Will tritium dust damage the dial?

[b.k.]

One of my watch’s hand has lost some of its tritium lumes, leaving some tritium dust on the dial. Will the dust damage/eat into the dial like how radium would? Thanks!!

[stmoore]

No, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t have a watchmaker open it up (crystal side) and carefully blow the dust out. I’d also consider having the hands sealed if they are the source of the dust.

[Claven2]

Radium will damage it quickly. Tritium will eventually, but takes way longer.

[stmoore]

Originally Posted by Claven2

Radium will damage it quickly. Tritium will eventually, but takes way longer.

Clarify this post if you would. Can you show us how tritium has damaged a dial?
How quick is “quickly” for radium?

[Claven2]

Originally Posted by stmoore

Clarify this post if you would. Can you show us how tritium has damaged a dial?
How quick is “quickly” for radium?

Quickly meaning after a few months, if you remove it, it will leave a mark on dial paint. Even if radium does not touch a dial, it will burn a shaddow after a few years just from hovering over a dial while not running.

Tritium reacts with dial paint the same way, but being lower dose, it takes longer. I would not leave tritium dust on a dial for a long period of time (more than a few weeks) as it may damage the paint.

Heck, even a piece of dust or a human eyelash will damage dial paint if left in situ for more than a few days. Dial paint idles pretty fragile, sadly.

[stmoore]

There’s plenty of watches with tritium dust on the dial that are unharmed. Tritiums half life is what, 17 years? Many are approaching 50 years old, so it’s getting pretty weak.

[Claven2]

Originally Posted by stmoore

There’s plenty of watches with tritium dust on the dial that are unharmed. Tritiums half life is what, 17 years? Many are approaching 50 years old, so it’s getting pretty weak.

Just because it no longer glows does not mean it's no longer radioactive or destructive. 50 yo tritium still registers on a Geiger counter.

[watchdawg]

The real issue is not the tritium on the dial but the tritium that finds in way into the movement. If you have had tritium fallout of the hands you should get the movement serviced and the hands stabilized.

[athom]

it won't damage the dial but the caliber for sure...

[Racer X]

Originally Posted by watchdawg

The real issue is not the tritium on the dial but the tritium that finds in way into the movement. If you have had tritium fallout of the hands you should get the movement serviced and the hands stabilized.

This. You want to get that out of there before it reaches the movement. Easy for a watchmaker to do.