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Looking for rubbed in Cap jewels

Tmuir

By Tmuir
in Watch Repairs Help & Advice

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Tmuir Distinguished Member

Tmuir

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I've got a 1920s Unicorn watch which is my long term project as it has many issues, with the first one I want to fix being a cracked rubbed in cap jewel.

I have a small selection of rubbed in train jewels and possibly a few balance jewels, but I have no rubbed in cap jewels.

I could possibly replace the cap jewel with a friction jewel, but would prefer to keep it original, but haven't managed to come across any in the last few months of looking.

If anyone is aware of any place selling second hand equipment that also has rubbed in end stones for sale please let me know.

For those interested here is the watch.

dial.thumb.jpg.33dd94c0312d624d31cbefdb22f9c6e3.jpgdial_side.thumb.jpg.00d7cfa2b287bf265b636e59c958581e.jpgunicorn1.thumb.JPG.8dd4db73cd8e3b60ff311490cb47c062.JPG

 

The other issues besides the cracked endstone is a broken balance staff and for me probably the biggest issue is the hairspring is snapped just a few mm from where it is pinned to the regulator, so I will need to find and regulate a new hairspring to the watch which is something I've never done before.

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vinn3 Distinguished Member

vinn3

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1 hour ago, Tmuir said:

I've got a 1920s Unicorn watch which is my long term project as it has many issues, with the first one I want to fix being a cracked rubbed in cap jewel.

I have a small selection of rubbed in train jewels and possibly a few balance jewels, but I have no rubbed in cap jewels.

I could possibly replace the cap jewel with a friction jewel, but would prefer to keep it original, but haven't managed to come across any in the last few months of looking.

If anyone is aware of any place selling second hand equipment that also has rubbed in end stones for sale please let me know.

For those interested here is the watch.

dial.thumb.jpg.33dd94c0312d624d31cbefdb22f9c6e3.jpgdial_side.thumb.jpg.00d7cfa2b287bf265b636e59c958581e.jpgunicorn1.thumb.JPG.8dd4db73cd8e3b60ff311490cb47c062.JPG

 

The other issues besides the cracked endstone is a broken balance staff and for me probably the biggest issue is the hairspring is snapped just a few mm from where it is pinned to the regulator, so I will need to find and regulate a new hairspring to the watch which is something I've never done before.

      good looking watch.   3 major problems?    why not buy a couple of used watches or mvt,s'. ?   - advertise or ebay.  vin

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Tmuir Distinguished Member

Tmuir

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The Unicorn watch was made for Rolex.

This is a big distinction, it was not made by Rolex, but was made for Rolex for Rolex to sell as the 'Unicorn' brand (They had other brands too Marconi and Wilsdorf and Davis was another). This was so Rolex could also have a share of the lower end of the market, but it backfired as people associated these cheaper watches too much with Rolex so the expensive real Rolexs sales dropped.

In the late 1920s (I forget the exact year) Rolex dropped Unicorn and other brands to stop watering down the Rolex name.

Bottom line due to the association to the Rolex brands these watches sell for far more than they should and being they were only ever made in low numbers nearly 100 years ago are pretty uncommon to find and when you can find them its not uncommon to see the sellers wanting $400 to $800 or even higher for these watches.

So unless I get real lucky I'm unlikely to get another one for spares for a reasonable price.

As a side note another company ending up buying the rights to the Unicorn brand and started making Unicorn watches again, all of these watches have Incabloc settings so are easy to spot and have a picture of a unicorn's head on the dial, they have nothing to do with this watch, but are regularly sold on ebay as 'Rolex watches' for stupid prices

Here are a few 'genuine' ones on ebay

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/vintage-Wilsdorf-and-Davis-UNICORN-ROLEX-SILVER-TRENCH-WATCH-C-1920s/233454163279?hash=item365af3d54f%3Ag%3AUC4AAOSw7c1diovu&LH_ItemCondition=3000

