#1

vintage, ladies watch identification

in Everything Vintage RADO 05.08.2012 01:19
von oldshot | 6 Beiträge

I hope someone will be able to identify this watch. It looks to be from the 30's produced at the time RADO only supplied movements to the US watch trade. I inherited it some years ago and have no ability to disassemble it further.
Thanks for your help.

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#2

RE: vintage, ladies watch identification

in Everything Vintage RADO 05.08.2012 15:12
von mike184 | 149 Beiträge

Hi & welcome!

Interesting watch, thanx for sharing the pics! With your allowance, I will add them to my HP.
The Rado Watch Co. was registered in January 1937, so we have an earliest date for the production.
To me, only two ladies´ watches are known from 1937 - 1950, both Art Deco style.
This one has a classical dial and hands design, hard to date. I haven´t seen this model before. These dial designs already existed on ladies´ watches in the 1910s, 1920s.
The movement seems to be an AS 970. There´s no shock protection present. Can you find a number/mark under the balance wheel?
What about the mark on the balance bridge? Is it a 3-digit number or 3 letters(that would be a U.S. import code and could identify the importer/maker)?
IMHO the watch is either made 1937 - 1950 or it´s older and the Rado-signed movement is a replacement for an older one. Maybe the mark under the balance wheel brings more info.


Mit freundlichem Gruß/With best regards
Mike
zuletzt bearbeitet 31.03.2017 07:56 | nach oben springen

#3

RE: vintage, ladies watch identification

in Everything Vintage RADO 05.08.2012 20:33
von oldshot | 6 Beiträge

Thanks for your reply. Please add this watch to your HP. As I said I don't have the skill or tools to take the watch apart. I will examine further with more magnification and get back to you. . Thanks again for your help.
Regards.

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#4

RE: vintage, ladies watch identification

in Everything Vintage RADO 06.08.2012 20:31
von oldshot | 6 Beiträge

There is some faint scratch marks inside the case, which read:"12/8/44, 52300" Does this help with the identification? Also, would it be worthwhile to take it to a watchmaker/ or jeweler to disassemble it ,to see if there are marks inside the works that might ID it? I guess the cost would be $50+ (US) to do this.

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#5

RE: vintage, ladies watch identification

in Everything Vintage RADO 06.08.2012 23:03
von mike184 | 149 Beiträge

Hi!

The scratched marks are marks from watchmakers, who once serviced the watch. This seems to have been done on 12-08-1944 the first time. Normally, a service(cleaning, oiling, adjusting) is to be done after around five years, which would date the purchase of the watch to 1938/39.
So we have a precise dating.
A disasembling by a watchmaker just would deliver the caliber mark of the movement - if it´s on the frontside, under the dial. It can be there, but mustn´t be.
Some of the AS-movements of that time don´t have one.
There´s nearly no info about Schlup & Co., the owner of Rado, from that time. We don´t know when they gave up producing own movements(I know just two Schlup & Co.-signed movements, a pocketwatch- and a ladies´ watch-caliber, look here) and what they did then - producing calibers of other factories in licence or buying ebauches(just part-sets in raw condition), doing the finishing, assembling and adjusting them inhouse(what Rado did up to the 1970s, 1980s AFAIK).
If you want the watch to be worn or just functioning, you should give it to a watchmaker and have it serviced/repaired. If you just want to keep it as keepsake, you can leave it as it is.


Mit freundlichem Gruß/With best regards
Mike
zuletzt bearbeitet 06.08.2012 23:05 | nach oben springen

#6

RE: vintage, ladies watch identification

in Everything Vintage RADO 07.08.2012 20:40
von oldshot | 6 Beiträge

Thank you.I appreciate all of the information you have provided.

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#7

RE: vintage, ladies watch identification

in Everything Vintage RADO 08.08.2012 11:32
von mike184 | 149 Beiträge

Hi!

Hadn´t seen this pic:



There´s a "Swiss" on the dial, so the watch is completely made in Switzerland.
I can´t read the marks on the back, what´s standing there?


Mit freundlichem Gruß/With best regards
Mike
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#8

RE: vintage, ladies watch identification

in Everything Vintage RADO 08.08.2012 19:57
von oldshot | 6 Beiträge

Sorry, I had forgot to include this photo, earlier. The back is stamped:"Solid Gold 14K.E" I don't have any more pix, but am "exploring" local watch repairers to see if I can get it dismantled for photos, cheaply. If I'm successful, I'll send pix.
Thanks.

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#9

RE: vintage, ladies watch identification

in Everything Vintage RADO 08.08.2012 21:24
von mike184 | 149 Beiträge

Mysterious little thing.
It has "Swiss" on the dial but if the 14k gold case was Swiss, it would wear the official Swiss hallmark for 14 k gold, the squirrel(since 1880) and a responsibility mark for the maker of the case(since 1934).



This back is from a 1950s´ Rado but the marks didn´t change - left to the gold specification the responsibility mark(hammer-head with registraton no.) and right to it the squirrel-hallmark.
If you don´t find these marks on the case, after all it seems to be American with Rado-movement and dial.


Mit freundlichem Gruß/With best regards
Mike
zuletzt bearbeitet 31.03.2017 05:23 | nach oben springen

#10

RE: vintage, ladies watch identification

in Everything Vintage RADO 10.08.2012 20:33
von oldshot | 6 Beiträge

Is it likely that the watch was assembled when Rado only made movements and local jewelers ( NYC) using readily available cases put it all together to sell a "quality Swiss" watch? Maybe we learn more when I am able to get it disassembled.
Regads.

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