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A Few Thoughts About this Silverstone
In Response To: Re: Interesting Discussion re 5100-Powered Silverstones ()

A few quick thoughts, about this Silverstone which we have been discussing (shown in the center below; with one from HeuerBoy on the left and my previous sample on the right):

  • my best expert, who worked in the Heuer service department all relevant years (1960's through 2002) and has seen dozens of these Silverstones, tells me that he cannot recall ever seeing a rotor signed "Heuer Leonidas" on these 5100 movements

  • I compare the three watches shown below, and it seems clear to me that all the hands in the center sample have been switched out. The chrono minutes and seconds hand are red and thin, rather than the thicker orange / black variety, with the "flying" (swept back) wings. It would surprise me that Heuer ever used these hands for these Silverstones. It would be strange for these hands to have been replaced in normal servicing, at this young age . . . so this is troublesome.

  • The main time-of-day hands may also be problematic . . . cannot tell from the photo, but they seem to be flat, rather than having the sunken center cuts / channels. Not certain, but this is what I think I am seeing.

  • It is troubling that hands (maybe all / maybe only the chorno hands) have been switched, and now we see the signed crown, the signed movement, and the stamped reference and serial numbers. To me, someone is "trying too hard" to make this one a Heuer. Of course, I do not even understand the process for the stampings and fitting the crown . . . but I would be very surprised if this was done at the factory, on the original production Heuer . . . it is just too strange.
My bottom line: I love the orange / black "flying" hands on the original Silverstone 5100's, and to me this is the signature feature of all the Heuer 5100-powered guys. When I see a sample with these hands replaced with the thin red ones, then it all looks wrong to me. I don't know who assembled this one, but I would be surprised if it came from Heuer in this configuration. Of course, this is only my opinion.

Jeff

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