Has anyone ever noticed a "darkening" to the Tritium on their watches???

[Clay]

Maybe I'm just going crazy, but yesterday I took my 1665 out of the safe...It's the first time I had taken it out since the beginning of May (So it was in the safe for 3 months)
And I could swear that the Tritium on the markers and hands was "darker" then when I put it in the safe three months ago???
Now I know there are countless theories as to what makes Tritium Patina over time, and from what I can gather the prevailing options are that a LACK of sunlight will darken the Tritium.
I have had the watch on now for a day and a half and the markers look to me to be back to where they were three months ago...???
Am I crazy???
Was it an optical illusion???
Was I so used to seeing the dial on my Luminova 16600 that the 1665 just "seemed" darker???
Or was it really darker and the sunlight lightened it back up again???
And no, there unfortunately was no time in my busy day to take any pictures, I wish I had...
Thoughts???

[linesiders]

I have seen different theories about and have even though of locking one of my pieces up to see but how long is long enough.

I do believe that the trit markers on my late 70s snowflake have lightened noticeably since I received the watch in January.

[Submarino]

Clay, most theories and what I've seen in my life is that watches develop more patina when they are rarely worn and kept in a dark environment. It's very common to hear that sunlight bleaches the tritium. Therefore, it is safe to say that creamy/light patina gets bleached over time on daily wearers.

When I purchased my 1675, the patina was creamier than what it is today. I purchased the watch back in August of 2011 and I've been wearing it every week at least three to four times a week. Today is less creamy. I am considering putting it away for a few months and see what happens.

Here's a link to a very interesting post that confirms my theory and what is currently happening to your watch.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/20759...ns%29+%26gt%3B

[Clay]

Originally Posted by Submarino

Clay, most theories and what I've seen in my life is that watches develop more patina when they are rarely worn and kept in a dark environment. It's very common to hear that sunlight bleaches the tritium. Therefore, it is safe to say that creamy/light patina gets bleached over time on daily wearers.

When I purchased my 1675, the patina was creamier than what it is today. I purchased the watch back in August of 2011 and I've been wearing it every week at least three to four times a week. Today is less creamy. I am considering putting it away for a few months and see what happens.

Here's a link to a very interesting post that confirms my theory and what is currently happening to your watch.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/20759...ns%29+%26gt%3B

I saw that post when it first appeared...My only issue with that particular example is that if you look at the over all exposure and color saturation in both photos, in the one where the patina is darker, the entire photograph is darker over all and there is more color saturation over all...
I'm not really sure how good an example those particular photographs are...

[Submarino]

Originally Posted by Clay

I saw that post when it first appeared...My only issue with that particular example is that if you look at the over all exposure and color saturation in both photos, in the one where the patina is darker, the entire photograph is darker over all and there is more color saturation over all...
I'm not really sure how good an example those particular photographs are...

You might be right about the pictures but this owner is stating something very similar to what you are talking about, additionally, I've confirmed the theory myself. I have a friend who owns a Submariner from the very early 80's and his brother owns the exact same watch purchased by their Dad at the same time. My friend has kept his without much wear and in a safe since the early 90's. On the other hand his brother wears the watch as a daily wearer, if you look at both watches side to side you'll see that the one in the safe has a ton of patina while the daily wearer doesn't. I hope I can get some pics to illustrate this for you.

[Clay]

Originally Posted by Submarino

You might be right about the pictures but this owner is stating something very similar to what you are talking about, additionally, I've confirmed the theory myself. I have a friend who owns a Submariner from the very early 80's and his brother owns the exact same watch purchased by their Dad at the same time. My friend has kept his without much wear and in a safe since the early 90's. On the other hand his brother wears the watch as a daily wearer, if you look at both watches side to side you'll see that the one in the safe has a ton of patina while the daily wearer doesn't. I hope I can get some pics to illustrate this for you.

I don't disagree...I think that the lack of light plays a big part...I believe humidity as well....I just took a picture of my 1665...
After I put it in the safe, I'll take it out in a month or so and compare...
Lets see what happens???

[Submarino]

Originally Posted by Clay

I don't disagree...I think that the lack of light plays a big part...I believe humidity as well....I just took a picture of my 1665...
After I put it in the safe, I'll take it out in a month or so and compare...
Lets see what happens???

Great idea! Just make sure your lighting conditions, angle, shutter speed, aperture priority, etc. stay the same for the after picture.

[harry in montreal]

my theory is that the material the watchmakers use to lube the movement gets absorbed in the tritium. my snowflake has the organgey markers. oiley looking orangey

[Puffy]

humidity also has something to do with it

watches in APAC have a very deep patina

[adt]

I live in a humid country. I just took out my tritium 666 after about 6 months in the safe. No change in the lume plots whatsoever. How do you explain that? Maybe it is something else.

