Engravings and watchmaker marks on the case back/lugs?

[hansaboy]

Hi Forum Friends!

I have been wondering sometime how you/we feel about personal engravings,
and also marks that have been done by a watch maker?

Regarding case backs, these could (maybe not all of them...) be exchanged with a fresh one.
But if it is on the case or lug…?

I have sometimes found these on my never ending search (mostly Speedys...),
and the questions that I have are:

How much does this bother you?
And of course - how would one set a value (negative) on them?

I have bought a Speedy myself with an engraving on the case back,
and since I got it for a fair price, it doesn't bother me at all.
And it is also a bit of history regarding the watch!

What are your thoughts?

 

[JimInOz]

If you own the watch you can engrave the crap out of it. It's your watch.

If you don't own the watch, don't touch the exterior at all.

Watchmaker details should be on the INSIDE of the caseback, if at all.
Many watchmakers these days don't even mark the watch in any way.

PS: Owner engravings don't worry me.
"Watchmaker" engravings (exterior) annoy me.

 

[Larry S]

That’s just rude behavior by the watchmaker. Overall I think personal engravings, well done, add to the story of the watch. They don’t bug me and I’d never risk case damage to remove them.

 

[Archer]

Scratching anything on a customers watch is considered intentional damage these days, at least by most professional watchmakers.

I've never had the need to mark a watch I've serviced. I have photos and records of the serial numbers so it's really not needed.

 

[ketiljo]

The name on the back looks Norwegian. The number on the lug is apparently a NUF number (Norwegian Watchmaker Union) that some watchmakers engrave to track watch service. It's discussed here (Norwegian site): https://www.tidssonen.no/forum/threads/noen-som-vet-hva-dette-betyr.52025/

 

[Archer]

ketiljo

The name on the back looks Norwegian. The number on the lug is apparently a NUF number (Norwegian Watchmaker Union) that some watchmakers engrave to track watch service. It's discussed here (Norwegian site): https://www.tidssonen.no/forum/threads/noen-som-vet-hva-dette-betyr.52025/

According to that link, it's for tracking where the watch was sold, not where it was serviced. From a post there...

"This is an "NUF" (Norwegian Watchmakers Association) number that identifies where the watch has been purchased and what archive number this has at the watchmaker in question. The corresponding "service number" is usually etched on the inside of the bell.
Thus, the watch's history will always be traceable.
If you return from a trip abroad and encounter a customs problem, this will also be able to "prove" to customs that this is a "Norwegian watch".

Edit;
Some believe that this is an antiquarian practice, but when an AD sells many different watches and where each watch manufacturer uses different (often "random") serial number systems, then this is not as idiotic as some claim."

And yes, it's completely idiotic...

 

[ketiljo]

What I meant to say, but not very accurate. I assume, and hope, that having the serial number of the watch on the outside stops this stupid practice.

 

[Mark020]

There used to be a Rolex AD in The Netherlands which scratched an inventory number on the back of the lugs…

 

[hansaboy]

ketiljo

The name on the back looks Norwegian. The number on the lug is apparently a NUF number (Norwegian Watchmaker Union) that some watchmakers engrave to track watch service. It's discussed here (Norwegian site): https://www.tidssonen.no/forum/threads/noen-som-vet-hva-dette-betyr.52025/

Aahaa!

Thanks for the info and link!

 

[hansaboy]

Some of the etching made on the lug are actually Swedish social security numbers...
So the owner must have played with a dremel!

 

[Evitzee]

Tiffany used to scratch mark an inventory number on many of their more expensive items. I have a small (1 3/4") round gilt Tiffany alarm clock that I picked up at a garage sale years ago for a pittance. It's probably from the 1960's but it is scratch marked on the back with a number: 62-54-327. I don't think they do that anymore. It's just not considered acceptable any longer.

 

[hansaboy]

Evitzee

Tiffany used to scratch mark an inventory number on many of their more expensive items. I have a small (1 3/4") round gilt Tiffany alarm clock that I picked up at a garage sale years ago for a pittance. It's probably from the 1960's but it is scratch marked on the back with a number: 62-54-327. I don't think they do that anymore. It's just not considered acceptable any longer.

I totally understand if the owner of the watch wants to "brand" the watch,
but that the store marks it for inventory is really stupid?
I have also read this somewhere about inventory nr.
Why not just have a sticker with the numbers on?
And nice that they have stopped that now...