Ghost Dial!?!?
WTH you say? That's exactly what I said when I ran across this earlier today. @EntropicallyDriven posted a cool photo of his Imperial. That lead me to the Imperial Site which lead my down a rabbit hole of chasing the Buler Astromaster. Which eventually lead me to the link at the top. So, apparently there is some mystery as to whether or not the Astromaster came before the AP RO. They're obviously not in the same league but one of those interesting stories you seem to only find in the watch world. But this ghost dial "complication" is so cool I can't believe no one else has ever made one. Check it out!
10 comments
Sort by
Mike
Lifetime lover of watches, recent addition to the world of watch collecting.
Los Alamitos, CA, USA
Member since
Last active: 1 hr ago
7.25” / 18.42 cm
That is really interesting. Along the same lines as the various "mystery dials", such as this vintage JLC, but much cooler.
That is really interesting. Along the same lines as the various "mystery dials", such as this vintage JLC, but much cooler.
That is very cool, are the hands on a 2 translucent discs?
That is very cool, are the hands on a 2 translucent discs?
Yup. It makes for a pretty neat effect as the discs aren't obvious. Unfortunately, there is no seconds hand on this one. Cartier makes some pretty amazing mystery dial watches, but they are a bit on the expensive side. I believe that Zodiac also made some many years ago.
It's also similar to the Humism watches that use discs with cut out patterns for the hours, minutes and seconds. As the discs rotate, it makes for some mesmerizing patterns.
You may also want to check out Jefferson Mystery Clocks - another similar concept, but in an electric desk clock.
Yup. It makes for a pretty neat effect as the discs aren't obvious. Unfortunately, there is no seconds hand on this one. Cartier makes some pretty amazing mystery dial watches, but they are a bit on the expensive side. I believe that Zodiac also made some many years ago.
It's also similar to the Humism watches that use discs with cut out patterns for the hours, minutes and seconds. As the discs rotate, it makes for some mesmerizing patterns.
You may also want to check out Jefferson Mystery Clocks - another similar concept, but in an electric desk clock.
Those Humism watches are pretty cool, and I dig that clock, found some really interesting background on the tech for those clocks.
Those Humism watches are pretty cool, and I dig that clock, found some really interesting background on the tech for those clocks.
Appreciate that link!!
I assume that’s how Cartier achieves this effect with two rotating sapphire disks for hands
Yup. It makes for a pretty neat effect as the discs aren't obvious. Unfortunately, there is no seconds hand on this one. Cartier makes some pretty amazing mystery dial watches, but they are a bit on the expensive side. I believe that Zodiac also made some many years ago.
It's also similar to the Humism watches that use discs with cut out patterns for the hours, minutes and seconds. As the discs rotate, it makes for some mesmerizing patterns.
You may also want to check out Jefferson Mystery Clocks - another similar concept, but in an electric desk clock.
Ernest Borel made many versions of a ‘cocktail’ watch that also had a mesmerizing rotating mystery dial. Quite a novelty from the late 60’s & early 70’s
Woah this is a really interesting find, thanks for sharing! Would be a huge eyebrow raise to Genta if this predates RO
Love it I want one,don't normally like hiden lugs on a watch but this just fits around this design 👌,going to have me searching 😬🤣
Woah this is a really interesting find, thanks for sharing! Would be a huge eyebrow raise to Genta if this predates RO
I read some different accounts, one said that Genta had worked for Buler before AP, and another said that he had sold/licensed the design. Seems like most of what is out there is just conjecture, as there doesn't seem to be any good record. Personally my guess is that it came after and was just a copy, you have to realize at that point the RO was just another watch, it hadn't gained the kind of status we know today.