What Mark is this 16520 dial?

[philwong]

Hi all,

I am wondering if you can help me pls. I have found this dial variant of which I can't identify the Mark of it. Or is this a service dial?

First of all I'm using the Mondani article here:

https://www.fratellowatches.com/gior...ference-16520/

Here's what I'm confused:
1) the dial is not tritium, so according to the guide is 7 or 8
2) the space between "OYSTER PERPETUAL" is wide where it doesn't sit on the last part of the V below. Which suggests is a Mark 8
3) the word DAYTONA is not wide, it sits between 11 and 1 on hour subdial, which suggests is a Mark 7
4) the "A" in MADE at the bottom lands on the left of the 28th marker, which suggests is a Mark 7 as the "A" in Mark 8 sits on top of the 28th marker.

I'm thinking of buying a watch with this dial, but I'm just confused what the dial really is?

[padi56]

Its a MK 597 dial or any Mk you want it to be,in the real world dials are made in 3 different factories now all owed by Rolex.And there always has been and always will be tiny variations in all dial through the production years of all reference models,and all the this MK stuff only exists in internet land,its the last of the Zenith powered Daytona dials .

[philwong]

Originally Posted by padi56

Its a MK 597 dial or any Mk you want it to be,in the real world dials are made in 3 different factories now all owed by Rolex.And there always has been and always will be tiny variations in all dial through the production years of all reference models,and all the this MK stuff only exists in internet land,its the last of the Zenith powered Daytona dials .

I see, but I'm just a bit cautious. Not saying the dial is fake but if I can relate back to some references just make me more comfortable. As you know a service dial is worth much less than a non service. I haven't actually seen a watch with this dial so hence my question here.

Sent from my SM-N976B using Tapatalk

[antrolexsub]

It’s a service dial.

[Tools]

Originally Posted by philwong

I see, but I'm just a bit cautious. Not saying the dial is fake but if I can relate back to some references just make me more comfortable. As you know a service dial is worth much less than a non service. I haven't actually seen a watch with this dial so hence my question here.

Dial fonts are made with ink tamps, meaning that a rubber bladder is cut to form the font details, filled with ink, then pressed down on the dial leaving the inked font behind where it squeezed out through the cuts.

There are several tamps that are used to make any single dial. Also, tamps wear out and are replaced, so each replacement is slightly different throughout the life of any model. The longer a model is in production, the more variance there will be in its dials.

To say that a dial is a Mk 1, or 2 or whatever, is little more than somebody with the loudest bully-pulpit, proclaiming it such. It represents a short series where the font tamps were changed.

There are very likely dozens of different variables and changes that nobody has logged because they have not seen every possible dial produced.

If you are seeing some elements of a Mk 7, and a Mk 8 (which are guesses at best), then you are likely seeing a period where one tamp was changed and another was not.. No biggy, call it a Mk7b and make history.