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Adso
·Hello everyone,
I am buying this vintage Minerva from a professional dealer and would appreciate independent opinions on the dial before proceeding.
The watch has a 36 mm 18k rose-gold case with scroll lugs, marked 15014-18, case number 768383, and a movement identified as a Minerva 13-20CH. The dial has a 45-minute register and a BASE 1000 M tachymeter scale.
I like its design and patina, but an unrestored dial is important to me. After extensive searching, I still cannot find a convincing match for this particular dial configuration. My main concerns are:
I have attached an overall dial view, close-ups of the questionable areas, and photographs of the movement and case markings.
Would you regard this dial as plausibly original, an older refinish, or inconclusive from these photographs? References or comparison photographs would be especially helpful. I would also appreciate knowing whether an in-person examination could realistically resolve these questions.
I have contacted Montblanc/Minerva, but have not yet received a response.
Thank you for your help - I would rather clarify this before buying than mistake an unusual redial for a rare original configuration.
I am buying this vintage Minerva from a professional dealer and would appreciate independent opinions on the dial before proceeding.
The watch has a 36 mm 18k rose-gold case with scroll lugs, marked 15014-18, case number 768383, and a movement identified as a Minerva 13-20CH. The dial has a 45-minute register and a BASE 1000 M tachymeter scale.
I like its design and patina, but an unrestored dial is important to me. After extensive searching, I still cannot find a convincing match for this particular dial configuration. My main concerns are:
- No matching example. I have found individual features on other Minervas, but not this exact combination of dial layout, numerals and scales. I realise that a lack of online examples does not establish that it is a redial.
- Unusual 12 and 6. The rounded, curled shapes of the 2 and 6 differ from the more angular numerals I keep finding. Does anyone recognise this specific numeral style on a documented original Minerva dial?
- Outer seconds numerals meeting the subdial recesses. The outer 15 and 45 appear to encroach on the recessed edges of the two subsidiary dials, particularly the 15. The attached close-ups show this more clearly. Is this a known original layout, or could it suggest reprinting that does not quite fit the dial blank?
- 45-minute register. I have read references to 45-minute versions of the 13-20, but have struggled to find a comparable vintage example in this case. I would welcome any documented examples.
I have attached an overall dial view, close-ups of the questionable areas, and photographs of the movement and case markings.
Would you regard this dial as plausibly original, an older refinish, or inconclusive from these photographs? References or comparison photographs would be especially helpful. I would also appreciate knowing whether an in-person examination could realistically resolve these questions.
I have contacted Montblanc/Minerva, but have not yet received a response.
Thank you for your help - I would rather clarify this before buying than mistake an unusual redial for a rare original configuration.
