Gold Signs

[viclip]

I just received a movement the dial whereof in tiny font has "Gold Signs" straddling the 6 o'clock baton.

Does that have some horological significance?

If it matters the movement is a 25j version of ETA 2472.

 

[roughbarked]

With an ETA movement, it really should have Swiss Made.
Clearly it wasn't cased in Switzerland.
Was anything else on the dial or movement?

 

[viclip]

With an ETA movement, it really should have Swiss Made.
Clearly it wasn't cased in Switzerland.
Was anything else on the dial or movement?

The dial does have "Swiss" shown just below the 6 o'clock baton.

The only other writing on the dial references its "Victor" branding (produced by an unknown UK outfit between the 1950s & 1970s) as well as "Automatic 25".

The rotor announces "25 Jewels Swiss Made".

 

[roughbarked]

Apparently the Brand Name still exists.

MEN

VICTOR WATCHES SHOP

victorwatch.com

However, on facebark;
Victor Watches ⌚️ ✔️ Made in Japan ✔️Guaranteed 100% High Quality ✔️ Stainless / Non Tarnish ✔️ 1 year warranty service Complete inclusion ✓.

 

[viclip]

Apparently the Brand Name still exists.

MEN

VICTOR WATCHES SHOP

victorwatch.com

However, on facebark;
Victor Watches ⌚️ ✔️ Made in Japan ✔️Guaranteed 100% High Quality ✔️ Stainless / Non Tarnish ✔️ 1 year warranty service Complete inclusion ✓.

As far as I'm aware there's no connection between the defunct UK Victor brand & the Japanese one.

Actually there were several European wristwatch producers that used the name "Victor" in addition to the UK outfit. I can tell them apart by the font used to write "Victor". To the best of my knowledge none of these European outfits remain extant.

 

[roughbarked]

Still leaves us both to wonder about 'gold signs'.

 

[SethSimon]

I've often wondered about the Victor on this dial. UK flea market find.

 

[roughbarked]

As I've often said, "You can print whatever you want on a watch dial if prepared to pay the costs".

 

[viclip]

Still leaves us both to wonder about 'gold signs'.

When I search eBay for the exact phrase "gold signs" in the jewellery & watches category, several non-Victor hits come up. None of the listings however offer any explanation for the notation.

 

[viclip]

I've often wondered about the Victor on this dial. UK flea market find.

View attachment 765955

Your "Victor" logo is different from what I identify as the Victor UK logo. I wouldn't be surprised if your watch was produced by Baylor (originally German, then Swiss). Perhaps a shot of the movement might help.

 

[viclip]

So here's a shot of my Victor UK dial:

 

[roughbarked]

It could mean that there are signs of gold here and there?

 

[viclip]

It could mean that there are signs of gold here and there?

Lousy photograph notwithstanding, the batons on my dial look quite exquisite to the human eye. Could they be solid gold markers a.k.a "signs"?

I would note that the Victor UK outfit did case some of their wristies in solid gold cases & that they mostly used good quality Swiss & French movements.

 

[roughbarked]

Are you willing to do the acid test on them?

 

[viclip]

Are you willing to do the acid test on them?

No, I don't want to mar any of the batons let alone slop acid on the dial itself. But it would still be nice to know.

Not that I trust the acid test anyways. I've actually witnessed obviously exposed brass portions of a pocket watch case, show as being gold, no doubt because there was enough trace gold still present on the "brassed" test area to affect the results.

 

[SethSimon]

Per request for movement shot - my Dorley "Victor" has an unmarked Schild 1187/94 inside.

 

[Appa69]

Unless I'm mistaken, gold dial markers were fairly common for a spell. I'm of the opinion that's what is being denoted here as well. I do, however, understand not doing destructive testing, because one never knows...

 

[viclip]

Per request for movement shot - my Dorley "Victor" has an unmarked Schild 1187/94 inside.

View attachment 766017 View attachment 766018 View attachment 766020

Per request for movement shot - my Dorley "Victor" has an unmarked Schild 1187/94 inside.

View attachment 766017 View attachment 766018 View attachment 766020

"Victor" Baylors that I'm familiar with usually have Hermann Becker movements in cal. 1151 or 1161 & the movement is typical signed for Baylor, often also signed for Baylor on the interior of the case back.

Having said that, I do have examples of "Victor" Baylors with A. Schild movements in calibers 1187 & 1240.

So perhaps your watch was produced by Baylor as a private label for D. Dorley whoever that was & thus not bearing any Baylor sigs. Or it could have been made by one of several miscellaneous makers who used the "Victor" name on watches housing Swiss movements that they picked up here & there.

Nevertheless a good looking watch with a quality movement from back in the day, I like it!

 

[viclip]

Unless I'm mistaken, gold dial markers were fairly common for a spell. I'm of the opinion that's what is being denoted here as well. I do, however, understand not doing destructive testing, because one never knows...

And perhaps the hands are solid gold too. They look really good, as do the batons. Whereas the dial itself shows it age ~ normally the hour markers & hands show their age when their dial does.