Any ideas on how Seiko made this dial?
So we had another great Meetup with The Watch Collectors' Club last night in London, and as usual, a great range of watches came along. The mystery is this Seiko dial from the 70s, owned by a Seiko collector, who says the community have no idea how it was made. Anyone got any ideas? (and they are all identical, so it's not crafted or a feather dial or anything like that)...
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Hamish
I'm the CEO and Co-Founder of The Watch Collectors' Club, a Club for everyone who likes watches. We run in-person and online events every month. I've been collecting for 9 years and love vintage as we...
London
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So you are saying that the one on the left and the one on right have the same looking dials? Just different light?
Just from the colors, it looks like copper nitrate and copper carbonate. Applying nitric acid and carbonic acid to a copper surface could result in those colors. You would have to seal the surface afterwards to prevent it from further reacting. But if this would result in a permanent colored dial which can stand the test of time, I don’t know.
So you are saying that the one on the left and the one on right have the same looking dials? Just different light?
Same watch, same dial. From one angle it also looks purple. Can't upload the video but that shows it.
Just from the colors, it looks like copper nitrate and copper carbonate. Applying nitric acid and carbonic acid to a copper surface could result in those colors. You would have to seal the surface afterwards to prevent it from further reacting. But if this would result in a permanent colored dial which can stand the test of time, I don’t know.
Interesting, thanks. So it's a metal dial with a treatment rather than a coating. How would they make a load of them identically then?
Same watch, same dial. From one angle it also looks purple. Can't upload the video but that shows it.
When I saw your picture my first thought was gemstone but if all looks the same my thought goes out the window.
Interesting, thanks. So it's a metal dial with a treatment rather than a coating. How would they make a load of them identically then?
I honestly don’t know. For fairly identical dials maybe a automated process with a stencil? This exceeds my knowledge, being just a chemist.
Inkjet printer j/k. Although that is done on textiles so not impossible.
I don't know printing terminology but below is my quess. Is this offset printing?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmiii-iuwSU
Except obviously with multiple color processes and special thicker paint.
Your photos definitely capture it much better! I took a short clip of it, hard to get across but it's really something in motion. Another member straight away said "it's like a peacock," which sums it up really well. Deep blues, purples and bright teals across the dial.
Looks like its a variation of this https://www.thepaleh.com/products/seiko-gfa-3883-7019-from-1975-morpho-dial-original-box-and-nos-crystal
Looks like its a variation of this https://www.thepaleh.com/products/seiko-gfa-3883-7019-from-1975-morpho-dial-original-box-and-nos-crystal
You're right, it does. The owner is insistent that all the dials for this reference are the same. My intrigue as to how they did it remains...!
Inkjet printer j/k. Although that is done on textiles so not impossible.
I don't know printing terminology but below is my quess. Is this offset printing?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmiii-iuwSU
Except obviously with multiple color processes and special thicker paint.
Pad printing is the normal technique for dial printing, yes. The mystery is how it's textured and how it's so multi-coloured/refractive.
When I saw your picture my first thought was gemstone but if all looks the same my thought goes out the window.
Yes, that's the mystery. There are a few stones it could be, but it's not!
I honestly don’t know. For fairly identical dials maybe a automated process with a stencil? This exceeds my knowledge, being just a chemist.
No worries, it's a helpful suggestion, it could be something like a special metal treatment.
That dial is unreal!