For most people an engraving on the back of a watch is a huge negative. For me it is the purest expression of provenance. It shows its story, in this case (pun intended) explicitly. It’s not as simple as “guy saw watch in window, guy bought watch, guy sold watch on eBay.” To me that’s boring. There are hundreds and in many cases thousands to tens of thousands of identical watches out there, it’s the engraving in the back that gives context and history to a piece, making it truly unique. This Hamilton Rodney I just finished has a great engraving on the back congratulating a man for 25 years of safe driving for the Michigan Bell Telephone Company. For me at least I find that to be an awesome addition to the story of a watch. Beyond the engraving, this has a sparkling and solidly built caliber 748 manual winding movement. The two-tone dial is great, and the light oxidation on it brings this vintage piece to life. The sharp lugs add a certain elegance to the aesthetics. Although it’s pretty old it shows almost no plate loss and is as shiny as the day it was engraved. It is slim, sparkling, has an interesting story behind it, and is now ready for its next owner to enjoy!

Side note: the big black spot on the picture of the engraving is not a hole; it’s my camera lens. I’m an amateur watchmaker not a photographer, so please cut me some slack from time to time on the photographing.