bought it cheap at an auction relay beautiful watch with faded bezel. quartz movement ref 196.1522 mid size i don't seem to find a lot with those ref numbers

 

I wonder if that fade is natural.......very interesting.

 

I think whoever polished the bezel should have put down the Dremel...

 

No, that's a genuine ghost bezel, if I ever saw one! Congrats on the watch.... and the wife

 

Nope. A genuine ghost bezel would be an even fade, that is wear that has caused that, or as suggested above, unwise intervention.

 

Not if the outer and inner part of the bezel insert was covered with tape, while the ghosting process occured. Then this effect would surely materialize.






I was being a bit sarkastic. I just forgot to apply the sarkastic smiley

 

The number you have quoted is the case number, not the reference number of the watch, so that's likely why you are not finding anything.

The case and reference numbers are not the same things - the reference number tells you about the entire watch, not just the case.

That case is used on several references, so the one you see most often is on a bracelet, and that is a ref. 25618000. The same watch head on a blue gator strap would be a ref. 28618003, on a blue shark strap would be a ref. 28618008, and on a blue rubber strap would be a ref. 28618093.

If you are interested in knowing which one this was originally for certain, I can look it up using the serial number.

Cheers, Al

 

Women! Can't live with 'em with your watch collection intact, can't shoot 'em.

 

Hard to get a wife to buy in to the watch game...keep her!

 

Heavy wear under a shirt sleeve could do this the bezel is under under the ridge and crystal. Same reason ghost bezels on Speedies should be darker on the inside.