Grey Dial Turtle

[LouS]

Here's an unusual version of the Captain Turtle - the grey dial. Non-chronometer, different markers from the othes. Anyone know anything about it? Catalog evidence for the model? Anything? A spate of these sold a few months ago, and nothing since.

 

[styggpyggeno1]

LouS

Non-chronometer, different markers from the othes.

And a flat dial - as opposed to domed. In my opinion it does not compliment the shape/design of the case as the others do. There seem to be a small gap/height difference between the dial and the glass ring?
I am a little sceptic but at the same time I do remember seeing a similar being advertised/sold on ebay quite some time ago (might be this one though). And why would anyone go thru the trouble of "fixing" a watch of this kind...? It is not as there are fortunes to be made on steel turtles (not even on gold).

Edited: Apr 12, 2015

 

[styggpyggeno1]

Happy days LouS!
I am at my summer house where I have my ancient laptop stashed in the attic. When I wrote the above I just thought "hmmm...I might have saved that picture..."

I saved it in 2011. I am a little uncertain if it was on ebay or just generally on the net. I have no idea who´s it is. It looks like the lume is quite different from yours - making this another watch. Paired with the timespan since this one surfaced - the likelyhood of it being a legit model is very, very close to a 100%.

Edited: Apr 12, 2015

 

[STANDY]

Could you give us a movement shot when you get a chance please LouS. Would be interesting to see

In the shot with the three it makes the watch look like it would wear bigger than normal.

 

[Tony C.]

While clearly an uncommon variation, I see no reason whatsoever to question the authenticity of the watch.

 

[LouS]

styggpyggeno1

And a flat dial - as opposed to domed. In my opinion it does not compliment the shape/design of the case as the others do. There seem to be a small gap/height difference between the dial and the glass ring?

Correct about the dial - not nearly as "natural" a fit as the domed chronometer dials. But holding it in hand, a loupe inpsection reveals no obvious fit & finish problems.

styggpyggeno1

Happy days LouS!
I am at my summer house where I have my ancient laptop stashed in the attic. When I wrote the above I just thought "hmmm...I might have saved that picture..."

I saved it in 2011.

That's interesting. I only starting being aware of these models last year. Knowing that they've been around a little longer is encouraging!

STANDY

Could you give us a movement shot when you get a chance please LouS. Would be interesting to see

Theres a 2562PC inside, which is not an ideal fit for the case number (715D671). I've got photos from another from the 715D series, but with a 2552PC. Later substitution? Zenith were pretty compulsive about getting the "28800" on the dial for the 2562-engined watches.

STANDY

In the shot with the three it makes the watch look like it would wear bigger than normal.

No bigger than the others. It does give a leaner, more modern, less cluttered look.

 

[STANDY]

The Cs worry me a bit mostly the one in automatic, and the T in captain

Auto sport movement and looking dial layout,

But your knowledge in Zenith way outshines my Turtle only research

 

[MMMD]

I like it and think it's legit. If not, whoever frankenized it should be directing his considerable skills toward something more profitable.

 

[Stewart H]

Let me float a hypothesis.

It was not unknown for Zenith to produce a limited run watch for a specific market and neither was it unknown for them to make use of items they found in a drawer somewhere, such as the late edition 135s.

Imagine they had found a drawer full of turtle cases after they had stopped making the turtle and rather than ask Singer to tool up again for the turtle dial, they just designed a new finish for what was a fairly ubiquitous dial layout in the early to mid 70s. This could be such a run and would also account for it not having a chronometre badged dial or movement. This dial will fit all of the 25xx PC movements so a 2552 in one and a 2562 in another is not out of the question.

As I said, this is pure speculation, without basis but with precedent. I will consider these to be the "bit-box turtles" from now on.