Strange marks on case-back

[Waggy]

Just had an eBay purchase arrive, an Enicar military style, so I thought I'd have a quick look. When I took the case back off I noticed some strange marks, almost like the metal had been discoloured due to heat. However, if you kind of squint at it the almost look like letters??? The movement itself is fine. Maybe some marker or ink that has degraded over time or reacted with moisture??

Any ideas out there?

Pictures below:

[Neverenoughwatches]

14 minutes ago, Waggy said:

Just had an eBay purchase arrive, an Enicar military style, so I thought I'd have a quick look. When I took the case back off I noticed some strange marks, almost like the metal had been discoloured due to heat. However, if you kind of squint at it the almost look like letters??? The movement itself is fine. Maybe some marker or ink that has degraded over time or reacted with moisture??

Any ideas out there?

Pictures below:

What be on tuther side of yon watchback matey ?

18 minutes ago, Waggy said:

Just had an eBay purchase arrive, an Enicar military style, so I thought I'd have a quick look. When I took the case back off I noticed some strange marks, almost like the metal had been discoloured due to heat. However, if you kind of squint at it the almost look like letters??? The movement itself is fine. Maybe some marker or ink that has degraded over time or reacted with moisture??

Any ideas out there?

Pictures below:

The owner's initials. Oswald Clutterbuck ?

[oldhippy]

I think it was some sort of pen marking and it has turned the inside of the back a funny colour

[Waggy]

1 hour ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

What be on tuther side of yon watchback matey ?

Here you go

[Neverenoughwatches]

44 minutes ago, Waggy said:

Here you go

Ahh John Clutterbuck, i think he was in my year at school, nice lad someone told he hes a welder now.

[Galilea]

Perhaps someone burned something like incense in it, or used it for heating or melting something unhealthy. I have a nephew who has spoons that are similarly discolored. 

[Waggy]

3 hours ago, Galilea said:

Perhaps someone burned something like incense in it, or used it for heating or melting something unhealthy. I have a nephew who has spoons that are similarly discolored. 

The caseback was on pretty tight, I needed to use a special tool to free it up, so I can think of easier ways to heat stuff up eg spoons, hence, I suspect @oldhippy was correct and it is some kind of ink that has degraded over time, wen I get home from work I'll try to remove it with acetone which will confirm if it is some kind of ink or heat effect. The good news is that the movement doesn't seem to be effected

[Galilea]

48 minutes ago, Waggy said:

The caseback was on pretty tight, I needed to use a special tool to free it up, so I can think of easier ways to heat stuff up eg spoons, hence, I suspect @oldhippy was correct and it is some kind of ink that has degraded over time, wen I get home from work I'll try to remove it with acetone which will confirm if it is some kind of ink or heat effect. The good news is that the movement doesn't seem to be effected

Of course @oldhippy and you are likely to know. I happen to associate war with hard drugs, trenches and limited resources, and this is a military watch I think you said. Forgot to say first time: nice looking watch. I wish I had one lol.

[Neverenoughwatches]

57 minutes ago, Waggy said:

The caseback was on pretty tight, I needed to use a special tool to free it up, so I can think of easier ways to heat stuff up eg spoons, hence, I suspect @oldhippy was correct and it is some kind of ink that has degraded over time, wen I get home from work I'll try to remove it with acetone which will confirm if it is some kind of ink or heat effect. The good news is that the movement doesn't seem to be effected

Its through to the outside, ink wouldnt do that . Sorry just woke up .Actually was marked from the outside. The initials are J.C. 

Edited July 20, 2023 by Neverenoughwatches

[Galilea]

3 minutes ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

The initials are J.C. 

 

3 minutes ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

Its through to the outside, ink wouldnt do that . Sorry just woke up .Actually was marked from the outside. The initials are J.C. 

 Swiss stigmata?

[Neverenoughwatches]

7 minutes ago, Galilea said:

Of course @oldhippy and you are likely to know. I happen to associate war with hard drugs, trenches and limited resources, and this is a military watch I think you said. Forgot to say first time: nice looking watch. I wish I had one lol.

Its not military Ness, the case shape is different for that much heavier. Just military style, trying to copy some way with a black face .

4 hours ago, Galilea said:

Perhaps someone burned something like incense in it, or used it for heating or melting something unhealthy. I have a nephew who has spoons that are similarly discolored. 

It looks more like it was engraved and the heat from that has scorched the inside, but definitely marked from the outside.

16 minutes ago, Galilea said:

 

 Swiss stigmata?

 

12 hours ago, Waggy said:

Here you go

 

13 hours ago, Waggy said:

Just had an eBay purchase arrive, an Enicar military style, so I thought I'd have a quick look. When I took the case back off I noticed some strange marks, almost like the metal had been discoloured due to heat. However, if you kind of squint at it the almost look like letters??? The movement itself is fine. Maybe some marker or ink that has degraded over time or reacted with moisture??

Any ideas out there?

Pictures below:

Its a Durowe 422 1950s.  Enicar did make miltary spec watches. Even though this isn't doesnt mean to say it wasn't used in the military, soldiers  often wore their own.

[oldhippy]

As it is also on the out side, how ever the e

1 hour ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

t looks more like it was engraved and the heat from that has scorched the inside, but definitely marked from the outside.

I agree but there is no sign of heat on the outside or any sign of buffing on the back. Could be one of life's little mystery's.  

[Neverenoughwatches]

3 hours ago, oldhippy said:

As it is also on the out side, how ever the e

I agree but there is no sign of heat on the outside or any sign of buffing on the back. Could be one of life's little mystery's.  

I thought maybe one of those small engraving pens might just generate enough heat to tranfer a scorch mark to the inside.

[Waggy]

@Neverenoughwatches I think you are probably right

[Neverenoughwatches]

4 minutes ago, Waggy said:

@Neverenoughwatches I think you are probably right

Even though this is around 70 years old that engraving could have been done anytime in the last 30 years. Nice watch waggy, Enicars have a good following, you pay much for it ?

[Waggy]

A smidge under £46 its on my to do list, if I get through some other stuff this weekend

[oldhippy]

I no nothing about engraving pens, just googled it and they do generate heat so you could be right. 

[Neverenoughwatches]

2 hours ago, Waggy said:

A smidge under £46 its on my to do list, if I get through some other stuff this weekend

Thats not a bad price. Best guy to speak about Enicars and to watch is Matt from Horology Biology. 

[Waggy]

2 hours ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

Best guy to speak about Enicars and to watch is Matt from Horology Biology. 

Small world, that's the reason I got this one, he seems to love them, so I thought I'd get one to see if I agreed with him. I also created a post on this forum on watches flying under the radar, so I'll add this brand as one such sub-radar brand if I agree with Matt.

[Knebo]

Most definitely heat markings from the engraving on the outside of the caseback. The gradient of the colours perfectly match the colouring reaction of steel across increasing temperatures. Blue at the hottest point (the actual initials), surrounded by purple, then red-brown, then yellow-beige. See the image below. 

Probably engraved it, and polished away the discoloration of the steel on the outside, but not the inside.