I got this one recently. Ball Indimatic, 17-j automatic with power reserve indicator, Keystone gf case. The three-letter code on the movement is BXC. Who made that? Is there a list of the codes somewhere on the net? I think I have seen it but don't remember where or when.

Here it is with the back off and guts exposed.

John,
The maker was Avia - Garland. This is according to Shugart's. The information you are looking for can be found on page 635 in the 2004 edition. The movement itself was a purchased item and I not positive of the maker.

Thanks, Rich. I am glad to know that my remberer still operates, a bit rusty but it still works.

Here's the movement in the "Garland". Ball must have used Garland for a model/style name, since the movement is marked both Ball and Avia.

AVIA wristwatches are still being made and sold in Europe even in 2004. These days it tends to be a fairly popular, low cost brand with mainly quartz movements which are sold in the U.K.

The "Garland" name is the Ball name for their Private Label jewelry.

BXC is found on the last of the Ball pocketwatches. I am not a watchmaker so I can't say that for a fact. BXC was better known in the 60's I believe as being on the "Record Watch Co", Swiss, They had a 433, a 434, and 435, B&C. The 435 were kind of attractive some damascening, the 434 looked not so good and the 433 was very plain. They were 21J,16S, and lever set, and in Star 10k, rolled gold cases.

Those watches came in as the need for RR pocketwatches was going out, wrist watches were in, and plane travel was in & passenger trains were close to history. I like to compare them to the Hamilton "Traffic Specials" Theirs was also a 477B that I'm not as familiar with. I like your watch John, I've never seen one like it before.
Regards,

A couple of corrections - The three letter codes, such as BXC, indicate the movement importer, NOT the manufacturer. The Ball Watch Co. imported movements, marked for them, from Avia, Record and perhaps other companies and all movements imported during the era when this was the practice, regardless of manufacture, have their import code (BXC). Also, I believe the supposed grade 477B was misinterpreted from a movement with the serial number 4778. In fact the movement with this number is illustrated in older Shugart guides and captioned as a M#477-B but is shown in the current (2004) guide as a 435-B.

Hi,
The movement in question is an ETA 1256, with an up/down indicator added. I have never seen one of these with an indicator before, nor is that specific calibre variant listed in any of my catalogues. Perhaps Ball equipped them with this device themselves?

Peter