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Unicorn-Trench-Watch/163845237413?hash=item2625efeaa5%3Ag%3AbLsAAOSwPwhdbfBE&LH_ItemCondition=3000

and here are later Unicorns which has nothing to do with Rolex trying to live off the association.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GENTS-1940-s-UNICORN-Hand-Wind-Movement-In-GWO-And-Condition/333331499064?hash=item4d9c1b0838%3Ag%3Af7kAAOSwk6Fdf3Qm&LH_ItemCondition=3000

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-UNICORN-ROLEX-AUTOMATIC-AMPHIBIAN-CALIBER-21-JEWELS-DIAL-1950/202792138232?hash=item2f375a75f8:g:g0UAAOSwoalc3wzZ

 

Edited by Tmuir
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saswatch88 WRT Addict

saswatch88

Posted
Posted (edited)
9 hours ago, Tmuir said:

The Unicorn watch was made for Rolex.

This is a big distinction, it was not made by Rolex, but was made for Rolex for Rolex to sell as the 'Unicorn' brand (They had other brands too Marconi and Wilsdorf and Davis was another). This was so Rolex could also have a share of the lower end of the market, but it backfired as people associated these cheaper watches too much with Rolex so the expensive real Rolexs sales dropped.

In the late 1920s (I forget the exact year) Rolex dropped Unicorn and other brands to stop watering down the Rolex name.

Bottom line due to the association to the Rolex brands these watches sell for far more than they should and being they were only ever made in low numbers nearly 100 years ago are pretty uncommon to find and when you can find them its not uncommon to see the sellers wanting $400 to $800 or even higher for these watches.

So unless I get real lucky I'm unlikely to get another one for spares for a reasonable price.

As a side note another company ending up buying the rights to the Unicorn brand and started making Unicorn watches again, all of these watches have Incabloc settings so are easy to spot and have a picture of a unicorn's head on the dial, they have nothing to do with this watch, but are regularly sold on ebay as 'Rolex watches' for stupid prices

Here are a few 'genuine' ones on ebay

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/vintage-Wilsdorf-and-Davis-UNICORN-ROLEX-SILVER-TRENCH-WATCH-C-1920s/233454163279?hash=item365af3d54f%3Ag%3AUC4AAOSw7c1diovu&LH_ItemCondition=3000

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Unicorn-Trench-Watch/163845237413?hash=item2625efeaa5%3Ag%3AbLsAAOSwPwhdbfBE&LH_ItemCondition=3000

and here are later Unicorns which has nothing to do with Rolex trying to live off the association.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GENTS-1940-s-UNICORN-Hand-Wind-Movement-In-GWO-And-Condition/333331499064?hash=item4d9c1b0838%3Ag%3Af7kAAOSwk6Fdf3Qm&LH_ItemCondition=3000

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-UNICORN-ROLEX-AUTOMATIC-AMPHIBIAN-CALIBER-21-JEWELS-DIAL-1950/202792138232?hash=item2f375a75f8:g:g0UAAOSwoalc3wzZ

 

FYI W&D or Wilsdorf & Davis are the creators of rolex and all the other micro brands sold. W&D did not manufacture watches they just sold to retailers. The rolex brand was created by Wilsdorf & Davis in 1915 and was only used with Aegler Rebberg lever escapement movements both in 7 and 15 jewel. All others used cylinder escapement. You will aslo never see a signed dial since until 1926 watches in UK were not allowed to show the name of foreign retailers or manufacturers. But yes non of these micro brands should be considered a true rolex. It must have a Rebberg movement with rolex on ratchet wheel not dial. RWC Co. doesnt count. also you can by a cap jewel from ofrei.com with correct diameter you can always by a jewel setting tool and spread out the metal on balance cock to keep jewel in place i have other posts on this method.

Edited by saswatch88
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Tmuir Distinguished Member

Tmuir

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Posted

Its the bottom cap jewel that needs replacing.

I've had a quick look at ofrei.com and unless I missed something it looks like they only sell friction fit jewels, I need the older rubbed in or burnished in cap jewel.

I will have a look through your old posts though.

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