# anyone ever heard of Genova or Avalon?



## jcmurp (Dec 30, 2007)

I have 2 watches that I am trying to find out a history of.The first watch is a Genova (yes Genova) swiss made with 1 jewel .it is a pin lever movt engraved Bernard Schaffel and the numbers/letters S7. 








The second is a avalon swiss made with I believe a ETA 1080 mvt
15 jewel (not marked unadjusted or adjusted. with a very different crystal
it is a curvex rectangle case
















Any help on the age or history of these 2 companies appreciated
thanks


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## Chascomm (Feb 13, 2006)

jcmurp said:


> I have 2 watches that I am trying to find out a history of.The first watch is a Genova (yes Genova) swiss made with 1 jewel .it is a pin lever movt engraved Bernard Schaffel and the numbers/letters S7.


Genova is of course the name of the Italian city that we in English call Genoa. That may or may not help identify the origins of the watch. More likely this was just a Swiss cheapy for the Hong Kong market before watch assembly really took off over there. That would tie in with the movement with looks like an earlier Baumgartner (pre-dating the more common BFG886). Bernard Schaffel would probably be the name of the movement finisher, who would then pass the movement on to the assembler of Genova watches. Any markings that you may find inside the case will simply identify the case manufacturer as all the parts used in this watch would undoubtedly be generic items.


> The second is a avalon swiss made with I believe a ETA 1080 mvt
> 15 jewel (not marked unadjusted or adjusted. with a very different crystal
> it is a curvex rectangle case
> 
> ...


Avalon is a name I've seen more often, and the ETA 1080 is a well reputed workhorse, so we're looking at a better grade of Swiss generic in this one. 15 jewels indicates a 1950s version of the movement i.e. a fairly early example.

Be careful when handling the movement/dial uncased, as it looks like radium paint has been used, which at this age will crumble easily and the dust is toxic.

Take good care of that facetted crystal. That's a fine-looking watch :-!


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## jcmurp (Dec 30, 2007)

thanks,You think that is radium.How to check? but I agree on the genoa and thanks for the info


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## Hartmut Richter (Feb 13, 2006)

I think that the "Genova", having a cheap pin pallet movement, is just capitalizing on the good name of "Geneva" by tricking the buyer into thinking he is getting a high class watch without really breaking the trademark law. A bit like "Hormilton" (=Hamilton) or "Ornega" (=Omega) - that second one you really have to look very hard to detect that it is actually "ORNEGA"!!

Hartmut Richter


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## jcmurp (Dec 30, 2007)

Yes that would be very hard to detect,looks just like omega.
Hartmunt what is your take(or anyone) on the Avalon.who is avalon.or made it
Genoa+geneva was my general thought too


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## jcmurp (Dec 30, 2007)

something interesting about this Avalon.Chasscom mentioned that he thought it might have a radium dial.I placed a black light on the dial and the numbers,markers and hands glow GREEN while under the light and continue to glow for a couple of seconds after removing the light.then fade.Sort of like uranium glass(vaseline glass) does when place under a black light(bright green)
any input ? is it radium? or uranium?
thanks


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## Chascomm (Feb 13, 2006)

jcmurp said:


> something interesting about this Avalon.Chasscom mentioned that he thought it might have a radium dial.I placed a black light on the dial and the numbers,markers and hands glow GREEN while under the light and continue to glow for a couple of seconds after removing the light.then fade.Sort of like uranium glass(vaseline glass) does when place under a black light(bright green)
> any input ? is it radium? or uranium?
> thanks


Glowing briefly then fading is actually a good sign. This is photoluminescence, like normal luminous paint.

The next test is to leave the watch in a dark box for a day and then take it into a completely dark room, wait for your eyes to adjust and then see if there is any faint glow. That would not be so good as it would indicate radioluminescence (i.e. it generates its own light) and thus radium. Mind you, after more than 4 half-lifes, there's not going to be much glow left in radium even though it remains toxic.

To clarify, toxic means a risk of cancer if you breath in the dust from disintegrating paint. Looking at it through glass is completely harmless.

Uranium is never used in watches.


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## Chascomm (Feb 13, 2006)

Hartmut Richter said:


> I think that the "Genova", having a cheap pin pallet movement, is just capitalizing on the good name of "Geneva" by tricking the buyer into thinking he is getting a high class watch without really breaking the trademark law. A bit like "Hormilton" (=Hamilton) or "Ornega" (=Omega) - that second one you really have to look very hard to detect that it is actually "ORNEGA"!!
> 
> Hartmut Richter


This sounds like an excuse to show off my QREINI ...which looks like OREINT at a glance ...which is still a misspelling of ORIENT, so I'm not sure why they bothered.










There is another Hong Kong brand, 'Oreintex', which has been around so long that some sellers will try to tell you that it is actually a legitimate low-cost line from Orient! :roll:










The funniest I've seen is the 'Longreene' that somebody posted here a few months back ...with a 25 jewel movement! :-d


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## jcmurp (Dec 30, 2007)

actually I have a wind-up orientex with a wood grain band but neat thanks for sharing


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## jcmurp (Dec 30, 2007)

I did read up on the web after posting about a blacklight.And found that this would potentialy indicate radium (requires the black light to excite the radium because of the missing or dead zinc that no longer reacts to the radium)
thanks I will try the box part
any other methods?


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## jcmurp (Dec 30, 2007)

thought to add the watch wil not glow when exposed to light then dark no matter how long I leave it in the light only a black light will make it glow green.But the markers as you can see are white


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## JohnF (Feb 11, 2006)

Hi -

Geiger counter. I bought one on eBay from the Ukraine, very simple model but correctly identified radium on a watch I was going to work on...which I didn't. Cost less than €20 with postage. You do have to test after removing from the case, as the acrylic absorbs the radiation...

JohnF


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## timmgreen (Jan 23, 2009)

I have a GENOVA DELUXE barrel/tank watch with an aluminum bezel and egraved dial.
It is signed FEWA WATCH CO ONE JEWEL UNADJUSTED (SWISS MADE IS STAMPED AROUND THE MAINSPRING GEAR).Did you ever find anything out about the watch you own?


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