Burlington dial

[Steve Kosovich]

Just out of curiosity,does anyone know why Burlington used a "gold" colored metal dial on their watches? I have a couple in 12 and 16 size,in the 3 million number range.circa 1920 & 1921.
Was it for a specific reason? etc.
If you wish to see it:
http://communities.msn.com/PWmania/shoebox.msnw

[Steve Kosovich]

Just out of curiosity,does anyone know why Burlington used a "gold" colored metal dial on their watches? I have a couple in 12 and 16 size,in the 3 million number range.circa 1920 & 1921.
Was it for a specific reason? etc.
If you wish to see it:
http://communities.msn.com/PWmania/shoebox.msnw

[Kent]

Steve:

Maybe they're that way because the customers ordered them that way! Here's an excerpt from a 1925 Burlington catalog showing the available Dials (http://www.knology.net/~ksinger/1925_catalog_dials.jpg).

Kent :smile:

[This message has been edited by Kent (edited 07-29-2002).]

[Jon Hanson]

cheaper to make!

------------------
Jon Hanson, nawcc#8801
Founder & President, NAWCC chapter 149, The Early American Watch Club

[Steve Kosovich]

Thank you for the replies

[Bob Sharp]

One item on the Burlington ad that Kent posted caught my eye. The Montgomery dial on a Burlington watch costs an extra 25 cents for a royalty fee. This is the first time I have heard specific mention of a royalty on Montgomery dials, although I understand it was a patented or trademarked design.

Has anyone else heard of this, or anything similar? This may explain why so many companies went to the trouble of calling similar dials by more generic names; e.g "marinal minute" or "numeric" dials. Anything to avoid paying a royalty.

[Kent]

Bob:

On the subject:

The following is quoted from 'Webb C. Ball vs. Henry S. Montgomery "... a species of delirium"?' by Larry Treiman, NAWCC Bulletin No. 180 (February, 1976), pp. 47-55:

Mr. Treiman discussed being in contact with Miss Ethel L. May, who had worked for H.S. Montgomery at the Santa Fe Railway Time Service Department, starting in late 1917 or early 1918. She also handled some of the duties of the Montgomery Dial Company, which had existed at that time.

She reported that:

"... the Montgomery Numerical Dial (with upright minute figures numbered from 1 to 60) had been designed primarily by Henry S. Montgomery in the early 1900's and as nearly as could be determined, a patent had been issued to him, possibly sometime in 1907 or 1908."

also,

"A true Montgomery dial must have a 6 figure, which is usually somewhat smaller than the figures for hours 1 to 5 and 7 to 12."

and,

"... the various watch manufacturers paid royalties to the dial company for the dials used on their products, and that from those royalties quarterly dividend checks were issued to the stockholders of the Montgomery Dial Company."

Kent :smile:

[This message has been edited by Kent (edited 07-30-2002).]