Why do vintage Rolex hands corrode?

[Bisquitlips]

Why is it that Rolex hands corrode?

As the case is air tight, I would think that corrosion would not be an issue as moisture should not be an issue.

Also it is my understanding that the hands are always gold, and gold does not corrode. Yes? No?

Just trying to sit at the feet of the learned ones here.

Here is and example:

http://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=75942

[Rambam]

I would be interested to know aswell! Love that patina though, can`t wait for my LV to be looking like that

[boxbrownie]

Like this? 1972 and all original.....obviously not all gold!

[mike]

Richard, prior to about 1984 or so most sports watches used steel hands. There's been a couple theroies as to why hand sets exibited some corrosion.

While the cases might have been water proof when new, lack of service (changing seals, acryllic crystals, crowns, tubes, etc....) allowed moisture, humidity, to enter the case and attack the hands.

Some have put forth the theroy that as tritium ages it emits vapors that can be harmful to steel. I don't know about that as I've seen some very old examples with remarkable hands.

I tend to go with a lack of maintance. Rolex switched to WG hands around 1984 (give or take) with the move to gloss dials with WG surrounds.

[Bisquitlips]

Originally Posted by mike

Richard, prior to about 1984 or so most sports watches used steel hands. There's been a couple theroies as to why hand sets exibited some corrosion.

While the cases might have been water proof when new, lack of service (changing seals, acryllic crystals, crowns, tubes, etc....) allowed moisture, humidity, to enter the case and attack the hands.

Some have put forth the theroy that as tritium ages it emits vapors that can be harmful to steel. I don't know about that as I've seen some very old examples with remarkable hands.

I tend to go with a lack of maintance. Rolex switched to WG hands around 1984 (give or take) with the move to gloss dials with WG surrounds.

Mike!

A very good explanation! Thank you!

[Tools]

During the changeover to gold hands Rolex watches were frequently marked like this at the 6 o'clock position.

-T Swiss T-, would indicate steel hands and markers...

oT Swiss To, would indicate gold hands and surrounds..

[1904 Submariner]

Sometimes it's from seawater.

[SUB4Me]

All they would have needed to do is clear coat them. Then however that would lead to one less need to send it in for a $500 service bill.

[four-thirteen]

So they would carve an entire watch case out of stainless steel but not the hands?

[landroverking]

I have not had the hands corrode, but have lost lume out of them. Anyone else had this problem?

[Bisquitlips]

Originally Posted by landroverking

I have not had the hands corrode, but have lost lume out of them. Anyone else had this problem?

Wondering also?

[mike]

Originally Posted by landroverking

I have not had the hands corrode, but have lost lume out of them. Anyone else had this problem?

Sometimes as the bonding agent drys and cracks it can become unstable.

"lume" as we call it on older pieces is made of three parts:

Tritium--the part that glows. In and of itself tritium does not glow but needs a catalyst.

Phosphors--the stuff that "excites" the tritium.

The bonding agent--the stuff we see. The bonding agent is about 90% of what we see.

Some watchmakers have a sealing process that minimizes the cracking of the bonding agent.