That’s some part of the story indeed.
According to my archive of old forum posts and trivia, the term only began to be used widely in the eighties, when a redial company based on California refinished a large numbers of Rolex Bubbleback dials in this design.
Rolex first started making watches with “California Dials” as early as 1934 with the Ref. 3595 bubble back watch, but would apply for a patent the half Roman and half Arabic in 1941. And it would be granted in 1942.
The patent says that the thicker numbers made applying luminous paint easier but nothing more about the reasoning for the two different numeral types.
Kirk Rich Dial has been around since 1926.
Possibly, they are and have been the oldest dial restoration business in the world ever since then.
Around the late 70's early 80's customers would ask them for the "California dial" when requesting a refinish. Basically it was because it was easier than saying "Roman Arabic" when describing the mixed number printing. Roman numerals on top with Arabic at bottom.
Kirk Rich Dials were pushing a lot of these, so much that people from all around would just ask for the California Dial when sending them work.
Then Ref. 3646 would be produced from 1938 until the 1950s with different design changes classified from Type A to Type G.
As we all know, decades later Panerai would begin remaking the Ref. 3646 with the Radiomir 1936 being released in 2011 and a several other remakes/re-editions that were incredibly repped by our beloved Chinese facs
Maybe our true connoisseurs could chime in and confirm my tales
mysterio PolonusTM and
ALE7575 (where are you mate
)
Cheers!
