I know the classic Spillman case with the angled lugs, drilled through, and the particular caseback. But I see lots of other types of cases referred to as Spillman. I assume they made other cases in addition to the one style I am talking about? Or is a Spillman case ONLY that classic angled lugs design?

I started a thread about this a while back, asking if anyone had any data for all the different types of Spillman UG references, but no response, so not sure if this has been studied/documented?

For example, is this a Spillman case?

 

This is the classic style I mean with the angled lugs...

 

That is a spillman ...

 

Yes, but what about the first watch?

 

The first one "No", not a spillman

 

Of course not a Spillman one.
Spillman was a case producer, with many others. Today "Spillman cases" are very desirable, but IMO they are nice cases, with many others.

 

So are there other spillman case styles aside from the faceted example I posted above, or is that the only case they made?

I just see many cases referred to as spillman and I’m not sure if ppl are wrong, or if I am just not familiar with the range of spillman cases

 

Gorgeous Compur BTW.

I'm sure you know this, but not all cases with those angled lugs are made by Spillman. There are some generic lookalikes. This case-back indicates a Spillman case.

 

Thx. Yah I’m familiar, it’s more these other style cases I’m trying to understand. There are some even in the FS forum here that ppl refer to as spillman and I’m not clear if that is accurate

 

You can also look for a hammerhead with "136" on gold cases, and case reference codes starting with "SP".

 

Spillmann made numerous different styles of cases over the years aside from the angled lugs special and waterproofs which are famous around here.

The only failsafe way to identify a Spillmann is to open the case and see what is stamped on the inside case back. They do seem to be regularly mislabelled by people (especially dealers) who have failed to do this.

The question then arises; was every single Spillmann case stamped with a unique identifier (136 hammerhead makers mark for gold, 'SP' for later steel cases and so on)? If so, a definitive key of these stamps would be most helpful and basically foolproof (famous last words).

There is an excellent Spillmann post from Orologi translated here;
https://translate.google.com/transl...//orologi.forumfree.it/?t=63472246&edit-text=

(article first made known to me by @Carlton-Browne in this excellent thread - thank you)
https://omegaforums.net/threads/just-in-compur-with-nice-lugs.45606/#post-540718

To see just how difficult any external visual case check is, look at this advert. Who here would've said that these were Spillmann cases by sight alone?

 

Funny thing about the angled lug "signature" is that it is not a reliable way to identify Spillman cases. Look no further than the Mido Multicenterchrono cases, manufactured by Taubert (aka "FB"), for examples.

 

I have been looking into Spillman cases here recently and have a quick response to the original question.

Looks to me that UG did not use Spillman on smaller diameter non-angular lugged models in stainless steel. However, examples of a similar ilk produced in gold were Spillman manufactured (hammerhead 136 stamped inside caseback):
https://www.bachmann-scher.de/en/so...vintage-compax-chronograph-14k-gold-3784.html
https://www.bernardinimilano.com/products/universal-geneve-compax-18
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-...123048?hash=item1cdbf185e8:g:mL4AAOSwByhdlRR3Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network

A quick observation is Spillman gold models have smaller diameter pusher "shafts" (excuse my jargon) than their "enversteel" brothers.

 

I have a UG with angled lugs but no 136 marking indicating that is a Spillman case. So, I guess this is not always the rule when it comes to lugs shaped like that.
Mine has 128 marking inside the caseback.

 

I believe those shafts that you refer to, are in fact replacement pushers. The generic spillman case commonly referred to doesnt have the smaller diameter pusher shaft, even in Gold

 

Jung & Cie case, I believe. Are the angled lugs in the same shape as the Spillman case. The ones I have seen are not tapered.

 

How about this Welex?

 

Okay.
So, what is a 166 instead of 136 hammerhead stamp on a UG 18kt. gold case?

 

I generally find these things using google, so I assume you can do the same. Do you think I have the codes memorized?

 

everyone knows 166 is Henri Jeanneret