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#1 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Australia
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Are these hands tritium or luminova?
Hello, I'm looking to buy a rolex submariner from 1991.
It is a pre ceramic sub and looking to get an extra set of eyes on the hands to see if they are original or luminova service replacements. I am aware that the hands aged lighter than the dial on ones from this period however is it possible to know from the photos if they are tritium but have aged lighter than dial or if they are replacement hands. Kind regards, Cloitus https://ibb.co/QYHcZsR https://ibb.co/Y70hb1g https://ibb.co/0K80Fg4 |
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#2 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: Northern CA - USA
Posts: 748
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I could be mistaken, but I believe they are tritium as at the bottom of the dial it says Swiss - T, the T meaning tritium. Again, I could be totally wrong but I believe this is how they distinguished them.
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#3 | |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Oct 2021
Real Name: Steve
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Quote:
![]() Last edited by Tools; 13 March 2024 at 07:44 AM.. Reason: repaired quote |
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#4 | |
2024 ROLEX DATEJUST41 X2 Pledge Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Real Name: Kat
Location: CA, USA
Watch: 126233 Wimbledon T
Posts: 6,823
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[QUOTE=stevestil;13185129]
Quote:
T does indeed stand for tritium. ![]() Kat Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk |
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#5 | |
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Real Name: Larry
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#6 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Apr 2017
Real Name: Vincent
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Watch: Rolex Seadweller50
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Tritium and luminova
Either way the hands have a phosphorescent material (typically strontium aluminate) on them and should glow to some degree if exposed to an intense light source. When new, the Tritium beta radiation is what excites the phosphorescent material causing it to glow. When the Tritium passes it's half life and beyond the beta radiation level becomes low and will no longer excite the electrons of the phosphorescent material enough to produce the required photon light. But, 'charging' it in the sun or under high intensity light should produce some glow for a limited period of time.
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#7 | |
"TRF" Life Patron
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Real Name: Peter
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Quote:
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ICom Pro3 All posts are my own opinion and my opinion only. "The clock of life is wound but once, and no man has the power to tell just when the hands will stop. Now is the only time you actually own the time, Place no faith in time, for the clock may soon be still for ever." Good Judgement comes from experience,experience comes from Bad Judgement,.Buy quality, cry once; buy cheap, cry again and again. www.mc0yad.club Second in command CEO and left handed watch winder ![]() |
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#8 |
TRF Moderator & 2024 SUBMARINER Patron
Join Date: May 2007
Real Name: Larry
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You can't really tell just by looking.
Tritium hands will not glow in the dark any more, but Luminova replacements will glow like a torch after a light source charges them. It would be odd for somebody to replace the hands and not the dial too unless the hands had begun to deteriorate.
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#9 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jan 2023
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 94
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The dial is indeed tritium as indicated on the dial. The question is since the hands have a noticeably different patina, have they been replaced with luminova/super luminova service hands. I'm not sure if Rolex would have done that but it's possible an independent did. They look different enough that I'd bet they were a different material.
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