1993 14060...when will the hands and dial show patina?

[stil]

What do you guys think? Will my original tritium trial show some signs of patina soon? Ever?

[MCO1]

Not likely! My 92 GMT 2 has quit glowing but looks as white as the day I bought it.

[Wacko]

My 1990 14060 is still white also. I wonder if exposing to more sunlight would have any effect?

[stil]

Who knows...but mine is as white as can be as well.

Aren't the older 4 digit dials also tritium? If so, I would think these dials would eventually change...?!?!

[withthesword]

i thought exposing it to sunlight was exactly what caused it to stay white.

the fantastic patinas you see on some dials and hands are the result of prolonged darkness in a safe or deposit box.

someone please correct me if i'm wrong, i'm just going off memories of older threads on the subject

[HogwldFLTR]

Originally Posted by withthesword

i thought exposing it to sunlight was exactly what caused it to stay white.

the fantastic patinas you see on some dials and hands are the result of prolonged darkness in a safe or deposit box.

someone please correct me if i'm wrong, i'm just going off memories of older threads on the subject

I've seen it purported that darkness cause patinas; not certain that it's true however. I wonder about the gold plots preventing reaction with the dial beneath the luminous material.

[stil]

Originally Posted by withthesword

i thought exposing it to sunlight was exactly what caused it to stay white.

the fantastic patinas you see on some dials and hands are the result of prolonged darkness in a safe or deposit box.

someone please correct me if i'm wrong, i'm just going off memories of older threads on the subject

I've read this as well.

[fskywalker]

My 21 year old 16610 has almost no lume left, but almost no patina at all.

[DiamondJack]

Originally Posted by withthesword

i thought exposing it to sunlight was exactly what caused it to stay white.

the fantastic patinas you see on some dials and hands are the result of prolonged darkness in a safe or deposit box.

someone please correct me if i'm wrong, i'm just going off memories of older threads on the subject

That's definitely my understanding and I have a few safe queens with nice patina.

But I think the biggest determinant is differences in the batches of tritium used. For example, the first of the transitional 16800's (so the one's with the gold surrounds and sapphire crystal, quick set date change, first Sub to be rated 1,000 ft etc etc, ) seem to have tritium that can turn almost orange like mine has. Mine is a full set and was a safe queen so may have changed more than others but I have seen a few others of this model that have turned quite orange too.........You can also see that the hands have changed slightly less than the hour plots despite the same conditions so definitely more of a tritium batch issue than just exposure to sunlight etc

[novocainekarma]

I have a 97 SD which is just beginning to develop an off white/cream colour to the plots.
Dont know what conditions it was kept in before my ownership.