Tritium marked dial with no lume?

[John in MA]

Got a question guys and hope to get some help. I have a 16800 matte dial that I love. Got the watch here and trust the seller 150%.

My question is regarding the tritium or what appears to be the lack thereof.
Here is my best shot at pics but I swear that the markers look just as white as the text and Rolex crown. Is it there and I'm just imagining it isn't or is it true there is no lume there.

I know that Tudor sub dials came without lume to the Sydney RSC and had luminova put on them but didn't know if this was serviced with a tritium marked dial but no lume. The hands and black bezel match (the faded bezel isn't the one the watch came with). I'd crack it open but it's water resistant and the back is on REALLY tight.

John

[CaveDiver]

Going by what can be seen in the photos, it appears the lume has been removed. Any guess is good as any, bad relume job, so just remove it, cracked lume, did not like the how it ages, or some other reason.
Are the hands tritium?

[John in MA]

Yes the hands and the pearl from the first picture are tritium and glow though not brightly.

The dial on the other hand is a different story.

I found this post from freelance:

There are officially FOUR types of "T" marked dials that are 100% valid / legit.

1.) Real Deal Tritium Lumed Dial's
2.) "Washed" Tritium Dial's*
3.) "Lumi" Dial's marked with a T
4.) "Serti" Dial's marked with a T

*Washed dial's are essentially the dial, with the factory white paint/area markers where the lume gets applied on top of. I have seen two of these in person as RSC parts one a 1665 and one a 1680. I believe these are the late 90's pre-cursor to the Lumi applied on top of these spots. These dials do NOT glow, but look really fresh. They are easily mistaken for super clean new, unglowing, Tritium.

http://www.rolexforums.com/showpost....6&postcount=20

which has me wondering if this is a "washed dial".

The dial is in MINT condition with no evidence of the tritium ever being removed.

[joe100]

I don't think it looks like its been removed. Probably just dead.

[CaveDiver]

There has been discussions about washed and what that is. Not sure how many think Rolex would let something like "washed" out the door from factory.

[John in MA]

So how do you remove tritium and get it to look pristine afterward? Every time I have seen this there is staining afterwards.

[CaveDiver]

Originally Posted by John in TN

So how do you remove tritium and get it to look pristine afterward? Every time I have seen this there is staining afterwards.

John,
Sorry that no one has answered your question. I think this question is best to be answered by someone that relumes dials. You can try contacting Kent Parks at Everest: http://www.everestwatchworks.com/ and Noah ([email protected]) http://www.10watches.com/apps/photos...lbumid=9145471

[kyle L]

To my eyes it doesn't look removed... my guess is that the lume is just dead.

[CaveDiver]

Originally Posted by John in TN

So how do you remove tritium and get it to look pristine afterward? Every time I have seen this there is staining afterwards.

Although it is easy to hide blemishes like spotting in photographs, here is a dial where the lume has been removed. In this picture anyway, looks good.

[Beaumont Miller II]

John,
I think all is ok. I had a similar question many years ago concerning one of my dials. Under the advice of Springer, I took it to the operating room pathology lab and looked at it under a microscope. Thank goodness for small imperfections. You have a two dimensional picture of a 3 dimensional object. It is hard to see that layer of tritium because it is thin. What I found on some of the lume plots was similar to what I see on picture number 4 of your post. The imperfection I am referring to is the paint peeking out from the tritium. Look at the 11 o'clock lume plot. That is the paint peeking out from under the tritium at the 3 o'clock postition on the 11 o'clock lume plot. Under high magification tritium looks very granular like sand, and the paint looks, well like paint. Another way to tell is this. I bought a 10X loupe with two lights attached a white light and a UV light. Under UV light even though old tritium won't glow, you can still see maybe 5 or so crystals of tritium light up on each lume plot. You would not be able to tell without the loupe. Kind of neat and the loupe only costs $25.00. I think your dial is fine.

[John in MA]

Awesome and thanks for the assist on this guys.

[jedly1]

[/QUOTE]

looks fine ...just looks very flight and a thin coat.....the base dial is painted in stark whiote circles over which the lume is applied...on that alst phot you can clearly see two different materials on there, the white paint under and a light cream luminous application

[jedly1]

Originally Posted by CaveDiver

Although it is easy to hide blemishes like spotting in photographs, here is a dial where the lume has been removed. In this picture anyway, looks good.

???...do you mean its been stripped and re applied ??

look to have lume on to me ?..is there a post that has come from ?

[CaveDiver]

Originally Posted by jedly1

looks fine ...just looks very flight and a thin coat.....the base dial is painted in stark whiote circles over which the lume is applied...on that alst phot you can clearly see two different materials on there, the white paint under and a light cream luminous application

Jed,
To me the picture you quoted appears to be a blown up and blown contrast. Notice the second markers on the edge of dial. I could be wrong, but the poster said he could not see any lume and I’m only going by the picture posted. Like you said though, it could be there.
Cheers
CD

[CaveDiver]

Originally Posted by jedly1

???...do you mean its been stripped and re applied ??

look to have lume on to me ?..is there a post that has come from ?

Yes Jed,
I have included the post here were Tom describes:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/20759...6205+from+1954
In dial archive:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/53956...ted+by+tomvox1


From what I remember Tom (dial archive) owned this dial?
He stated the lume was removed. Maybe I misunderstood??
It is hard to tell from straight on shot, but a little clear here:

[John in MA]

Originally Posted by CaveDiver

Jed,
To me the picture you quoted appears to be a blown up and blown contrast. Notice the second markers on the edge of dial. I could be wrong, but the poster said he could not see any lume and I’m only going by the picture posted. Like you said though, it could be there.
Cheers
CD

Cd

That pic people are referencing is a shot I took with my iPhone. No adjustments were made. I've honestly chalked up that sort of color variation to the way light was hitting the markers as when you look at the other shots the lume looks to be just as white as the text.

Comments are making me begin to think I was wrong with that assessment.

[A.K.]

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