Hi all,

I have a question to the experts and all in the know.

See the section of this dials and have a close look at the dagger shaped indices



These indices look applied, but they are not riveted on the back - the back of the dial is smooth, there are no signs of any small riveted "feet" which are usually seen on dials with applied metal indices (numerals, logos).
They are "ebossed" which I mean protruding but can not make out how they are applied onto the surface - no traces on the back. Are they glued or soldered to the dial and silver plated afterwards?

I do not want to sacrifice a dial to cut it through one index to see how it is attached...

So can anybody explain the production process?

Thanks a lot in advance

 

They are part of the dial plate which was produced this way. They where not added. Often seen in lower quality brands and Omega service dials.

 

No expert here but I am intrigued ... are you saying the dial was machined down to leave the indices proud on the dial? I could see that being an easy process with a modern CNC machine but in a vintage dial, what was the manufacturing process?

 

Are you saying the dial plate/index markers were cast as one piece?

So how were the tracks and minute marks applied, surely not with a standard cliche?

 

If there are no evident traces on the back side of the dial, they used a high quality cold coining technique : the outillage.

 

Embossed dials were, at times, seen in higher class models as well. I have owned an 18k IWC from the '50s with superb, and very shallow embossed indexes. The reason for the choice was that very thin indexes could not easily support metal pins.

 

So the flat areas of the dial were highly compressed in order to let the "pattern" (indices, numbers) stand out the surface?
Did I understand this correctly?

 

Right. They used a power press up to 200 tons

 

If you look at those dials from the side you will see that the sides of the markers have the same color as the mainplate when the top is generally gold or silver.
I meant you see those dial generally in lower quality brands for the markers will oxydate with time which is not the case with massive gold markers used by higher class makers. Of course there are exceptions, it is general trend.

 

Anyway the outillage is an expensive technique but a simple embossing is cheaper and of course of lower quality.

 

But what leaves me somewhat confused is the question how they managed to print the fine minute hashes and the delicate rings which sit flush to the edge of the index.

 

Stamping technique and then plated as needed

Same as these two dials

DON

 

Wondering the same. This dial shows a similar interaction between printing and indices but the tolerances may not be as low.