Hi
Came close to buying this one, but the dial is just so mud ugly I'd never be able to wear it.
Never heard of the brand, though it looks to have been a classy watch in its day
Saved these images.




I really like that case back.
Supposed to have been "restored" though the dial is the second worst I've seen. Said to be running but needs a servicing.
Anyway I'm interested in the movement more than the watch.
Who knows, I might run across one in better shape one day.

 

Tell you? Not much. But this may help. Thanks to Mikrolisk and the Oxford Dictionarl. The movement is a stock ETA item with a surfeit of jewels, about 30 of which do very little.

 

This reminds me of the Waltham '100 jewel' watch. I think Ducal really needs to up the ante in order to compete.

 

@Archer must have something to say about these *ahem* bejeweled movements...

 

I love these. I'm on the hunt for the Waltham. 100 jewels, HAH!
On your Ducal ETA. I can see 20 worthless jewels right here. I do appreciate the marketing attempt

 

Several companies had fun playing this game. There's also the Orient Grand Prix 100.

 

There are a number of watches with a similar movement (Titoni, Optimatic etc).

Is it possible the ones in the automatic wheels are functional jewels like the ones in the GP Gyromatic?

https://omegaforums.net/threads/girard-perregaux-gyromatic-39-jewels.90357/

https://omegaforums.net/threads/girard-perregaux-39-jewel-gyromatic.57325/

 

First thing I thought of was the similar jeweling in my 25 jewel Midland 2453 movement.
I'd thought mine might be missing a few jewel bearing but images of other 2453 movements show some holes were not filled.


I found a couple of "Hilton" 57 jewel movements but they don't resemble the Ducal.

 

OP is right, this watch would have been a really nice looking piece, well, before it was modified to grow blue green algae for the sports nutrition industry

I would have thought the movement would have looked way worse given the state of the dial