Hi Everyone,

I purchased this Universal Geneve "Golden" Shadow on ebay, I found the listing from a seller with 100% positive feedback and the price was a third of a similar Shadow model I was looking to buy, so I hastily bid, all be it a low number. Soon after, I realized I had had maybe made a mistake, a few things didn't look right about it. More people bid after me but in the end I was still the highest. The watch arrived today and works quite nicely, the movement seems correct, and quite beautiful, but the dial seems very suspect. Here are some photos:



I feel pretty dumb about this, my assessment is that it's a White Shadow with a repainted dial (why?!). The sigma marks seem especially inappropriate. I was hoping on getting some second opinions from all of the knowledgable folks on this forum.

Thanks.

 

No worries - I believe it is indeed an original dial.

 

Second that.

 

Thanks for the replies. I don't know a lot about Universal. I've read that the Golden Shadows came in a gold case, and the White Shadow in a stainless steel case. This case appears to be stainless steel:

That's the foundation of my suspicion. Acier Inox = Stainless Steel, but dial says Golden Shadow. How come?

 

I have no reason to believe that the dial isn't completely original but is it more likely that somebody has re-cased a Golden Shadow (presumably from a scrapper) movement and dial into a White Shadow case? I can't say that I've spent a great deal of effort tracking these on Ebay as I am only interested in this (to me Patek Ellipse-like) case-shape with lugs that would allow a leather strap but I'd have a good trawl to see if this case shape has also been made in gold.

Nice watch nonetheless if not entirely what it seems.

 

If I've found the listing it would seem that the seller is suggesting that the dial is re-finished but I'm not sure I agree - probably a bit of @rse-covering. To be fair he does state the watch is stainless steel.

Looking at these two watches I would say there's a good chance this shape was also made in gold and somebody has done a swapsy.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-U...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-U...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network
Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network

 

That dial doesn't belong to that case. That's for sure.

 

That's a nice Sigma dial .. It may be all wrong for the case and nothing a true 'collector' would buy but it's still a nice piece and sounds like you didn't get caught out there price-wise... so enjoy (or if it drives you crazy that it's not correct and original then just send it back ...)

 

Thank you guys, I really appreciate your help.

 

Looks good to me. Lots of price variation on the "Shadows", steals are out there

 

The dial looks good but doesn't belong to that case. A Golden Shadow should have the reference 166xxx if YG or 366xxx if WG. A case with the reference 866xxx is a White Shadow case

 

That makes sense, guess I'm in the market for a white shadow dial at some point. At any rate, the watch was still a bargain and works great.