I have this watch and am not an expert on these. Not the original owner. I'd like to know what is correct or incorrect about it and any other comments. Thank you in advance!

 

Watch seems to be in complete original, unmolested condition

Definately needs a service (serious rotor rubbing), hope the dial can be carefully cleaned.

Sad that the outer caseback has been damaged by inappropiate opening attempts

US market watch

EDIT: Sorry, the hands are not original to the watch, a bit too short I think and former were lumed

 

Ref 14902 should have a caliber 561 movement (date).

 

I stand corrected!

 

Weird with the Movement, my Ref.14902 has a Cal.561. Here you can spot the difference between a dial with lume and the one without on yours.

 

Looks like the case back got switched on the OP’s Connie.

I think the hands are okay except they’re missing their inlays.

 

Original yellow gasket could explain the rotor wear.

 

No, not that much wear...needs a new rotor pinion.

 

“Watch has had water intrusion at some point.”

Where do you see that? Wear and age yes - I’m not seeing rust. Anyway given that this is a Frankenwatch I’m going to part it out. Not a watch to restore given wrong movement for case or case back. Any objectors?

 

Ok but water intrusion doesn’t = humidity. I’ve seen a lot worse without people saying water was in it.
Interesting to me that the case or case back has approx the same year as the movement serial no. Someone went to some trouble (or maybe coincidence?) to find same age parts. Though on further review maybe that means they’ll have similar wear or consistent cosmetics.

 

Hard to believe most any watch of this age wouldn’t have some small signs of condensation - unless an indoor only a/c drawer queen. Aren’t some desirable dials “tropical” at least in part due to humidity?

 

Nope. Many watches of this age have well-preserved dials if they have been cared for properly. It's debatable what leads to tropical dials, but that's something different altogether; certainly they are not rusty. Also, many people find dial damage more acceptable if it's subtle and evenly distributed. Spotty uneven damage is not generally considered particularly desirable.

 

Luckily, I did not quantify the wear that I see.

 

Zooming in this dial - for example - doesn’t look much better. I’d like to see an up close shot of a pristine dial of the same vintage. They must bring a pretty penny as I have a hard time believing they are common.

 

You didn’t need to...the wear is severe, with the worn section reaching nearly across the entire arc of the rotor. Far more that would be seen due to a flattened seal.

 

Yes, that dial is also damaged. Just keep participating in the forum and look through the WRUW thread. You will see plenty of vintage watches with great dials.

 

Well it still seems to rotate just fine and without wobble.