Another Lume thread - your thoughts on what I'm considering?

[Rscmaine]

Old people wake up in the middle of the night. (You young guys will eventually learn this inconvenient truth when your time comes...)

And wives get cranky when you turn on the overhead light at 3 AM.

I have a T 16613 (in the avatar) and was originally thinking of getting a second dial and hand set and having them re lumed by Everest Watchworks to glow "as bright as the sun and as long as the night" but realized this morning that the indices are unnecessary. As long as I can see the hands, I can tell time.

Big Bird and Elmo helped me with that many years ago.

So I'm on a quest for new hands to have globbed with as much C1/C3 as they can take so that they glow all night.

As I understand it, the LV and YM both use the 3135 movement - so I'm thinking of getting a pair of the oversize hands from them and having them installed - while (of course) carefully tucking the original tritium hands away and keeping them in case I or anyone in the future wants to return the watch to factory original.

The other alternative is a pair of plated aftermarket regular size hands for around $25- again globbed with as much lume goop as they can carry.

I can get a set of 18K gold sub hands for $100 and have them globbed, but frankly I just don't see any reason why to use 18K. I can't tell the difference visually when they are under the crystal.

By "globbed" I mean as much lume material as possible without interfering with function, and without looking fugly.

The goal here is hands which glow like the barrage searchlights over London in 1941..

Has anyone here ever done this?

[CPTL]

Interesting concept. I don't have an opinion one way or another, and am interested in hearing about it if you do it.

[padi56]

Well just have your dial and hands replaced with a modern SuperLuminova dial.Your watch although from around 1997 would not be classed as a collectable watch

[Rscmaine]

Originally Posted by padi56

Well just have your dial and hands replaced with a modern SuperLuminova dial.Your watch although from around 1997 would not be classed as a collectable watch

Completely reasonable answer, however, the only way to do that is via a full service at RSC - and paying them for the new dial and hands - and my watch had a full service in '07.

That route = $1,200 approx. (I called and asked)

My method = $100-$150...

[Jason71]

Originally Posted by Rscmaine

<snip>...................I can get a set of 18K gold sub hands for $100 and have them globbed, but frankly I just don't see any reason why to use 18K. I can't tell the difference visually when they are under the crystal.

By "globbed" I mean as much lume material as possible without interfering with function, and without looking fugly.

The goal here is hands which glow like the barrage searchlights over London in 1941..

Has anyone here ever done this?

This is the route that I would take, but I would NOT have them re-lumed until I determined that the stock SL was not adequate.

[Rscmaine]

Originally Posted by jclevoy

This is the route that I would take, but I would NOT have them re-lumed until I determined that the stock SL was not adequate.

You may have a point...I hadn't thought of that...I can get the aftermarket hands delivered and test them on the night stand... good idea.

I'll try that.

[The GMT Master]

For around $150, you could get yourself a Seiko Black Monster - cracking watch, and lume better than just about anything on the market. It could be your bed watch

[Balded]

My suggestion or rather my Dad's solution is to keep a torch by the bed.
It can be used to charge the lume, for finding your way around the house at 3am without waking the wife or stubbing your toe - and it's is also a lot cheaper..

[sakuraba]

A suggestion I would make, Nat, is to have a digital watch by your bedside.

Why risk dropping your Rolex while half asleep, or even bashing it against the door you didn't see?

Hope this helps.

[BlackpoolRolexCoaste]

Do what I do.
Take off the Rollie of a night and put on a tritrium gas illuminated watch.
Works for me.

[Tools]

This is easier and cheaper........

[kyle L]

Originally Posted by Tools

This is easier and cheaper........

[cronin]

you could just get a digital alarm clock at Walmart for a couple bucks

[Rscmaine]

The flashlight idea is fine, but I wear my watch 24/7 - I am too blind to read the digital clock without glasses, so if I wake up at 3 AM I want to just put my watch 2 inches from my face and read the time.

No fumbling for a flashlight, or reaching for my glasses -

And wearing a cheapo to bed and switching in the morning means wearing a cheap watch. And life is too short for that.

The safest place for my Rolex is on my wrist...

(we've been over the "house is on fire and you have to run" concept before...my documents are in a bank vault, my money is in the bank...all I am going to try to save at 3 AM is my family)

[jrssv]

I'm an old guy who wakes up in the middle of the night too. My two watches with the Maxi dial solve the problem. Have you thought about trading up to an LV or a GMT IIc?

[ParisDakarBmw]

Although I'm a purist when it comes to the Rolex, if you have the ability to undo the modification, go for it. The replica hands with a aupercharged lume is a really coo ldea. The blue lume would be awesome too. I couldn't do anything too drastic to the watch, but this idea is acceptable to me. I wouldn't turn my back on you if I met you at the news stand, but would inquire about the new look. The fact your keeping the original hands helps me relax a bit.

[CPTL]

Originally Posted by Rscmaine

And wearing a cheapo to bed and switching in the morning means wearing a cheap watch. And life is too short for that.

I'm with you on that one. I find Rolex lume--even new SL--to be totally inadequate after a few hours of total darkness (i.e. sleeping). Still, that's not enough to make me want to wear anything else.

[Double_J]

Might be a totally stupid point, but could the extra weight of the lume potentially make the watch run slow?

I know we're only talking microscopic amounts here, but I just don't know how much 'wiggle room' there is within the movement's capabilities?

[buz-lh]

Just buy a Seiko Monster for that 150-200. No problem seeing this.

[Rscmaine]

Originally Posted by buz-lh

Just buy a Seiko Monster for that 150-200. No problem seeing this.

With all due respect to Seiko lovers, that looks like a steel trash can with hands. Sorry, I'ld rather not know the time than wear that.

[Rscmaine]

Well here goes -

Just ordered a pair of Otto Frei 3135 yellow hands
http://www.ofrei.com/page411.html#5841

and contacted Kent Parks at Everest to do the relume - here's his reply


I just ordered today the best Super-LumiNova™ they make. Its called Grade A C3. I think they have made this for the last 6 months or so, but I have never had any on hand. Its last a percentage longer than their normal (very long lasting "standard" C3) It will probably take about two weeks to arrive from Switzerland.

I normally have a minimum shop charge of $65, but I can use this Grade A C3 and I will charge $40 to strip them and relume them.

So between Otto, Switzerland, Kent's turn around, and Andrew Gallagher getting to the hand swap I should be able to report back in anout 4 weeks.

I'll try to take a good shot of the finished lume and post it up.

[AF/1]

great thread...
keep me posted, i must say, i was a little disappointed in the rolex lume
compared to my luminox watch.

[goduke1]

edit: sorry I missed the post where you already ordered the hands.