Unitas 6498.5?

[mthomas828]

Hello,

 

Does the 5 after the UT 6498 mean that this is a 6498-5?

 

There is a lot of mention of Unitas 6498-1  and 6498-2 that I've discovered on the internet.

 

I did come upon one website that mentioned more versions of the 6498 and it said that version 5 was a very rare movement but for the life of me I cant find that page again!

Was I dreaming?

What do I have here?

 

[mthomas828]

found it....

 

https://www.aurifo.com/ro/a/the-15-most-used-movements-from-unitas-interesting-facts-history-and-features

[mthomas828]

So, is this indeed a UT 6498-5?

[tomh207]

I am not sure that page isn’t gibberish, the difference between the movements they cite dials, seeing movements don’t come with dials unless in a watch and can use any dial made for its subdial orientation it just doesn’t make sense to me at all.

 

Tom

[AndyGSi]

I think the website is just blurb.

I'd like to see the rest of the movement as something doesn't look quite right to me.

[mbwatch]

That page is for sure gibberish. It does not identify the actual differences between the -1 and -2, which is that -1 is 18000bph while -2 is 21600bph.

[mthomas828]

[mbwatch]

What does the small text beside the click say?

Also what kind of shock device is on the balance? I wonder if the 5 could be an indicator of a variance there, as in Incabloc vs a Kif trior spring. Other differences in the Unitas model numbers can refer to whether or not the balance has an Etachron regulator.

Edited August 21, 2024 by mbwatch
balance/shock details

[mthomas828]

Unadjusted

I believe Incabloc

 

 

[mbwatch]

Hard to tell for sure, but the line that goes across the hinge of the spring makes it look like probably a Kif Elastor rather than Inca. This looks like a legit movement for sure.

[AndyGSi]

It was the banking pins that were throwing me but now I've seen your photo with bridge marked Caravelle 16 0A I understand a little more what it is.

You've got a 6496 not a 6486-1 or 6498-2.

The 5 below does indicate something to do with the movement which were originally detailed on the Ranfft website which has now sadly gone.

What I have found from another forum post is as follows.

7: 4th wheel (optional seconds hand) directly across movement from crown ("intended" for crown-at-twelve pendant watches, with the seconds hand at six).

8: 4th wheel (optional seconds hand) ninety degrees clockwise from crown ("intended" for crown-at-three pocket or wrist watches, with the seconds hand at six).

 

[JohnR725]

1 hour ago, AndyGSi said:

You've got a 6496 not a 6486-1 or 6498-2.

I'm a little confused here as the last number does look like 8? Versus 6?

https://ranfft.org/caliber/10349-Unitas-6498

Then usually those other numbers are references to changes in manufacturing. Conceivably in this case it refers to a Caravelle watch that somehow was changed. Or the most common reason the numbers there is for height on the dial side. For instance I have an image showing that there were three sizes but this is from the  ETA information and this watch has been around for a long time so there'll always be all sorts of interesting variations.

 

3 hours ago, mbwatch said:

What does the small text beside the click say?

It appears to be the same as what you find on the Bulova watch it's a date code which I believe is  1972

 

 

 

http://cgi.julesborel.com/cgi-bin/matcgi2?ref=CAR_16OA

 

[AndyGSi]

29 minutes ago, JohnR725 said:

I'm a little confused here as the last number does look like 8? Versus 6?

That's just my typo.

As per my earlier post, the 5 after the 6498 was all detailed on the original Ranfft site but unfortunately that information was never carried over.

Edited August 21, 2024 by AndyGSi

[mbwatch]

1 hour ago, JohnR725 said:

It appears to be the same as what you find on the Bulova watch it's a date code which I believe is  1972

Oh I had meant on the outer side from the click, which I should have guessed was "unadjusted" if I had zoomed properly. But interesting about the date code