Unicorn Lever .925 Sterling Silver wristwatch

[Bathysphere]

I have recently been given a watch that my father-in-law found when he was 10 or 11 years old some 60 years ago in a field in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK. He never looked into it's origin and the only value he put on it was that he thought it was sterling silver. The face has the words Unicorn and Swiss Made, it also has the shop name that presumably sold it, Northern Goldsmith, Newcastle. Since getting this watch i have become obsessed with finding out more about it and have read that Unicorn was an early Rolex Company product. With magnifying glass in hand I have now been able identify the markings on the outside of the case .925 in an oval which confirms the sterling silver part of the tale, there is also serial numbers on the back 578 and 127858, no idea what they refer too. I have removed the mechanism from the case and was thrilled when i saw the markings RWC ltd. confirming the Rolex link, The watch casing also has the mark FF in a prone position which I have identified as the Glasgow Assay office. There is also a g in an oval which i believe indicates the year as 1929. The mechanism has the marks Unicorn Lever 15 Jewel and FASR (According to this website http://www.vintagewatchstraps.com/watchmovement.php something to do with regulator speed). I found an old advert with various Unicorn Levers (http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.ph...-Rolex-Unicorn) and believe mine is the model u299 and would of cost £3 7 & 6 at the time. Now my problem is the watch still works like new but the glass is missing from the face and the hands have lost the end pieces (Not sure what they are called but I can still tell the time) and there is no strap. To cut a very long story short I was wondering if anyone knows if there is any value to this watch and if there is anywhere in the UK (Northumberland/Tyne and Wear area preferably) that can help with restoring the damaged/missing parts. Picture attached. Look forward to any responses. Cheers

[R.W.T.]

Most older watch makers can cut you a glass for that. Finding an original would be tough.

The movement is contracted by Rolex from a maker named Beguelin. This is the Beguelin 51 calibre. 10.5 ligne I'm presuming. It came in varying degrees of "finish".

Pretty standard fair. Not a bad movement but not a great one either.

Damas used their movements. Depending on the vintage many of the parts will interchange.

The sub seconds hand is a standard hand. Anything that fits is proper really.

[Mike Wood]

The Watch Repair Centre in Newcastle can probably advise on repairing your watch. Take your watch in to the workshop in Eldon Square.

http://www.watchrepaircentre.co.uk/contact.php

[joli160]

I like its design and would have it restored

[Bathysphere]

Thanks for the responses folks, appreciate it.