The dial is flawless and if the case has been touched it was very gingerly. The case code matches Sala, the reference and serial numbers check out dating this to the mid forties.
Can anyone illuminate the third set of reference numbers on the caseback? Being a HOX I figure it must be additional American case code numbers...
I will now hold my breath until the cross examination is over.




By the way I find it really interesting that this watch was made in Europe, was sold in the US by the Stern Watch agency, somehow made it back to Europe where I found it and brought it back to the US.
It won't get away this time.

 

It's a beautiful example. That dial is one of the best I've ever seen.

That extra reference number is very intriguing. The five digit number beginning with 4 suggests a gold plated case and the last 4 digits are identical to the correct case reference number. This has me scratching my head

 

Well, yes, but only prior to sad incidence of the the "Dog in the Nighttime."

 

@woodwkr2 Not sure I catch your drift. Is there something to be sad about?

 

A really well-preserved example, and such pleasing dial/hand/complication combo.

I've been hesitant to jump into UGs - such a minefield for the ignorant.

 

This is also a 22258, congrats to your great find. I believe the last line "42258" was created later and wasn't original to the watch. It is small, shallow and there is usually nothing inscribed as a "third line". I don't think it creates any detraction to this nice sample though.

 

And also "Watchmaker Without a Clue"

I'm not disagreeing with you, but is there any reason why you can say that definitively?

 

As far as I know, the post 1940 case reference system used by UG has the following significance. If the first digit in case reference is ;

1 - 18K Gold
2 - Steel
3 - Chrome Plated
4 - Gold Plated
5 - 14K gold

The second and third digits stand for the movement that is used;

22 - 281/381/481
23 - 283
24 - 285
25 - 287

Pre-1940, a different numbering system was used.

 

Outside my depth with UG's of this era, but that's a gorgeous example in my eyes.

 

More specifically ...

The second digit is :
1 only time
2 chronograph

The third digit is :
1 if fitted a 289 calibre
2 - 3 if fitted a 281 ( or a 283 - 481 )
4 - 5 if fitted a 285 ( or a 287 -292 )

 

I have seen a few third liners/re-inscribed case reference (i had one watch with that but in my case it was even worse as the fonts were like child scribbling but at least the reference was properly inscribed). But I don't have anything that is exactly alike.

In short, i can't be 100% definitive but by having the first 2 lines being proper and correct with uniform looking fonts inscribed to proper depth at the right spot on the case back, and the third line being very shallow and of different type of fonts, the deduction to the conclusion that the third line was done later and not at the factory seems highly plausible.

 

Absolutely correct. And the last two digits are for case design. The exception is that the triple calendar watches use "1" and "3" for their 2nd and 3rd digits as well even though they are not time only watches and they utilize the 291 caliber.

Your logic is not completely unsound, but I'm more curious about why it's there in the first place. And since the inscription of the third line is much shallower, as you mentioned, I wonder if other watches had similar numbers, but they were simply polished away.

 

Contributing to and fueling UG chaotic logic mystery eh? All it takes is to find other few with similarity