Consider a subdialed watch. In particular, consider one with some numerical markers such that at least one numerical marker would overlap with a subdial.
Here is a picture of such a watch. A bit of the "10" has gone missing.
(Click for 1024x(n).)
On older time only watches, one often finds a dial with subseconds at the 6 o'clock position, a partial "6" and such watches are called "six eaters".
On old pocket watches, the subdial is often actually physically distinct from the main dial, and glued in or shellaced in. On most smaller wristwatches, I suspect that this is not so, but that sometimes the subdial is cut deeper in order to give more room for the hour hand to clear the hand on the subdial. The subdial on above pictured watch was cut into the dial face.
Such dials give the impression of being printed in two stages. The main dial is printed, and the sub dial is printed, where these are two different operations. Or at least that's the impression I get from such dials. Or actually, for me, it has look as if the dial is printed, then the subdial is cut out, then the subdial is printed. I know it is often an illusion, but I find it attractive.
And, indeed, printing dials with subseconds is often a two stage process. It is almost certainly so when the subdial is a glued in affair. And it is sometimes true when it is a cutout. Although on the pictured watch, the dial was printed in one go, I have printed more complicated subdials as a second operation. (No keepers yet -- but nothing wrong with the printing.) In doing this, I filled the subdial with masking fluid, printed the dial, including the whole numeral, took off the masking fluid, then printed the subdial. When I took off the masking fluid (dried), it took off part of the numeral.
Recently, I've been noticing applied partial numerals, most often with chronographs, and in particular, ones filled with luminous material (or paint). (I am not naming names here. I don't want to pick on any particular maker, watch, or owner.) On these, if you look too closely, you cannot get the impression that the subdial was cutout after the numerals were applied. This is because the part of the applique at the edge of the subdial is finished, or closed, to hold the luminous material. They look like they were made to be partial numerals. This spoils it for me. It looks false.
I think that if I were going to have partial applied numerals or any partial applied markers, I would strive to make it look as if they were cut at the boundary of the subdial, not manufactured as partial makers. This means that any filler has to look like it should stop before the boundary. Another, I think, cool thing would be for the face of the marker at the boundary to have a different finish from the other faces of the marker (e.g., a brushed finish for that face, if the others are polished).
How I got started thinking about this, I'm not sure. ;)
Best wishes,
Bob
It looks good Bob but for the sake of symmetry I think it needs to eat a bit of the 8 as well as the 10. I've had an idea for a while of making the sub-seconds dial really big, like as big a circle as possible from the arbor to the edge of the dial or even taking it to the centre of the dial and having a flat edge at the edge of the dial. I hope you understand what I'm saying because I don't have a picture.
Eddie
Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".
Please do! Big sub-seconds are awesome, just look at Dornbleüth :love4:Originally Posted by swanbourne
Cheers,
Mabuse
Big sub seconds?
:drunken:
I think I've got the idea. Sounds good. You could even have the case edge "eat" part of the subdial. (Although, it might end up looking like a dial was shoehorned into a case.) You need a movement with the second seconds arbor 7-9 mm from the center (unless it is going to be a really big or really small dial). So, it is going to take a pretty big movement, perhaps 13 ligne. The 6498 is 10.25mm from the center, so to use all that space would require a dial of more than 40mm. :)It looks good Bob but for the sake of symmetry I think it needs to eat a bit of the 8 as well as the 10. I've had an idea for a while of making the sub-seconds dial really big, like as big a circle as possible from the arbor to the edge of the dial or even taking it to the centre of the dial and having a flat edge at the edge of the dial. I hope you understand what I'm saying because I don't have a picture.
Eddie
Best wishes,
Bob
Interesting Bob, the "Italian" could just about carry that off.
Eddie
Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".
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What's that noise???
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It's the rumour mill starting up :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
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All the best...
.
Jim...
______
Jim.
Actually since the hour hole hand for the 6497 is 2.5mm or something like that, and the dial hole should be 2.75 or 3mm, I suspect that the longest reasonable seconds hand to be about 8.75mm (10.25-1.5), and probably 8.5 would be better. This means that you only need a visible dial of about 37.5mm, which places it squarely in Italian territory.
Best wishes,
Bob
Not perfect but you can get the idea.
Eddie
Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".
I'm not sure it would work with that dial, Eddie (the juxtaposition of the plain dial and busy subdial). But, given the case takes a thick dial, you could have a seriously scooped out subdial. You could put little cities in there. :)
Best wishes,
Bob
The sub dial was only to give an indication of size Bob, it wouldn't be that style. I'm not sure that it works either.
Eddie
Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".
Eddie,
that picture has just reminded me of my wife's comment upon first seeing my Italian: "Where's it's seconds hand?"
:D
R
Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.
"Italian" with a subdial like Eddie drew would me my dream come true. :lol: :lol:
I need seconds every day in my job as a physician.
How about just cutting the subdial through the firts layer of the dial, so it'd be all lumed, and then a black second hand. 5 second markers could be screened for legibility. (See Glycine Incursore 46mm 200M manual Sap modell). :wink:
I REALLY hope this leads to a "second Italian" modell.
Best regards,
Markku
I like where this is going...
Excuse the terrible photoshopping and sorry if this is an abuse of Eddie's picture. Perhaps something like:
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