Internet Horology Club 185
999 stamp.24k gold?

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https://ihc185.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/9886009961/m/17310398

May 18, 2009, 06:01
Michael Hickley
999 stamp.24k gold?
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.
May 18, 2009, 06:25
Lindell V. Riddle

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
May 18, 2009, 08:16
Michael Hickley
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.
May 18, 2009, 09:08
Edward L. Parsons, Jr.
Welcome aboard Michael.

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


Best Regards,

Ed
May 18, 2009, 22:06
Dave Freeman
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
May 19, 2009, 05:20
Michael Hickley
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.
May 19, 2009, 15:06
Gerald Zimmermann
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
May 19, 2009, 19:20
Steve Middlesworth
Gerald,

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

Steve
May 20, 2009, 10:16
Lindell V. Riddle

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...


May 20, 2009, 12:33
Tom Brown
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
May 20, 2009, 12:33
Jerry King
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
May 20, 2009, 12:35
Jerry King
Looks like Tom & I had the same thoughts at the same time....WOW....

Jerry
May 20, 2009, 19:05
Mary Ann Scott
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.
May 22, 2009, 07:09
Michael Hickley
Many thanks guys and girls for the very valuable input.Especially to gerald .At last i know what it is.many thanks.