Rolex Hand Corrosion Magnified Macro Photos; What does it show?

[CaveDiver]

Rolex Hand Corrosion Magnified Macro Photos; What does it show?

Thought I would share some photographs of vintage Rolex hands and the corrosion findings. This first photo shows what I would expect normal corrosion to look like. Although I read old vintage hands were made of steal, the color of the corrosion has the look of what I have seen in coppers. Here is the second hand



The second photo is the lume ring of the second hand. Here you can see the corrosion crystals.



Now, onto the strange corrosion of the minute and hour hands. From eye view the corrosion looks about the same as seen on some other types of plated metals.

When magnified the damage the corrosion is causing is even more evident and it looks like there may be some basic flaws in the hand design or not designed to last decades without corrosion. I’m by far not an expert so this is only an opinion. Notice how the corrosion is more prevalent the closer the hands are to the shaft.

Now, magnified the corrosion looks like a liquid that has solidified. Almost like lacquer or oil that has aged and was globed onto the surface.


Is this galvanic corrosion, bad electroplating or something else? My uneducated opinion is leading toward galvanic. Anyone else have close up macros that shows similar corrosion?
A little history of this example: Was told the watch never leaked.

[mpkRolex]

stunning magnification and superb quality picture..although sad to see the corrosion

[kyle L]

Man that corrosion is really nice.

[kyle L]

Well the corrosion on the second hands is nice...

[larrysb]

The tritiated paint (luminous paint) is zinc sulfide + copper. Not sure what factor that plays in the corrosion process, but I would guess that it has some effect, even on stainless steel.

[robsteve]

I would say the blobs near the shaft are oil. The green on the second hand looks like corrosion.

Have you asked your watchmaker to clean them up?

Robert

[robsteve]

Here is what the hands on my 1953 6150 Explorer look like. I assume the lume is Radium, as it still glows dimly. I believe they are gilded steel. The hands from back then just may not be that smooth as we never look at them this closely.

[CaveDiver]

^^
Unfortunately I do not think it is oil. Not sure they put oil there and if they did don’t think it would be near that amount. Very similar “stuff” appears at the very end of the minute hand as well. I will be getting the watch worked on shortly and ask the watchmaker about it.

Your hands look very nice for the age.

[Rikki]

The white hands are rhodiom or nickel plated over steel not stainless. The combination of the tritiam and off gassing of oils and lubricants and possibly moisture from the past probably started the corrossion process then took years to get where it is. I have seen pocket watchs from the 40's where the glass crystals were turned in for the war effort and replaced with high sulfer content plastic crystals that off gassed sulfer that literally ate the hands down to the nub rusted to dust. The crystals turned a dark yellow. Rik

[ayres]

awesome pics... and good explanations here...

also, how does the watch run? is it consistent?

[CaveDiver]

Originally Posted by ayres

awesome pics... and good explanations here...

also, how does the watch run? is it consistent?

It was serviced at the NY RSC in early 1995 and put it up and never wound or worn when it came back from service. It was stored for over 15 years unused until it was given to me at the end of 2009. I ran it for two weeks and it lost ~50 seconds. I’m told it should be cleaned and oiled because the oil is most likely dry. The reserve is over 48 hours.
I’m told it should be cleaned and oiled before it is run for any extended period of time. Do the standard service parts really need to be replaced? Seems like a waste to replace a clean crystal, unused mainspring, crown and tube. Seals I’m sure should be replaced.

[Tonys]

The corrosion is of the nickel plated metal (probably steel). For corrosion to take place, two things are needed, oxygen and moisture. Water must have entered the watch for this to occur.

[lepilo]

to salvage the corroded hands or halt the further corrosion?

[Rikki]

No the corrosion is under the plating affecting the steel, you could probably get the corrosion off but the hands will remain pitted. As far as the crystal is concerned when a plastic crystal is put on it is under quite a bit of pressure and when it is released to do case and detail work they sometimes fracture and the cost of a plastic crystal is minimal anyway so I'd replace it as I do with all plastic crystals when they come in for service. Rik