Does this dial/hands combination look correct for a Caliber 135 (second series?) Mainly, I wasn't sure if the hands were a little thick. The movement looks good to my eye, but how about the case back? I've searched around a bit, but looking for expert opinions here, as my knowledge on these is very thin. Thanks all!
Jim

 

Oooof - somebody got a little sloppy with their caseback knife!

 

I think it's fine, Jim.

A few photos, two are of mine.

Compare below. (Apologies for the egregious bandwidth consumption).

Yours (rotated) :

Not mine:

One of mine:




Another of mine::

 

Sorry Jim - I didn't address your case-back serial number question.

It could just be a trick of the light in the photo that isn't showing the case serial as crisply as I'm used to seeing. Otherwise, the interior of the case back looks fine.

Reference images: This first snap case back goes with the arrow-dial, like yours, above. Movement serial is 4,440,xxx
My engraving is certainly more crisp than yours, and does seem to be the norm for what I've seen.



Here's another with a screw case-back, and the same crispness of engraving.

 

Hands look very similar to a lot of these:

https://omegaforums.net/threads/zenith-cal-135.2654/

 

Looks fine. These were produced with a number of different case and case back variations.

 

Beautiful watch!

 

Looks good to me.

 

Thanks all! Just couldn't get comfortable with price.

 

How much was the seller asking?

 

Got past the anger ages ago. Tried the bargaining with no luck. Nearly over depression stage.

I got a feeling the cal 135 is going to be more addictive than the El Primero

 

Oh it's a bargain.

http://www.brevetwatches.de/watches...etre-mit-kaliber-135-aus-den-50er-jahren.html

 

A couple of questions for those who believe the dealer's price to be out of line:

Can you find another for sale at the moment, in comparable condition? And if so, is it priced significantly lower?

 

I'll admit that I posted that without really knowing the market for these. It's indeed a beautiful watch and the laws of supply and demand certainly apply.

 

On the 2011 price list stuck in my head, I remember these selling for $3500 in mediocre condition, and $5000 or more in the kind of shape the piece we're discussing is in. Granted, I don't follow Zenith as much as others do here, but I don't think the asking price is out of the ballpark.

 

The cal. 135 is unquestionably one of the finest hand-wind movements ever produced. Also, one of the most beautiful. They have, in recent years, become increasingly difficult to find in very good or better condition.

I'm not suggesting that anyone jump to buy this particular example, but if you can find a comparable one for significantly less, you will have done well.

Oh, and unlike the mountains of "money" (aka "credit") created by Central Banks these days, fine vintage watches cannot be created by a stroke or two on a keyboard.

 

It is very hard to find comps for these pieces. Search Ebay completed transactions, and you won't find much.