Friends I purchased this nice older wrist watch on Ebay today and would like some information on the movement and time of manufacture. I realize the dial leaves a lot to be desired but I figure for what I paid for it I can easily have the dial redone. Any ideas on what all that red film is all over the crystal? If it is rust then it is just the dial because the movement is running and looks clean. Thank you in advance for all and any information.

John

Photo of the movement.

John
The red film could be the effect of the radium dial on a plastic crystal after years of storage .

The movement serial number would date to 1930. The watch is an engraved-bezel Tonneau. This is one of my favorite designs of the era. Is it gold or gold-filled?

The dial and crystal are both showing effects of radium burn. This dial could be refinished perfectly, and with a new crystal it will be a gorgeous piece.

Samie, and Rene,


Thanks for the information. I thought it might be from the radium on the numbers. It is yellow gold filled I think Rene. The best part, I picked it up on Ebay for the attractive price of $37.00 plus $12 shipping. I guess there are still values out there on Ebay. Rene can you please give me the name and number of the dial company you all use again? Will I need to tell them how to do the dial or will they know what is correct for this watch? Thanks again for all the help friends.

John

That was a great bargain. It will probably turn out to be green gold-filled after you clean it up -- the green tint is usually faint but they are much more common than yellow.

Send the dial to International Dial, PO Box 970, Wilmington, OH 45177. 937-382-4525. They are well familiar with this dial, they've done many for me (and others, of course). You have a choice to make. You can opt for bright, modern green luminous painted numbers, which is how it would have looked in 1930. For a softer and more 'antique' look you can request "brown radium" which isn't actually luminous but looks like original radium that has aged for 70 years. You should send the hands at the same time to have them filled with luminous material to match whichever color you choose. Here's an example of a white one I restored:

International Dial will do a great job at a very reasonable price. Send the hands, also. Total price should be about $35. You may want to have them send you some dial envelopes and you'll have to send it in a tin. Here's the address:

International Dial Co., Inc.
58 W Sugartree Street
Wilmington OH 45177-2226
(937) 382-4535

Here's a before and after



A restored Tonneau dial

Wow,

Looks fantastic guys. Now I'm really excited. I can't wait to send it out now!!

Thanks again for all the information.

John

One of my special favorites from the truly vintage era -- here are a few more color and dial variations.

Here's mine (in green gold filled)...

John,

Congrats on your good deal. I am sure you will be pleased with International doing this Tonneau dial.

I own a solid 14K engraved example, and it has evolved in my most frequently worn daily-wearer. What amazes me about this case is that when you measure it, you see it is not all that large. However, the combination of large dial and small lugs makes it look MUCH larger on the wrist than most watches of the era which actually measure bigger.

ENJOY!!

Rick

If you are lucky the dial could turn out to be an "engraved" one - this is where the dial markings and minute track are engraved into the dial surface, and filled with enamel, instead of just being printed on the surface. So when refinished the dial markings are exactly in the same place, and look the same, as the originals.

If the watch hands are very rusty, as they often are, then NOS 6/0 size ones are sold on ebay in sets of 10 - these will need filling with matching color to the dial figures.

dan