Tritium aging and manufacturing question

[bwood74]

Was the tritium being manufactured from the 60's get any better throughout the 70's and early 80's? I notice the markers usually look better on late 70's watches like ref 1680 and 1665. Now I know these watches are newer, but I was wondering if there was a better process or do you think you can just expect the same degrading as older 5513's.

[shane0mack]

I read somewhere on here not long ago that different years have different aging colors. This I think is more of a general observation and maybe not a scientific certainty. There's always exceptions to Rolex's rules.

[Tools]

Tritium doesn't have any color. It is a radioactive substance blended into the paint phosphorous mixture that continuously excited the mixture, causing it to glow.

When the tritium stops emitting beta particles, the phosphor no longer glows.

It is very likely that the paint has undergone many changes over the years by different manufacturers and mixed with tritium that has more or less radioactivity left.

[southtexas]

Can tritium dials that got daily wear and saw constant light from "day 1" still glow strong after 40 years? Or is it impossible due to its composition?

[MP5]

Originally Posted by southtexas

Can tritium dials that got daily wear and saw constant light from "day 1" still glow strong after 40 years? Or is it impossible due to its composition?

Half life's and a finite quantity, so no. There can be some, but physics and stuff.

[robbret]

Originally Posted by southtexas

Can tritium dials that got daily wear and saw constant light from "day 1" still glow strong after 40 years? Or is it impossible due to its composition?

On vintage watch dials, a radio-luminescent compound is used, which is excited by radiation from the Tritium.
Tritium half-life is about 12 years so after 36 years there will only be 1/2 x 1/2 x 1/2 = 1/8 of the initial activity left.
Add into the equation the aging of the radio luminescent compound and you'll have virtually no glow left.
I seriously doubt whether or not prolonged exposure of this compound to daylight affects the aging process in any way.

In modern dials on the other hand, a photo-luminescent compound is used, which is excited by photons, (ie daylight), instead of radio activity.

Cheers, T.

[southtexas]

Stupid physics always getting in the way.


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[JohnBaker3]

Here's a philisophical question:

If the new dial paints are "photo luminescent" (excited by photons), then what good are they for seeing the time in the dark??

The Tritium dials did work in the dark but faded over the life of the watch. Can they be "re-lumed"?

Many Seiko and some Timex quartzs whole dials light up when you pushed the crown inward.

Seems like a better engineered system.

My 2 cents worth....

[CrownMe]

Originally Posted by JohnBaker3

Here's a philisophical question:

If the new dial paints are "photo luminescent" (excited by photons), then what good are they for seeing the time in the dark??

The Tritium dials did work in the dark but faded over the life of the watch. Can they be "re-lumed"?

Many Seiko and some Timex quartzs whole dials light up when you pushed the crown inward.

Seems like a better engineered system.

My 2 cents worth....

I'm sure it's easyier to engineer with the help of a battery.

[subtona]

i can tell you that my first watch was an E serial, and the tritium was absolutely incredible.

five years later my dial was damaged during a service and RSC replaced it with another tritium dial, the newer dial although still tritium was never quite as bright as the original.

i suspect they were starting to cut back the amount of tritium they were using during that time?