Hi there!
I would like to help you, because this is my ex-watch. I sold it to this famous german dealer because I needed funds for a pretty expensive incoming. 😀
This watch is really exciting, it's - for my knowledge of course - the only surfaced example of that rare reference.
Dial is mezmerising. Two level of paint, the lower one matt black with gilt graphic, the upper one mirror silver with white graphic. In real life is crazy, and impossible to shoot properly!
The lume is an old relume. I founded like this and never touched, and the previous owner had it for like 30 years never touching it too.
Here there's a pic of it in "real life", to let you understand better how warm and fascinating the watch is.
I hope this will help you. 😀
The case/dial combo appears legit. Take a look at the archival photo and you'll see the same pairing. It's the lume and hands I'm concerned about.
Is it reasonable to assume, based on the archival photo, that this watch did not start its life off lumed? Which would also mean that the hour and minute hands are not original.
We all know that UG was no stranger to variation. And they certainly could have offered a similar dial with lume. That being said, the lumed script is thin and exactly the same font as in the archival photo.
I had these same questions. Anyhow I'm not sure anyone is really saying anything different, perhaps it comes down to semantics. @vujen says the configuration may not be native, but is original, you would have to get exact definitions from people what they mean.
I see several possible scenarios....
1) current configuration is factory original, but relumed (how is this known, due to previous owner stating it has been relumed?)
2) current configuration is factory configuration (or reconfiguration) at customer request, but relumed
3) current configuration is due to someone other than the factory luming the dial and adding lumed UG hands
I think you can make plausible arguments for any of these scenarios, ultimately it cannot be answered, and it would just be a guess to try and pick one.
Since this dial is so rare, and the seller already states the lume has been redone, I don't think trying to justify any one of the above scenarios has a major impact on value.
I guess the owner, could consider to remove the lume from the dial (since it has already been redone), and source a pair of stick hands, and go after the configuration example in the archives pic, however, this could just as well be heading in the completely "wrong" direction, and I quite like the lume hands, so I might just as well enjoy it completely in its current configuration.
With UG, these are unanswerable questions, unless you can find the exact correct archival pic, or unless you can find enough other same examples to justify your opinions.
My (complete) guess, just based on my gut, is that both lumed and non lumed examples of this dial/hands exist. I hope we see more examples in the future !
