# Just Back From Overhaul



## martinus_scriblerus (Sep 29, 2008)

I think I posted a photo of this one a while back. I just got it back from servicing and have been wearing it the last day or two. Yes, it is NOT electric, but it easily could have been.

What do you think of the vintage calendar watch band?










While the watch looks pretty much exactly like a Hamilton Electric Regulus it is not. In 1965 Hamilton offered this watch, known as the Accumatic A-504. It is quite a bit rarer than its electric cousin, having been made only in 1965 and essentially made from unsold Regulus cases. As there were only 2400 Regulusâ€™ made, we can only speculate how many of the A-504's were made: probably just a fraction of that amount.

Finding a good example is further complicated by the fact that for some reason Hamilton decided to solder the two piece case and make the watch into a front loader. Many a watch has been hacked up by people trying to take the back off.

Here's a picture of my Regulus for a comparison:


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## itsguy (Nov 16, 2009)

Just when you think you've seen it all! Quite amazing. How on earth does the calendar band work? Do you need to buy refills to get the right dates?


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## dombox40 (Oct 20, 2008)

Very nice watches Dave one thing puzzles me about the electric dial why 4 dots before and after the six and only three on all the other numerals.? I see the automatic dial has 4 on all the numbers


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## martinus_scriblerus (Sep 29, 2008)

dombox40 said:


> Very nice watches Dave one thing puzzles me about the electric dial why 4 dots before and after the six and only three on all the other numerals.? I see the automatic dial has 4 on all the numbers


Interesting question. I'll see if I can find an answer.

Who else here has a Regulus? Take a look for me.


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

My guess is the dial was designed with all the minute dots 1st then, when they applied the numbers, they saw that some dots were obscured (for eg at 10 you wouldn't see them) so decided to only do 3 dots either side of the batons but forgot with the ones at 6, you could easily fit in the extra dots at 12. The other dial doesn't have the problem as they didn't apply numerals


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

martinus_scriblerus said:


> dombox40 said:
> 
> 
> > Very nice watches Dave one thing puzzles me about the electric dial why 4 dots before and after the six and only three on all the other numerals.? I see the automatic dial has 4 on all the numbers
> ...


I have a Regulus...mine is below. I'm certain my dial is original while Daves is refinished. It's clearly down to space and the size of the hour digits.

But I have learnt a thing or two about dial refinishing this week (Dave, had a phone call from Philly yesterday :wink2...having received 6 dials from the US on Monday but 3 need to go back :taz: . To refinish a dial, all the applied markers are removed but many dials, like this Regulus, have additional features that cannot be removed, like the drilled minute markers. So the dial gets taken back to bear metal, its sprayed, printing is applied, applied markers are riveted & glued back on and, in this case, minute markers are drilled...hopefully over the top of the old ones...but not always as in the case of Dave's Regulus above and some others I have.

14 has missed, and you can certainly see traces of the old marks between 30 and 35.

I think I'll stick with grubby, but original, dial


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

pg tips said:


> My guess is the dial was designed with all the minute dots 1st then, when they applied the numbers, they saw that some dots were obscured (for eg at 10 you wouldn't see them) so decided to only do 3 dots either side of the batons but forgot with the ones at 6, you could easily fit in the extra dots at 12. The other dial doesn't have the problem as they didn't apply numerals


PG, these numbers are not applied but stamped into the dial...which is another problem for the refinisher because they cannot remove them. I think they spray over the whole dial and then remove the new paint from the top of them....rather than mask off each one. They also seem to polish them (maybe to remove the paint) which is why they are not as sharp as on original dials.


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

Irrespective of the "re" or "orig" finish dials, isn't it yet another example of the beauty of some Hamilton watch cases? :yes:

Whilst way beyond my budget, I can sit here and drooool! :man_in_love: That Regulus is very subtle yet strikingly different when you take a closer look - if anyone sees one for a tenner or two, let me know - dream on! :rofl:


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## martinus_scriblerus (Sep 29, 2008)

Here's the quote, right from the bible itself:










So the number of dots appears to be correct. I guess the dots are asymmetrical too.

You can buy a copy of the bible, Rene Rondeau's, "The Watch of the Future" here.


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

Dave, yours and mine are both two-piece cases and would leak at the slightest hint of water...so I guess the "waterproof" part can only apply to the one piece cases.


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## Larry from Calgary (Jun 5, 2006)

Silver Hawk said:


> Dave, yours and mine are both two-piece cases and would leak at the slightest hint of water...so I guess the "waterproof" part can only apply to the one piece cases.


Paul,

Have you seen many of the one piece cases? I would guess that they would be hard to find. Regulus......it's on my list.

:notworthy:


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