Would anyone know/have information about the item painted on the dial of this 16S Waltham SN18162115. I was told that the lady who owns this watch grandmother used to work at the Waltham factory, and she bought this watch at the factory for her husband in 1913. Thanks

Wayne,

The following comments have to do only with the dial and movement. My opinion below is not meant to imply any disregard of or disrespect for religious beliefs and symbols.

From time to time we find similar corporate, fraternal or in this instance religious symbols on porcelain watch dials. This particular one includes a cross, fire, crown of thorns, heart and blood. I believe this to be to a symbol used within the "Sacred Heart Society" of the Roman Catholic Church.

Such symbols when added to the dial are therefore not related to horological authenticity and that is my only perspective in commenting about them. In my opinion unless the watch-case has a religious inscription or this particular symbol is of personal religious significance it is a matter of the owner's choice as to whether or not it should remain. Some collectors keep the additions, others choose to remove them.

If removal is the choice, assuming it to be a transfer or hand-painted artwork it can be easily removed by scrubbing with watch cleaning solution or household cleaners and an old, soft-bristle tooth brush. In more stubborn situations try Cutex or other brand of fingernail polish remover. If here are hairlines on the dial use great caution in cleaning because the colors from the artwork could permanently fill hairlines. Use a soft cloth and soak the painted area with the nail polish remover as you rub it off, it may take several applications. Once satisfied with the result, polish the dial with liquid automobile polish and buff to a shine with a soft cloth.

The Waltham serial number lists indicate c.1912 as a production year which fits with the time-frame you were told about. There may or may not be anything to the story you were told about the origins of the watch.

Hope this is of help to you!

Lindell

Lindell, you are correct it's the Sacred Heart Society of the Roman Catholic Church.

Thanks Mike, I appreciate your confirming my recollections.

A further point or two on removal of painted or transferred designs from porcelain dials. I should have also mentioned the simplest first step in removal is to very carefully scrape with a sharp single-edged razor blade. Often the design will easily flake off and then it's just a careful cleanup from there. If a water-decal it will have to be soaked in warm water. If it's a dial covering sticker, warm the dial with a hair-dryer to help start peeling it and then clean up with solvent.

A few years ago one seller had Studebaker added to some South-Bend dials to deceive the unsuspecting and that was done with a silk-screen process. When I flaked those gently with my finger nail the letters started coming off. There are dials floating around where Bunn Special and 23-Jewels or even railroad names were added to fool eBay buyers. Those devious sellers were not at all religious!

Some additions to dials take strange forms, it is important to know how to recognize the real ones and how to remove when and if that might be your choice. Often examining the dial in bright light will reveal the original design is shiny because it is under the porcelain glaze, additions will usually look dull by comparison. To test, begin flaking off with your fingernail or any sharp object.

When an addition adds significance that is one thing, but when it is unwanted, is offensive, or was done to deceive that is quite another matter.

Lindell

Lindell, Mike
Thanks for the information. The lady who owns the watch just wanted to know about it, and if it could be repaired. But water had entered the movement through the crown, and the upper part of the movement was deeply rusted, the hairspring was a solid mass of rust, the mainspring was a solid mass of rust, and the hands would not move. Its not a unique or rare watch, but its still a nice 91 year old piece of history. Thanks

The winding parts were badly discolored and some rust, but they cleaned up well.

Wayne, it should be fairly easy to find another similar movement and, using the original dial and case, allow the lady to have a functioning watch that retains memories for her.

Work still in progress on this watch - I decided not to replace the movement, keep it original and clean it throughly and replace only the badly damaged parts. I needed to replace the hour hand, and Lindell offered to send me a set of new hands. Thanks very much Lindell for helping me continue with this project.

Most of the Sacred heart emblems I have seen on watch dials are painted on the dial, rather than being transfers. My understanding (and I cannot remember the source of this information) is that there were a number of itinerant painters who travelled around to state & county fairs, expositions and similar gatherings who would paint religous, masonic or fraternal organizaion symbols or logos on watch dials for a small fee. They also would personalize dials with the owner's name, very often with the first letter in red and the rest in blue paint. Most of these "additions", while not original to the watch, would have been contemporary additions. If the current owner doesn't like them they are easy to remove, but the painted ones often left a very faint "etching" on the surface of porcelain enamel dials which cannot be removed and is visible if light is reflected off the front surface of the dial.

Ed Ueberall
NAWCC 49688
IHC Member 34
The Escapement