One of the latest Hodinkee shop offerings breathlessly mentions "hand-painted Roman numerals" in the description. Really?

I have always assumed dials were produced using a printing plate or pad printing process. A quick search of the interwebs reveals little about dial printing methods, so perhaps the process was so mundane as to be not worthy of much discussion.

So: anyone know how were watch dials printed? Is the description just hyperbole? Or is there some truth to it?

 

I think the ballsier part of this is offering a $4500 vintage watch without a movement shot with the following disclaimer:
*Because of the risk of damaging the dial of the watch while opening the case, the movement was not photographed.

 

Hand painted = redial/touch up?

 

what a BS, such a high price for a mediocre watch I have seen quite some 30 mm watches but never saw a hand painted dial on them

 

Yet they used to give advise year in and out prior to selling to never buy a vintage watch without a movement shot

 

Most dials are pad printed. Hand painted is reserved for enamel dials with pad printed factory name added afterwards.

High gloss paints look hand done if more 3 dimensional

DON

 

Technically pad printed not using a machine is by hand....

 

correct - it's the latest, minimal invasive watch service technique: laparoscopic service

 

Technically, that is bullshit

 

some explanations in this thread:
https://omegaforums.net/threads/last-resort-redial-who-is-the-best.59812/page-2

 

Hodinkee should begin to produce its own, private label wine. I suggest using the name "Laughingstock Vineyards", and having whoever wrote the copy for the subject Omega contribute the description on the label.

 

I'm sure they'll be laughing all the way to the bank.

 

"Fine whine (sic) without any proof! It don't have to be old to be vintage".

 

Damn auto-correct!
It was supposed to read "hand-painted Ramen Noodles".

 

not sure about the Swiss industry but the Americans, who really ruled the industry at the time, went from hand painted to gelatin pad printed by the late 1890s

about the time this was done...

 

A similar model to the Hodinkee example is coming up for auction at Sotheby's Hong Kong on October 2 (LOT 2052). FWIW the estimate range is $2350-3850 USD.

 

Going from the two single photos I've seen of the two watches, I'd say that there is a fair bit of difference in the condition of the watches. Also, references, case and dial design is different. I don't know a lot about either of these, but I'm surprised at the estimate, it seems to be awfully high. @mac_omega and others are probably the best to comment on that one. http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2017/important-watches-hk0743/lot.2052.html

Re. that Hodinkee watch, I think it's really just an overenthusiastic writer who got carried away when writing the description. The point about no movement picture is full-on laughable, however.

 

Reminds me of this joke: A gynecologist had become fed up with malpractice insurance and HMO paperwork, and was burned out. Hoping to try another career where skillful hands would be beneficial, he decided to become a mechanic. He went to the local technical college, signed up for evening classes, attended diligently, and learned all he could.

When the time of the practical exam approached, the gynecologist prepared carefully for weeks, and completed the exam with tremendous skill. When the results came back, he was surprised to find that he had obtained a score of 150%. Fearing an error, he called the Instructor, saying, “I don’t want to appear ungrateful for such an outstanding result, but I wonder if there is an error in the grade?”

“The instructor said, “During the exam, you took the engine apart perfectly, which was worth 50% of the total mark. You put the engine back together again perfectly, which is also worth 50% of the mark.” After a pause, the instructor added, “I gave you an extra 50% because you did it all through the muffler, which I’ve never seen done in my entire career”.