I looked at my vintage watches with a new eye after watching the episode of Netflix's 'Abstract' where they featured Jonathan Hoefler, who designed a new typeface based on vintage watches (yes, the typeface on Hodinkee's infamous travel clock).

So I decided to take some pics from 4 vintage watches from 4 different brands, with 4 fonts for the number "4". All flat-topped "4"s but very different when you look at the details.

Would love to see other cool typefaces you guys have too!

 

One could argue this too is a unique flat top 4 ...



But how’s that 8?!

 

Cool! My Royce has a similar flat top 8, except the bottom is also flat. The '4' is similar to yours though, but look at that '10'... a very funky font indeed!

 

I bought this one primarily for the typography.

 

Three very different fonts here
First the blocky fat and flat topped numerals of this Paul Peugeot.
Next a pregnant looking flat topped 4 on this Midland.
Along with lightly clipped tops and/or bottoms of zero,twos ,eight and the rather hopeful spire six.

Lastly the Zorro. Nicely flowing lines of the eight and other rounded numerals with serif. Otherwise conventional. Easy on the eyes.

 

Note the hooked 7 and the rounded 4. Can be found on many Excelsior Park.



And the 30T2

 

Curved 4



cool 8

 

4 with a shadow



4 with a funky tail

 

Early 1940s cal 83 IWC:

 

Very cool thread idea for it's the vintage logos and styling that really "floats my boat" about a vintage watch and I especially love a full set of Arabic numeral markers.









For the "4".


These Arabic numeral markers are especially yummy!


As are these Arabic numeral markings ...


... along with the dial's presto-chango hues.

 

I forgot I had one of those with a shadow too!



Another flat top 8, and a funky 5



A 6 that almost resembles a G, and a squared off 10


And some surprisingly balanced numbers from an old Certina

 

Funky, I got funky.....

 

As a type designer the owner of a type foundry, this thread is definitely interesting to me. In fact, part of the reason I chose my '57 LE Railmaster over the new one is the use of Futura on the dial of the new watch seemed like a cop-out. Personally, I really like the subdial numerals on the SpeedyTuesday. The copperplate serifs provide a lot of interest without looking old-fashioned.

 

The famous Panerai open 6.

 

will this fit here?

 

..or this?

 

I’m waiting for this one to come back from restoration (case & movement), so this is the best image I’ve got, but the numbers in the outer bezel are in a lovely font.

 

This Ormo has the less commonly seen crossed 7:

 

Being a fan of all things design related myself, I've been fascinated by the typography / letterings on watches. I actually tried researching / finding what some of the fonts used on my watches are called, esp. the UG Polerouter Sub. I posted some watches in font-related fora and it is in one forum that a designer told me that the ones used on most vintage watches, like my Polerouter Sub is more of a lettering than a font, explaining why it's difficult to find their exact names.

Anyway, here are some favorites form my collection:

















And of course: