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999 stamp.24k gold? "Click" to Login or Register 
posted
I have a rotary watch and on the base of the movement is stamped the number 999.I googled 999 and it comes up with 24k gold.Does this mean the watch movement is 24k gold as the number 999 suggests? The reason i ask is because someone emailed me saying that 999 is the movement number.What an unusual place to put a movement number instaed of on the movement as is usually the case.Incidentally, there is a symbol of some sort on the base of the movement too but i cant identify it.any help on this issue is greatly appreciated.
 
Posts: 26 | Location: Nottingham, England | Registered: March 31, 2009
IHC President
Life Member
Picture of Lindell V. Riddle
posted

Hello Michael and Welcome Aboard!

For what it is worth, several of the American companies placed the name of their movement model inside the case-back, I can only imagine this is following that same practice. If it had to do with gold content I would expect there to be a dot ahead of the number like .585 which is an indicator for 14K Gold on American Solid-Gold cases.

And besides would not 24K Gold be a bit too soft for a watch case?

Let us see what others have to say,

Lindell

Wink
 
Posts: 10553 | Location: Northeastern Ohio in the USA | Registered: November 19, 2002
posted
It isn't the case that is stamped 999 but the movement itself.it is on the base of the movement, or the frame for want of a better word.
 
Posts: 26 | Location: Nottingham, England | Registered: March 31, 2009
IHC Vice President
Pitfalls Moderator
IHC Life Member
Picture of Edward L. Parsons, Jr.
posted
Welcome aboard Michael.

For more information, it would be helpful if you could post a picture.


Best Regards,

Ed
 
Posts: 6696 | Location: Southwestern Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: April 19, 2004
posted
Michael,
I would seriously doubt the movement is 24K for too many reasons to go into at this time. I think the 999 marking is an ebauche (movement) number of some type. A close up picture would really help us all.


Dave Freeman
IHC Member 321
 
Posts: 976 | Location: Texas in the U.S.A. | Registered: January 27, 2004
posted
okay.Here are a few pictures of the movement.Looking closely, it looks like there are 4 nines and not 3.There also seems to be some sort of mark a bit below it.I have been offered £90.00 for the watch but i don't want to sell it to the buyer if it isn't 24k gold, especially as I don't know its true value wether gold or not.
 
Posts: 26 | Location: Nottingham, England | Registered: March 31, 2009
posted
Michael

Your watch is indeed a 'Rotary' ,proved by the winged wheel trade mark.
Your reading of 999 was a little mistake combined with 'wishfull thinking'. Take a jewelers loupe and turn the movement 180 degrees you can read 6663; this shows the movement marking. Your movement is a FEF 6663 movement (dating 70's or 80'---shockproof) made by the swiss manufacturer Fabrique d'Ebauches de Fleurier 1920 - 1979; part of the Holding 'Ebauches SA since 1932. Their mark is FEF in a shield.

Regards,
Gerald
 
Posts: 742 | Location: Wertheim in Germany | Registered: February 21, 2009
IHC Member 1101
Site Moderator
Picture of Steve Middlesworth
posted
Gerald,

You are just too, too, good. Thanks for the explanation.

Steve
 
Posts: 1980 | Location: Kentucky in the USA | Registered: March 18, 2008
IHC President
Life Member
Picture of Lindell V. Riddle
posted

Gerald, you are amazing!

Michael, I apologize for misunderstanding your original post. When you said "base of the movement" I thought you were referring to the case-back having what you thought were gold-content markings.

Nothing like having the pictures, in the end Gerald straightened this out. No question, when we flip the picture over there is the "6663" right there below the maker's "FEF" in a shield.

Lindell

Wink


There it is, the "FEF/6663" marking...


 
Posts: 10553 | Location: Northeastern Ohio in the USA | Registered: November 19, 2002
IHC Life Member
Site Moderator

Picture of Tom Brown
posted
Lindell

I totally agree about Gerald, I am not sure I have ever seen him ask a question but if someone else asks about something he always comes back with almost legal proof.

He is definitely an asset to this site.

Tom
 
Posts: 5107 | Location: New Mexico in the USA | Registered: January 27, 2007
IHC Life Member

Picture of Jerry King
posted
Nice job Gerald....these are the type posts I was referring to in our email conversation recently....

You are an amazing source of information and truly an asset to IHC185....

Keep up the great work my friend....

Regards,
Jerry
 
Posts: 2828 | Location: California in the USA | Registered: June 23, 2008
IHC Life Member

Picture of Jerry King
posted
Looks like Tom & I had the same thoughts at the same time....WOW....

Jerry
 
Posts: 2828 | Location: California in the USA | Registered: June 23, 2008
Picture of Mary Ann Scott
posted
Great minds think (and post) alike! Wink

Gerald has been a very valuable, contributing member whom I am glad to have with us in IHC185. Keep up the great work, Gerald, and I look forward to your future posts.
 
Posts: 1047 | Location: The Colony, Texas in the USA | Registered: December 20, 2008
posted
Many thanks guys and girls for the very valuable input.Especially to gerald .At last i know what it is.many thanks.
 
Posts: 26 | Location: Nottingham, England | Registered: March 31, 2009
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