Do you think that Tornek dials were printed in USA?
As far as I understood, Blancpain was doing most of the parts.
Tornek was originally just a reseller and they built a workshop just to comply with Buy American Act.
I've read a funny fact on this: according to BAA, contractors had to buy US jewels, but Tornek found that Swiss ones were definitely better. So Tronek was buying US jewels, but didn't use these!
@Fizzzz
Hi S.
It is not a thought, it is a fact.
Tornek dials were made in the US, cases were produced with imported Swedish steel and finished with a grained matte surface, making the watch reflection proof.
The dials lume compound was promethium-147 - the PM 147 ref. printed below the chapter.
S., if Mr. Tornek was a mere reseller why would he be buying jewels, or a factory / special production line in Brooklyn twice the size of Centre Georges Pompidou?
Now read this:
“(…) The initial order was for 780 watches (at $187.50 each) and the last of them were delivered in June 1965.
A few months later another order for slightly fewer than 300 was received but that was it for the navy.
Two years later, Mr. Tornek approached the navy asking if they needed any more watches, but as the Vietnam conflict was at its height, the powers that be had other things on their minds and told him that they didn’t think that they would need any more. So the special production line was dismantled, and the external suppliers (dial and steel companies) were told that their services were no longer needed.”
Best,
M.
