Bubbleback help

[yumenuu]

Hi All,

Been searching for a bubbleback for a while and think I may have come across one I like. I was wondering if anyone had any advice (based on the photos provided) or could point me in the direct of any good resources?

I've done a bit of searching previously, but I can find anything concrete covering all the range of dial combinations, etc. I've looked at other Bubblebacks online, but I can't see a clear consistency either in the sharpness, alignment, quality, etc of text on dial.

I looked at the watch below and noticed the crown is a yellow gold instead, but that's all I've picked up on.

Would be greatful for any advice or help.

Cheers

[R.W.T.]

The entire watch is yellow gold...the crown is just a little more so.

There are a few different tones of gold...VERY yellow...sort of Brownish yellow...some think it's pink but it's not really...and then VERY pink.

If you put a strong orange-pink gold crown on that case it will look even stranger. Crowns got scarce...it fit..they used it.

Reference is 3130.

Dials are very inconsistent. Some of those dials would have had the chronometer in an arc around the sub dial...this is also a legit configuration imho.

Nothing screams refin about that dial to me.

The case has been polished but not terribly.

The watch exterior is decent. Original lines and satin between the lugs. Offset is deep and not showing as I said, any real overdoing. Back of case frame is original finish. A little rounding of the bezel. Not huge. Any movement photos?

[KBHL]

Also, the raised numerals on the dial are yellow gold. This looks quite odd in contrast to the case, in my opinion.

[R.W.T.]

Originally Posted by KBHL

Also, the raised numerals on the dial are yellow gold. This looks quite odd in contrast to the case, in my opinion.

I think that's the photo. That is a yellow gold case. The numbers match the case perfectly I'd be willing to bet.

The crown is just a different type of yellow. This is 40's. Lots of different
shades of gold and like I said...the crowns went obsolete long ago so people scrambled just to get one that screwed on.

The dial looks perfectly fine to me.

The top photo here is real pink. This one I believe was 14k I serviced it for a guy years ago.

Real pink is much more pink. The OP's case is the in between..it's kind of brown yellow.


The second photo is yellow. 18k

You're also dealing with 9k 14k 18k variants.

The bottom photo is also 18k yellow. Looks pinkish.

[KBHL]

But how can that be? Both the hands and the numbers look so different compared to the case, it can’t just be the photos. Wouldn’t it be reasonable to assume that they’ve been refinished together with the dial?

[R.W.T.]

Except it's not a refinished dial and the markers don't get refinished color-wise anyway.

When a raised marker dial gets refinished 9 times out of 10 the sharpness of the figures is rounded. Those are chisel cut. That's not a refinished dial imho.

On the top straight on photo they look exactly the same.

The dial maker being a separate entity was not matching markers to cases.

It never happened. Gold is inconsistent color-wise, especially in the '40s during the war and shortly after. Then as I said you have the carat content inconsistency as well. They weren't making different dials for 10k 14k and 18k....

I had a one owner box and papers in SUPER pink with yellow markers and hands.

[KBHL]

How sturdy is it? The Bubble back in general. Can it be worn as a daily beater without worrying? The roughest thing it will be put through is cycling through the city everyday, to and from work.

[R.W.T.]

Cycling...is pretty rough water...bicycles have ZERO suspension. I wouldn't do that in one...for long periods of time. I ride a motorcycle in one.

It's a suprisingly very resilient watch. It's NOT shock resistant. The balance and escape wheel pivots are rigid in fixed jewel settings...if you drop it...you broke it like any watch from the period really.

I could wear one every day for the rest of my life. With regular service every 5 years or so, it won't give too much trouble if it's decent in the first place. I wore one every day for many years in the 80's. They like to be worn. They don't like to sit up.

[yumenuu]

Wow, thanks everyone. Very helpful with all the information that has poured in. I went ahead and got the watch thanks to the discussion provide here.