Lume doesn't Glow anymore?

[briansshin]

Hi All!

I've been reading more and more here and there about the Lume not working anymore on several people's watches who are trying to sell their watches. Can anybody explain why the Lume stops working? And also, once it stops working, is it irreversible? Is there no fix for it? Obviously you can replace the whole dial, but is there any other cheaper fixes for Lume not working?

Please advise!! I am currently looking to buy a watch, but the ad description says the Lume doesnt work. Obviously this concerns me, so I would like to know whats the solution to this problem.

Thank you all for your help in advancementals!! Have a great one yall.

[mike]

I guess the question is what reference and timeframe is the watch. I assume it,
'S Rolex since you're in the
E Rolex forum. If it's a tritium dial it's reached it's limit on luminosity. Tritium has a half life of about 12.5years.

[HogwldFLTR]

Simply put, the issue is tritium vs Luminova/SuperLuminova markers. Tritium is a radio active compound which cause the markrers to glow and has about a 12 year half life. Luminva stores energy from light and cause the glowing and won't stop working with time other than needing to be recharged every day pretty much.. See the following for details on tritium.

http://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=31836

[Tools]

Originally Posted by briansshin

Hi All!

I've been reading more and more here and there about the Lume not working anymore on several people's watches who are trying to sell their watches. (1)Can anybody explain why the Lume stops working? (2)And also, once it stops working, is it irreversible? Is there no fix for it? (3)Obviously you can replace the whole dial, but is there any other cheaper fixes for Lume not working?

Please advise!! I am currently looking to buy a watch, but the ad description says the Lume doesnt work. (4)Obviously this concerns me, so I would like to know whats the solution to this problem.

Thank you all for your help in advancementals!! Have a great one yall.

(1) Explained above. old dials no longer glow. Rolex changed from tritium to Luminova in ~1998/99
(2) No, it is not reversible. They glowed because of the radioactive component exciting the paint, the radioactive is no longer active enough to do this.
(3) The fix is to replace the dial with a Luminova dial which is "rechargeable" by light.
(4) It shouldn't concern you. They all work the same way.

[mjrchabot]

Someone will know the exact year, but I believe it was around 2001-2002 that Rolex switched to Super Luminova.

My 1996 14060's dial didn't glow anymore - no cause of concern, though. Some people prefer the tritium dials because they age better and develop a beautiful, natural patina.

[briansshin]

Wow thanks for the great input guys!! Now I understand the Lume issue that often sellers are speaking of. You guys have been more than helpful in explaining exactly what I was concerned about. You guys are the best and is what makes The Rolezlx Forums so special!!! 😢

Again.. Thank you for the replies. I now have gained more knowledge that will help me on all my future purchases ☺


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[IT Nerd]

On the bright side, the watch is probably free of beta radiation by now.

[WIS]

Originally Posted by IT Nerd

On the bright side, the watch is probably free of beta radiation by now.

Lol yeah that's what I figure on my "t Swiss made t" datejust that doesn't "glow" anymore... The radiatiation can't hurt me now...


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[joe100]

I wouldn't call it an "issue". I'm more worried when a 35-40 year old Rolex glows like a fire!

[EdipisReks]

Originally Posted by WIS

Lol yeah that's what I figure on my "t Swiss made t" datejust that doesn't "glow" anymore... The radiatiation can't hurt me now...

It wasn't going to hurt you anyway, unless you ate the luminous paint.

[Kyle13]

Originally Posted by EdipisReks

It wasn't going to hurt you anyway, unless you ate the luminous paint.

Even if you ate the paint, nothing would really come of it! You would have to eat the paint of thousands of watches and even then you would probably get sick to your stomach! Lol


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[WIS]

Originally Posted by EdipisReks

It wasn't going to hurt you anyway, unless you ate the luminous paint.

You never know


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[SpaceWanderer]

Originally Posted by Tools

(1) Explained above. old dials no longer glow. Rolex changed from tritium to Luminova in ~1998/99
(2) No, it is not reversible. They glowed because of the radioactive component exciting the paint, the radioactive is no longer active enough to do this.
(3) The fix is to replace the dial with a Luminova dial which is "rechargeable" by light.
(4) It shouldn't concern you. They all work the same way.

So when did Rolex go from Luminova to Chromalight? And does anybody really know the difference (other than hue)? Are they made by the same chemical concern?

[Flstfirider]

Originally Posted by mjrchabot

Someone will know the exact year, but I believe it was around 2001-2002 that Rolex switched to Super Luminova.

My 1996 14060's dial didn't glow anymore - no cause of concern, though. Some people prefer the tritium dials because they age better and develop a beautiful, natural patina.

I believe that around '98 they went to Luminova, then a few years later to Super Luminova....now Chomalight.

[EdipisReks]

Originally Posted by WIS

You never know

Yes you do. Tritium is a low energy beta emitter. Low energy beta particles can't penetrate your skin, let alone the case and crystal of the watch.

[EdipisReks]

Originally Posted by Kyle13

Even if you ate the paint, nothing would really come of it! You would have to eat the paint of thousands of watches and even then you would probably get sick to your stomach! Lol

Sure, but internal beta emission, even very low energy such as from tritium, and even with materials, again like tritium, that have short biological half-lives and don't bioaccumulate, is still likely to cause harm, even if minor and of no concern.

[Kyle13]

Originally Posted by EdipisReks

Sure, but internal beta emission, even very low energy such as from tritium, and even with materials, again like tritium, that have short biological half-lives and don't bioaccumulate, is still likely to cause harm, even if minor and of no concern.

Correct but, if I'm not mistaken, tritium decays into helium-3 which is non radioactive so you wouldn't have to worry about beta particles! 👍🏻 If you were to eat tritium before the half life and decay, then beta particles would be a worry!


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[southtexas]

Trit ages nicely. I wonder how lumi will look in 50 years?




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[avirom]

i had the hour markers and hands on my 1500 date (1982) relumed without replacing the dail or hands.

watch maker told me that he filed down and and scraped of all the remains of the old trituim and then relumed everything.

works fine now - cost me about $80 including new seals and pressure test.