September 08, 2010, 09:15
Claude GriffithFor the Deuber Watch Co (Hampden) experts out there
I picked up a Deuber Watch Co 18s 15j LS hunter which is great condition and still has the dust band but it does have a strange dial set up. The feet of the dial have holes for the feet and the feet extend past the pillar plate but the "hold-downs" whatever they looked like are missing. One foot is broken off but it it had the other two hold downs I don't think that would be a problem. I don't know if these hold downs are easy to find or if people use small O-rings in place of the lost hold downs. Can someone post a picture of the hold down and comment how hard/easy they are to find or what is the best alternative,
Thanks
September 08, 2010, 09:51
Brian C.Claude,
It sounds like you have a dial that is held on with brass pins.
September 08, 2010, 10:05
Lindell V. Riddle
Hi Claude, I'm sure we can come up with such an image, but first please share your movement number. That is always the best starting point. Apparently you have an early example!
Lindell

September 08, 2010, 10:31
Claude GriffithWhen I dated it it was 1889 (896373) on the photo I was looking at the 8 was a bit questionable. It is not a hack job, it looks like the pins were designed to go through the matching holes in the pillar plate and something was attached on the dial feet on the other side of the pillar plate. All feet are accessible and there is no evidence that there were ever any feet set screws on the edge of the pillar plate like most watches have. When I get home I will attach pictures of the pillar plate with the dial off.
September 08, 2010, 11:06
Tom BrownClaude
If I understand you correctly, there are small pin holes at the end of the dial feet?
If that is the case it sure sounds like a pinned dial, small tapered pins fit through the hole and hold the dial on.
I can dig out an old pinned dial I have & post a photo or two if that sounds like yours.
Tom
September 08, 2010, 11:24
Claude GriffithTom that is the strange thing about it, the feet are too small (diameter) for a pin, I will have to get out my magnifier but by simple visual observation I did not see pin holes which is what puzzled me. Maybe the holes are dirty but I soaked/cleaned the dial and still did not see any evidence of a hole for a pin. There is a flattened area that you typically see on most dial for the screw to lock on so if these are pinned it would need some small springs and washers since the flattened area is away from the pillar plate. On my Hampden it has the typical set screw arrangement and it dates earlier than this one so I caught a bit off guard on this one.
September 08, 2010, 11:26
Lindell V. Riddle
I agree with both Brian and Tom, you likely have a "pinned dial" with little brass taper-pins as shown in the image below of a Springfield Hampden Railway number 425380 from around 1885 or so production. Unless someone has substituted a later dial the holes are there, they are very, very small.
These pins are identical to those used in clocks and they are readily available within the trade.
They used a taper-pin used to secure the dial...September 08, 2010, 11:46
Claude GriffithSome pictures
September 08, 2010, 11:47
Claude GriffithNext Picture and after looking at this one I tend to think it is an 11J movement since it does not have any jewels on the pillar plate but has 4 jewels visible.
September 08, 2010, 11:48
Claude GriffithDial and I will check tonight for some pin holes
September 08, 2010, 14:18
Lindell V. Riddle
Claude, take a look at my taper-pin image, that's what you are looking for. Below, a closer image of your movement number perhaps 596372 but cannot be certain of that first (maybe 5 or 6 ???) digit. Lindell 
September 08, 2010, 15:08
Claude GriffithI checked the original listing on ebay and it was listed as 696372 so it appears the shadow is blurring it a bit so that it looks like a 5 instead of a 6. I checked the dial after I got home, the post at the 14 min marker is not pinned but has a notch facing out. The post at the 52 min marker has a hole for a pin, the post at the 36 1/2 min position is missing but I would think it had a hole for a pin. When the dial is installed on the movement at the 14 min position on the movement there is a machined hole so there much have been a pin of some type that was inserted into the hole that locked the notched pin. If someone has a trashed Hampden/Deuber dial that still has a post with a pin hole leave me a PM. I also have another question, if you look at the brass plate that has the lever set notch, my impression is that the plate should be flat, if you look at mine it has a ding at the larger hole and another ding near the notch in the pillar plate. Are these dings just a bad repair in the past or was it designed to be that way? What company had this marking for it's gold filled cases?

September 15, 2010, 04:11
Bill GoffI have an old A.E. Rogers watch Scranton P.A. it has a Duebers Watch Case 3 door Hunter style. A nice watch but the case has a spring broken on the back cover hinge. Is it repairable do you think? I could get it out of the box and take photos of it.
September 15, 2010, 08:12
Tom BrownClaude
The symbol on your case back was used by the Dueber Watch Case Mfg. Co.
Tom
September 15, 2010, 20:07
Claude GriffithBill you can probably take pictures of it while it is still in the case and most people can get an ideal from that as long as you give some measurements width and approx length.
September 15, 2010, 20:35
David AbbeClaude, a couple remarks,
1. That dial you have is in excellet condition. Use it.
2. The "dings" in the click wheel cover plate appear to be added to retain more securely the click tension spring and also to retain the click itself so that they did not prematurely release the click wheel and suddenly unload a full mainspring wind to the movement.
3. CONCLUSION: You have a pretty nice watch for all the time it has spent in this world. The bigger thing now is not replacment of parts but restoration of the watch and case.