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Alexander88 · 13 September 2022, 07:18 AM

Hello all,

This is a vintage 1655 from 1973.
The watch spent the last 50 years in the Caribbean. The tritium seems very thick and flaky to me, maybe it's due to the tropical conditions, maybe it was poorly relumed. Under UV light, there is nothing that I would consider bad.

However, I was wondering if any of you experts have an opinion if the dial has been relumed or refinished? ( hands are outside of discussion)

Any help much appreciated

Kind regards

Alex

Dan S · 13 September 2022, 10:10 AM

Can't see anything really bad in that photo.

TuRo · 13 September 2022, 06:25 PM

No it's unmolested and it's the original (pre T25) MK2 Stern frogfoot dial from a quick glance on a bit of a misty photo.

FrenchBigCrown · 13 September 2022, 07:00 PM

Dial looks fine to me.

Alexander88 · 13 September 2022, 07:16 PM

Thank you so much. That was my guess as well. Sorry for the terrible photo.

Alex

Singhalager · 13 September 2022, 08:02 PM

so many watches from my climate (singapore) or Japan have fluffy lume which is easy to fall off

swish77 · 13 September 2022, 11:23 PM

Do you have a photo from when you saw it under UV?

Alexander88 · 13 September 2022, 11:42 PM

Unfortunately not.
We checked this with my watchmaker. But it looked like it should look. Superluminova was certainly not installed.

swaini3 · 14 September 2022, 02:15 AM

very hard to confirm that the lume is not redone from that photo.

Alexander88 · 14 September 2022, 07:40 AM

The lume is definitely tritium. That's also what the watchmakers at my Rolex dealer say. If it was touched up, it would have to have been done with tritium.
I was only worried because the tritium is much thicker than on my 1675, for example. Are there cases where the dial was relumed with tritium?
Thank you for all the answers.

Alexander88 · 15 September 2022, 03:08 AM

Thank you very much for the information!

swish77 · 15 September 2022, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alexander88

Unfortunately not.
We checked this with my watchmaker. But it looked like it should look. Superluminova was certainly not installed.

Always good to share a photo, to get different opinions. Just because it's not luminova, which is easy to spot, doesn't mean it's not re-lumed.

For comparison, here's a shot of my (former) 1655 MK2 with all original tritium under UV.

Alexander88 · 15 September 2022, 08:57 PM

Thank you very much for your efforts.
I ordered a UV lamp today. Think early next week I can post photos!

Dan S · 15 September 2022, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alexander88

Thank you very much for your efforts.
I ordered a UV lamp today. Think early next week I can post photos!

Most likely there won't be anything to see. :-)

Alexander88 · 15 September 2022, 11:17 PM

I hope so Dan, at least nothing negative.

Dan S · 15 September 2022, 11:21 PM

Sorry, my post was cryptic, but early 70s Rolex tritium lume will generally be completely unresponsive in my experience. So nothing to see. It looks well-applied, legitimately aged and I see some small spots of mold, so I'd really be surprised if it weren't original. You may learn something about the hands of course.

Alexander88 · 16 September 2022, 05:59 AM

Thank you Dan. Maybe next week you can also take a look at the new photos.

TuRo · 16 September 2022, 06:55 AM

It has its original MK2 bezel, crown and datewheel btw too - dial will be fine - I suspect you know about the s/plexi and hands ;-).

Rebel · 16 September 2022, 07:52 AM

My grail watch.

77T · 16 September 2022, 07:57 AM

It has more puffy-ness or fluffy-ness than most 1655’s I see here. The dial Tritium does decay differently over time so hard to say more than it’s really puffy.

I can’t presume it wasn’t touched up with tinted dial paint - remember old dials back in that day were sometimes refreshed during a service. Usually sent off to a dial specialist. Usually some unevenness is visible in a bad repaint - that doesn’t appear to be the case here.

So from that one photo I don’t think one can say more than it appears to be a correct T SWISS T Mk.II dial from the script. But the lume would need close visual inspection like you already had done by a watchmaker.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Alexander88 · 16 September 2022, 08:25 AM

Thank you for the detailed answer.
My rolex dealer was 100% sure that the dial is original. But this puffyness made me ask again.
Maybe better photos will help again next week.

Chris75 · 27 September 2022, 12:23 PM

Looks absolutely fine to me.

A very good example, even cooler because of the tropical provenance.

Alexander88 · 27 September 2022, 09:52 PM

Thanks Chris. I am also very happy with the watch.

13 September 2022, 10:10 AM	#2
Dan S 2024 Pledge Member Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 6,262	Can't see anything really bad in that photo. __________________ @oldwatchdan on IG

13 September 2022, 06:25 PM	#3
TuRo "TRF" Member Join Date: Jan 2022 Real Name: Paul Location: Cantabrigia - G.B Watch: ing the detectives Posts: 2,813	No it's unmolested and it's the original (pre T25) MK2 Stern frogfoot dial from a quick glance on a bit of a misty photo. __________________ Thieves and fools and long travelled soldiers, A candid light exposes their homes. Human falter, people bellowed from their homes. And houses, there's fools and long reigning pharaohs. IT BITES - Yellow Christian

13 September 2022, 07:00 PM	#4
FrenchBigCrown "TRF" Member Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: France Posts: 1,076	Dial looks fine to me. __________________ My marmoset, to get things done, You fell in Loch Ness with Major Tom.