[Clay]

Originally Posted by adt

I live in a humid country. I just took out my tritium 666 after about 6 months in the safe. No change in the lume plots whatsoever. How do you explain that? Maybe it is something else.

It's a mystery to me???

[Mike1066]

Originally Posted by Clay

Maybe I'm just going crazy, but yesterday I took my 1665 out of the safe...It's the first time I had taken it out since the beginning of May (So it was in the safe for 3 months)

Clay - the more important question is this: Why the heck is your 1665 sitting in a safe for 3 months!?!?! That thing is a beauty - share it with the world and throw it on your wrist!

[Clay]

Originally Posted by Mike1066

Clay - the more important question is this: Why the heck is your 1665 sitting in a safe for 3 months!?!?! That thing is a beauty - share it with the world and throw it on your wrist!

You 1665 owners are all alike... How about a picture or two of your latest???

[azguy]

I can't imgaine a few months in a safe effecting anything, maybe a few years, but a few months

[high5]

if you want patina to get darken, leave it in safe. if you want lighten, expose it to uv. my watches patina change color (very slightly) all the time even on a monthly basis.

[Keeperoftime]

Originally Posted by high5

if you want patina to get darken, leave it in safe. if you want lighten, expose it to uv. my watches patina change color (very slightly) all the time even on a monthly basis.

+1

[onehotchili]

just curious, so recently i picked up 5513 has some decent amount of patina. will most of that remain since i wear it as a daily wearer? i guess i am curious if i could possibly "reverse" most of the patina in my watch which i really like? or is most of it permanent and will fluctuate just at bit?!?

[Clay]

Originally Posted by onehotchili

just curious, so recently i picked up 5513 has some decent amount of patina. will most of that remain since i wear it as a daily wearer? i guess i am curious if i could possibly "reverse" most of the patina in my watch which i really like? or is most of it permanent and will fluctuate just at bit?!?

[azguy]

Originally Posted by onehotchili

just curious, so recently i picked up 5513 has some decent amount of patina. will most of that remain since i wear it as a daily wearer? i guess i am curious if i could possibly "reverse" most of the patina in my watch which i really like? or is most of it permanent and will fluctuate just at bit?!?

Good question, one would think of you were outside a lot in my bleach back out...

[Pete17]

Sunlight will lighten the patina noticably in just a few weeks.
Storage in a dark spot will do the opposite but will take a bit longer.

[russellnyc]

Yes, I have absolutely seen this happen. I bought this watch brand new in 1996, and the markers were bright white. I wore it solidly for the first 8 years, but haven't worn it much in the last 8 and it's been in a drawer. I have recently been wearing it and noticed the patina. Unfortunately, Breitling replaced the hands at last service to luminova, but that helps you see the contrast.

[Clay]

But there has to be more to it then just kept in a dark place patina gets darker, sunlight makes it lighter???
I had a Tudor Snowflake with a VERY Dark Amber Patina...I wore it daly for a long timer...It never got any lighter???
Also, if you adhere to this theory, any watch could be placed in sunlight for a period of time and the plots will get white again...???

[apan]

Interesting topic..

One could then argue that vintage dials with light to no patina have been exposed to sunlight and most likely have been worn regularly.. but that doesn't seem to be always the case?

On a side note, the patina on my 1016 has turned from "stark" white to "off" white over the past few months. I have worn it daily but leave it in the dark at night which may be the cause?

[Clay]

I just took a photograph of my 1665 and put it back in the safe...One month from now I will take it out and under the same conditions rephotograph it to see what happens...Until then...

[Michael M.]

Originally Posted by Clay

I just took a photograph of my 1665 and put it back in the safe...One month from now I will take it out and under the same conditions rephotograph it to see what happens...Until then...

Cant wait to see the results

[mikkolopez]

You learn something new everyday

[high5]

there is just so many factors and it is not an exact science. But if the goal is to darken/lighten the patina, it is worth a try as it is relatively safe to do (than messing with the dial or humidity, for example).

[adt]

Do you think it could also be due to case integrity? Solid sealed oysters maybe no difference with the sunlight or darkness. But maybe if the case integrity is not 100%, some oxygen could affect the tritium?

[high5]

the only thing is if it is due to oxidation, it cannot be reversed.. so the coloring is one way only. we observe both way color change.

[Datejust10019]

I've worn a Submariner for years as a daily beater sort of watch, but have not noticed the white markers darken in such a way as pictured in your post. As far as oxidation and humidity is concerned, the watch dial is in a sealed environment so there should be no infiltration of humidity. Possibly, the seal was compromised at some point in the watch's history, in which case the accelerated oxidation may be explained.