavy Arabic with "Illinois Bunn Special / 23-Jewel, 60 Hour" above seconds bit.

Montgomery with "Illinois Bunn Special / 23-Jewel, 60 Hour" above seconds bit.

Heavy Arabic with "Illinois 23J Bunn Special / 60 Hour, 6 Positions" above seconds bit.

Montgomery with "Illinois 23J Bunn Special / 60 Hour, 6 Positions" above seconds bit.



The most desirable 163A variant dial is this one shown below...

Jerry, Post ww-2, Hamilton was selling metal replacement dials for all watches that they had produced. I have seen them in original factory packing. These were a cheap alternative for the customer to replace a damaged Hamilton dial. This metal dial on the 163A was probably factory produced, but certainly not factory original.

Tom

Excellent points Tom!

Now, about the 950B with the broken up melamine dial...

Melamine dials came in during the late 1940s and they are clearly shown in Hamilton's 1949 catalog. The serial number of your friend's 950B would help in establishing whether of not his watch should have porcelain-enamel or melamine composite dial. Correct original dials are around. Few are available and prices are climbing.

You asked... "Can it be replaced with a correct enamel dial?" ...of course it can. The next question is whether or not it would be appropriate. With values escalating we need to be more concerned with authenticity. I often quote Mike Chamelin... "We should collect non-argumentative examples"...meaning watches that conform to original factory information, advertisements and boxed sets such as the one we looked at above this posting.


950B number S17923 from 1953 melamine dial...

Nice Bunns Lindell. Sorry, it had to be said.

Larry

Just for Larry, here's another one (Bunn)

And for fun, here comes the other one!

Lindell: The serial number on the 950B is S23065

I just told my friend that he needs a different dial for his watch. So now starts the hunt. I think I have seen some 163A's with bold dials that just say Illinois, without the Bunn Special, 23 jewel 60 hour data. Are they correct? By the way, the 163A is in a tu-tone model 28 case. Now, don't tell me that is incorrect also.

Lindell, I have a nice Dennison Gauge and movement gauge(see in the For Sale section)...I would be willing to trade you those for the second watch(in the case). Let me know ASAP...before they sell!

lol
greg