15 September 2022, 11:21 PM	#16
Dan S 2024 Pledge Member Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 6,262	Sorry, my post was cryptic, but early 70s Rolex tritium lume will generally be completely unresponsive in my experience. So nothing to see. It looks well-applied, legitimately aged and I see some small spots of mold, so I'd really be surprised if it weren't original. You may learn something about the hands of course. __________________ @oldwatchdan on IG

16 September 2022, 06:55 AM	#18
TuRo "TRF" Member Join Date: Jan 2022 Real Name: Paul Location: Cantabrigia - G.B Watch: ing the detectives Posts: 2,813	It has its original MK2 bezel, crown and datewheel btw too - dial will be fine - I suspect you know about the s/plexi and hands ;-). __________________ Thieves and fools and long travelled soldiers, A candid light exposes their homes. Human falter, people bellowed from their homes. And houses, there's fools and long reigning pharaohs. IT BITES - Yellow Christian

13 September 2022, 07:16 PM	#5
Alexander88 "TRF" Member Join Date: Sep 2022 Location: Connecticut Posts: 134	Thank you so much. That was my guess as well. Sorry for the terrible photo. Alex

13 September 2022, 08:02 PM	#6
Singhalager Banned Join Date: Aug 2022 Location: Singapore Posts: 47	so many watches from my climate (singapore) or Japan have fluffy lume which is easy to fall off

13 September 2022, 11:23 PM	#7
swish77 2024 Pledge Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Real Name: Aaron Location: CT/NYC Watch: ing the time! Posts: 6,987	Do you have a photo from when you saw it under UV?

13 September 2022, 11:42 PM	#8
Alexander88 "TRF" Member Join Date: Sep 2022 Location: Connecticut Posts: 134	Unfortunately not. We checked this with my watchmaker. But it looked like it should look. Superluminova was certainly not installed.

14 September 2022, 02:15 AM	#9
swaini3 "TRF" Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Real Name: Mo Location: Dubai Watch: 1675 GMT, DRSD Posts: 1,458	very hard to confirm that the lume is not redone from that photo.

14 September 2022, 07:40 AM	#10
Alexander88 "TRF" Member Join Date: Sep 2022 Location: Connecticut Posts: 134	The lume is definitely tritium. That's also what the watchmakers at my Rolex dealer say. If it was touched up, it would have to have been done with tritium. I was only worried because the tritium is much thicker than on my 1675, for example. Are there cases where the dial was relumed with tritium? Thank you for all the answers.

15 September 2022, 03:08 AM	#11
Alexander88 "TRF" Member Join Date: Sep 2022 Location: Connecticut Posts: 134	Thank you very much for the information!

15 September 2022, 08:57 PM	#13
Alexander88 "TRF" Member Join Date: Sep 2022 Location: Connecticut Posts: 134	Thank you very much for your efforts. I ordered a UV lamp today. Think early next week I can post photos!

15 September 2022, 11:17 PM	#15
Alexander88 "TRF" Member Join Date: Sep 2022 Location: Connecticut Posts: 134	I hope so Dan, at least nothing negative.

16 September 2022, 05:59 AM	#17
Alexander88 "TRF" Member Join Date: Sep 2022 Location: Connecticut Posts: 134	Thank you Dan. Maybe next week you can also take a look at the new photos.

16 September 2022, 07:52 AM	#19
Rebel "TRF" Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Real Name: Dr Mark R Nail Location: New Albany Watch: Tudor Sub 75090 Posts: 8,241	My grail watch. __________________ ------------------------------- Member of the Nylon Nation

16 September 2022, 07:57 AM	#20
77T 2024 SubLV41 Pledge Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Real Name: PaulG Location: Georgia Posts: 41,944	It has more puffy-ness or fluffy-ness than most 1655’s I see here. The dial Tritium does decay differently over time so hard to say more than it’s really puffy. I can’t presume it wasn’t touched up with tinted dial paint - remember old dials back in that day were sometimes refreshed during a service. Usually sent off to a dial specialist. Usually some unevenness is visible in a bad repaint - that doesn’t appear to be the case here. So from that one photo I don’t think one can say more than it appears to be a correct T SWISS T Mk.II dial from the script. But the lume would need close visual inspection like you already had done by a watchmaker. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro __________________ Does anyone really know what time it is?

16 September 2022, 08:25 AM	#21
Alexander88 "TRF" Member Join Date: Sep 2022 Location: Connecticut Posts: 134	Thank you for the detailed answer. My rolex dealer was 100% sure that the dial is original. But this puffyness made me ask again. Maybe better photos will help again next week.

27 September 2022, 12:23 PM	#22
Chris75 "TRF" Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Switzerland Posts: 75	Looks absolutely fine to me. A very good example, even cooler because of the tropical provenance.

27 September 2022, 09:52 PM	#23
Alexander88 "TRF" Member Join Date: Sep 2022 Location: Connecticut Posts: 134	Thanks Chris. I am also very happy with the watch.

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