I need not have worried.... The watch arrived and it looked beautiful. It takes a close examination with a glass to see some of the "fuzz" but it almost looks mint. I suspect the camera and lighting were responsible for amplifying the small imperfections. One of the black spots on the center gold inlay is there to be seen but much smaller than the picture shows. All in all, a delightful surprise. Oh... and the gold numerals are all equally gold color with not a hint of discoloration. The spare crystal is there but no mainspring

This is what the spare mainspring looks like.

Could you post a pic of the spare crystal, assuming it is in some sort of container and perhaps a pic with the case serial number?

Lorne.... your box has a "socket" for the spring to fit into. mine does not have that small socket. Otherwise it looks the same with the spare crystal fitting in the slightly concave bottom and the plug filler, like yours, going on top of the crystal to provide the new bottom of the pocket for the watch... Perhaps yours didn't come with crystal and mine didn't come with spring??

quote:

Perhaps yours didn't come with crystal and mine didn't come with spring??

That is what I was wondering. Perhaps it was optional at time of purchase.

EDIT Added a 1931 catalogue photo showing the Premier Maximus comes with 2 extra mainsprings and a crystal.

Perhaps they did the same as automobile companies, as time went by more features became standard equipment.

Haven't forgotten you Lorne.... I'll get those pictures as soon as I get a round tuit.. Walt

I just found this watch in the archives of the same auction house where I got the white gold PreMax. They are the same except that this one is yellow gold 18k. This one sold in December 2010.

Dial

movement number: 17057300

17057300 is supposedly the last one made.

1st. run = 17000000 - 17000200 = 201 1909

2nd. run = 17057001 - 17058000 = 1000 1909

However no second run serial numbers over 175057300 have yet been reported.

That auction house sure has the picture taking down to a science.

Lorne... could 300 possibly have coincided with the onset of the great depression?

Agreed, those photos could be centerfold of PW magazine.

quote:

Lorne... could 300 possibly have coincided with the onset of the great depression?

Difficult to say, both runs were supposedly made in 1908/09. Some of these watches sat around for a long time.

The 17000045 has a 1920 inscription on the case and the 17057104 still has it's original $600 sales receipt from 1920.

The following prices are gleaned from various mentions on the internet.

Mention of prices on the net:
1908/9 $250 Intro price
1912 $300
1914 $400
1915 $400 Panama Pacific Exibition
1919 $530
1920 $600 (#17057104)
1923 $500
1924 $750 (Some listed it even higher Ft. Dearborn Watch & Clock, Chi. $857.25 for 18K $821.50 14K
1931 $732

In an earlier post I mentioned about the cost of a replacement dial for a Premier Maximus ( not to mention the chances of finding one )
Can you believe there are 3, yes three, for sale on ebay UK & they are selling tonight. Two don`t seem to have the sunk part around the winding indicator, although that may be perfectly acceptable, & one has a hair-line.
Up until now I`ve never seen a PM dial for sale!

I think the Roman numeral dials were meant for watches exported to Europe but I thought these would have brought a higher price.

The one with the sunk indicator bit and hairline went for $396US.

(I found a thing in iPhoto that allows me to marry photos, I like it although side by side would be my preference).


Photos by permission of seller.

$312, the UP D'N seems a bit off centre.

$348US

These look very sloppy and off kilter on some of the markings and all slightly different too, I don't think these are factory products. I've never seen a Premier with a Roman dial, they may exist but I haven't seen one. Geno

My brother and I now use a new word which gave us the giggles on a long ago auction for a watch. The seller was obviously not acquainted with watch terminology and described the face as having a few "haircracks". Now Rob and I always say whether or not a dial is haircracked. Not essential info here but always good for a laugh.

Lorne... I also noticed that besides the off centre print on the up-down that the word "Maximus" also seems to have compressed spacing at the beginning and excessive spacing at the end.... Walt

Geno, I agree with sloppy and off kilter but I don't think non factory dials would be soldered together as these are and I doubt they would have gone to the trouble of making two varieties.

See the second post on page one of this thread for a Roman numeral dial.

EDIT-SEE NEXT POST out of w(h)ack, out of kilter = not on harmony or balance, yes, the first dial seems to be in whack.


Good eye Walter, Maximus is out of whack but not on the first one.

Lorne.... so the first one is in whack?

Lorne, there are a enamel dial restorers in England who do this kind of work, these dials look like the work of one of them. Again way too sloppy to be factory and just do not have the quality look of a real factory product in my opinion. Geno

[Administrative note: the eBay link was removed since this topic is in public view]

Look how nice and tight a real enamel dial looks compared to these. Geno

[Dial image posted]
[Movement number: 17057275]

Yes, I would have thought these dials would have gone for much more. A couple of Vanguard WI dials went for $160 each.
I`ve seen Swiss dials with that mottled effect on the reverse & the fine soldering as on the two non sunk indicators dials.
The PM dial with the sunk indicator looks a different animal( mottling + solder ) & could be the genuine article.

Premier Maximus Ad, 1915.

#17000155 with Kew Certificate in Sterling Silver box.