What's a T Dial?

[GBJIV]

I am not sure I am getting this right.... Anybody help?

Thanks,

[argee1977]

T = Tritium, this means that tritium has been used for the luminous markers.

L = Luminova, meaning superluminova has been used instead.


Tritium is a radioactive substance that's pretty much banned in watchmaking now, so it's only available on the older watches, luminova requires a light source to charge it whereas tritium glows with or without but fades over time.

[Vito_Corleone]

Originally Posted by argee1977

T = Tritium, this means that tritium has been used for the luminous markers.

L = Luminova, meaning superluminova has been used instead.


Tritium is a radioactive substance that's pretty much banned in watchmaking now, so it's only available on the older watches, luminova requires a light source to charge it whereas tritium glows with or without but fades over time.

Ball and Luminox still use Tritium, I'm sure others do as well.

[mike]

Originally Posted by Vito_Corleone

Ball and Luminox still use Tritium, I'm sure others do as well.

They do. They use glass tubes. I don't believe anyone is using painted trit. dials as before the switch to SL.

[dman]

This is a T dial.












My gone but not forgotten 1A with T dial.

[GBJIV]

That's what I thought.... Hmmm... How do you know then on PAM - T SWISS T?

[rilu]

Rolex banned it for sure, they only use superluminova on their dials they don't want to use anything radioactive. other brands still use it in tubes. someone should research what countries do completely ban it on watch dials applications and witch don't and which ok it only in tubes or painted. i'm sure diferent countries have diferent regulations on these things.

[rilu]

Originally Posted by dman

This is a T dial.












My gone but not forgotten 1A with T dial.

nice watch, what year is it?

[argee1977]

Originally Posted by mike

They do. They use glass tubes. I don't believe anyone is using painted trit. dials as before the switch to SL.

Yeah, i forgot to add that bit, tritium can still be found but has to be self contained, i'm pretty sure it's banned within a lot of industries if not contained. Tritium is used within thousands of items, ranging from watches to nuclear submarines, it's not as bad as other substances but still dangerous if exposed over a period of time and inhaled or taken in through the skin, it is a lot safer than Radium which was used up until the 50s and was the cause for a lot of cancer and deaths within those who used to paint the dials, but then again people used to think radium was safe to eat and drink!

[GBJIV]

Originally Posted by mike

They do. They use glass tubes. I don't believe anyone is using painted trit. dials as before the switch to SL.

Is Luminox tube? Looks painted....

T SWISS T = Trit on PAM?

Thx.

[argee1977]

Originally Posted by GBJIV

Is Luminox tube? Looks painted....

T SWISS T = Trit on PAM?

Thx.

Luminova/superluminova are both painted, tritium on the dials of panerai are painted as well, the tubes are noriceable as they're little glass tubes with the tritium inside, they're only used on a couple of watches at present, i think one of them being the bell and ross dive watch.

[Trurolexer]

GREAT watch, Daren!!!

[GBJIV]

Thanks Ryan, you are a great source of info. Thanks for being on TRF!

[mike]

Originally Posted by GBJIV

Is Luminox tube? Looks painted....

T SWISS T = Trit on PAM?

Thx.

Gus, the tubes are in the rehaut. Here's a shot,



And the glow shot. The dot on the bezel is SL,

[argee1977]

I'm now trying to work out what watch i saw last week that had the tritium glass tubes as the hour indicators, it'll drive me mad until padi or mike come up with the answer

[mailman]

Originally Posted by argee1977

I'm now trying to work out what watch i saw last week that had the tritium glass tubes as the hour indicators, it'll drive me mad until padi or mike come up with the answer

Was it a Ball watch

[mike]

Originally Posted by mailman

Was it a Ball watch

That would be my thought.

[morgman]

I think the panerai 243 had Tritium dials up until this years K-series.
What's up with that?

[GBJIV]

Originally Posted by mike

Gus, the tubes are in the rehaut. Here's a shot,



And the glow shot. The dot on the bezel is SL,

Oh... Very cool Thx!

[dman]

Originally Posted by morgman

I think the panerai 243 had Tritium dials up until this years K-series.
What's up with that?

You are right. I believe that if the watch has over a certain depth rating you can still use tritium. Not sure, but I think so.

[dman]

Originally Posted by rilu

nice watch, what year is it?

That is an A series Panerai, 1997, first year they were post Vendome.

[argee1977]

Originally Posted by mailman

Was it a Ball watch

You could be right, i'll do a little search later to stop it annoying me, all i remember is that i didn't like the watch anyway