Re-lumed question

[mattg6]

Have the hands on the left 1680 been re-lumed? On the right is my 16800 and everything looks lumed under UV. On the left is 1680 from 1977. Insert is replaced clearly given the pearl color. And then the hands - are they relumed? They look “dead” but I was also told that they don’t have to glow to be tritium/original, it just depends on the tritium vs zinksulfide mixture. Maybe they’re not relumed but not original? Any input or insights appreciated

[Dan S]

Rolex lume from the late 70s is generally unresponsive to UV in my experience, and generally hands and dial are fairly similar. It's hard to know what we are seeing in the photo, but the different appearance of dial and hands in the watch at left certainly suggests that something may be relumed.

[springer]

Based on some magnification of the photo, the hands appear relumed. The brown color is indicative of the hands being relumed. The hands normally will match the dial markers.

For me, having relumed hands is not a major concern since it is common to have relumed or replaced hands due to corrosion or flaking tritium.

If the seller told you they were original tritium, then you need to discuss this with the seller. Vintage watches with matching tritium hands normally bring a small premium when compared to relumed hands.

[swish77]

The hands' lume is certainly not the same as the dial's, so something is not original. What's interesting here is how the dial lume is emitting a yellow hue under UV, which I've not seen before. Usually, original tritium (except on some vintage Daytonas) will emit a whitish glow and then be dead when the UV is removed.

Here's my (former) 1665 with original tritium for comparison. Perhaps different mixtures of Rolex tritium through the decades creates different looks under UV. Who knows?

[XavierM]

OP, do you have informations about the UV lamp you are using ?

[Filipão]

Hands were relumed, painted, whatever.

[P.C.]

I have a similar situation on a 1991 T<25 Sub.
My question is are there any 'reluming' shops out there that can relume the hands with a small amount of Tritium added to mix to enable them to better match the dials which still reveals brief luminosity when exposed to daylight or under UV)

[Dan S]

Originally Posted by P.C.

I have a similar situation on a 1991 T<25 Sub.
My question is are there any 'reluming' shops out there that can relume the hands with a small amount of Tritium added to mix to enable them to better match the dials which still reveals brief luminosity when exposed to daylight or under UV)

Yes, there are people who will use "period-correct" lume for a cost.

Incidentally, luminosity when exposed to daylight/UV is unrelated to tritium, it is purely due to the properties of the phosphor. Tritium is the radioactive substance that "powers" the phosphor. You can judge the influence of the tritium by viewing the lume entirely in the dark, with no excitation. For a 1991 watch, you may still be able to see a faint glow because roughly 1/6 of the tritium is still radioactive. Unlike luminova, when the tritium lume was new, it did not need to be "charged" or require excitation.

[P.C.]

Originally Posted by Dan S

Yes, there are people who will use "period-correct" lume for a cost.

Incidentally, luminosity when exposed to daylight/UV is unrelated to tritium, it is purely due to the properties of the phosphor. Tritium is the radioactive substance that "powers" the phosphor. You can judge the influence of the tritium by viewing the lume entirely in the dark, with no excitation. For a 1991 watch, you may still be able to see a faint glow because roughly 1/6 of the tritium is still radioactive. Unlike luminova, when the tritium lume was new, it did not need to be "charged" or require excitation.

Thanks, I didn't know the details ,good to know. Do you happen to know or recommend any of those who can do such work ,preferably in the US? ( it may be of interest to the OP as well)

[mattg6]

Originally Posted by Filipão

Hands were relumed, painted, whatever.

Here’s a closeup. help change your view at all? The perforations and the little imperfections make it seem more real to me. But no UV glow a red flag

[Tools]

Originally Posted by P.C.

I have a similar situation on a 1991 T<25 Sub.
My question is are there any 'reluming' shops out there that can relume the hands with a small amount of Tritium added to mix to enable them to better match the dials which still reveals brief luminosity when exposed to daylight or under UV)

You have to look long and hard to find anybody using radioactive tritium to relume with.

As mentioned, the tritium is not glowing under uv, it is the paint matrix that reacts.

Most folks will color-match their hands to the dial without regard to a luminous reaction, but to match cosmetically and be stabilized.

[mattg6]

Originally Posted by mattg6

Here’s a closeup. help change your view at all? The perforations and the little imperfections make it seem more real to me. But no UV glow a red flag

[hutch300]

What is your goal with these hands? I would leave them as is.

[mattg6]

Originally Posted by hutch300

What is your goal with these hands? I would leave them as is.

To get them perfectly matched! You think that’s a losing battle? Could also purchase and install not perfectly matching color but clearly original (light up under UV) hands

[hutch300]

You can get a color match without worrying about tritium. They will make them not glow. Easy. I’m not worried personally about differences in hands. Often they age differently and that’s okay. It’s old. It’s part of the joy and beauty of vintage to me. That said if they were hideous or failing that’s a different situation. I have watches that match and ones that don’t. Love them all.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dan S]

Originally Posted by mattg6

To get them perfectly matched! You think that’s a losing battle? Could also purchase and install not perfectly matching color but clearly original (light up under UV) hands

If it matters to you, go ahead. Nobody is stopping you. The last time I had it done it was $350 for old tritium lume (slight afterglow) or $450 for hot tritium lume.

[mattg6]

Originally Posted by Dan S

If it matters to you, go ahead. Nobody is stopping you. The last time I had it done it was $350 for old tritium lume (slight afterglow) or $450 for hot tritium lume.

Mind my asking who does old tritium lume?

Was going to go to Greg at true patina but didn’t realize tritium lume was an option

[TuRo]

They look pretty matched to me already - I personally think you'd be crackers to do anything.....the old adage 'don't let the perfect, be the enemy of the good' is my mantra.

[TimeLord2]

Originally Posted by TuRo

They look pretty matched to me already - I personally think you'd be crackers to do anything.....the old adage 'don't let the perfect, be the enemy of the good' is my mantra.

Indeed. My mantra not far off from yours. They're not just good, they're good enough!

[springer]

Originally Posted by mattg6

To get them perfectly matched! You think that’s a losing battle? Could also purchase and install not perfectly matching color but clearly original (light up under UV) hands

Why do they need to light up under UV? The tritium is shot anyway and is dead at 30 years. Have them properly relumed with whatever mix the relumer uses and have them matched to your markers then move on.

The only reason to have them relumed and glow white under UV might be for someone wanting to claim they are original. If that is the case, find a set of original hands and you'll be good to go.

[springer]

Originally Posted by mattg6

Here’s a closeup. help change your view at all? The perforations and the little imperfections make it seem more real to me. But no UV glow a red flag

The close-ups haven't changed my view. Not a bad lume job but it looks like sand was used to relume the hands. They are not original tritium lume.