Is it possible to "Tropical-ize" my 5513 dial?

[bkwbkw]

I'm looking to try something a bit different with my next vintage project - Tropical brown dial. Not really brown, but a slight brown tinge under certain angles.

Anyone try achieving the tropical look?

I tried using a UV lamp, but didnt get anywhere. Perhaps if I kept it under the light a bit longer, I wouldve achieved a little browning, but the lamp I have is this small handheld germ killing gadget thing.

I've used heat lamps to brown the markers and text, but I've never gotten the dial to turn brown.

From what I've read, the tropical process occurs naturally when the dial (watch) is constantly in the sun, and perhaps a little bit of humidity inside the case. UV light + humidifier?

-or-

Is the paint that the refinishers (yuki, ndt, etc) use not have the similiar chemical cmoposition as the paint used by Rolex?

Anyways, any tips or ideas would be appreciated.

[Nanuq]

There's an ongoing discussion on VRF right now about this exact topic:

VRF discussion

Most people think this happens because the primary color components of the black dial paint can vary by batch. If, for example, the "blue" component was weaker or faded faster than the others, you would see predominantly red and yellow with the black... hence the brown tint.

If you let it go crazy long in intense sun over many years, you can get a pretty startling tropical brown:

[Watchmeister]

I suspect someone is going to be doing a lot of tanning for the next 5 years.

[FxrAndy]

I will let you know in a week or so i just put an MBW red sub dial under a UV light, i may even try to set up a magnifing lense above

Bob dident you go somewhere hot a while ago and noticed your dial changing, i remember a post?????

[donerix]

I just bleached a bezel with "magica blanca", the local bleach brand and ended up with a tropical bezel insert by coincidence:

[urbanshogun]

this happened because of a production flaw in the dials, so i can imagine the gen effect is very difficult to imitate.

[highoeyazmuhudee]

i got a similar effect with some spilled iodine and the toaster oven. only in sharp angles is it visible. too hard for the camera sensor to pickup, so dont ask.

[Nanuq]

Bob dident you go somewhere hot a while ago and noticed your dial changing, i remember a post?????

Here ya go, is that a tropical MBW??

[FxrAndy]

Was it heat and light do you think that changed it, cant find the original post

[chiman12]

i got a similar effect with some spilled iodine and the toaster oven. only in sharp angles is it visible. too hard for the camera sensor to pickup, so dont ask.

very interesting H...do you have any pics my friend or was it so subtle that it is next to impossible for the sensor to pick up? Because this is the look I'm going after for my next project.

[FxrAndy]

I will let you know in a week or so i just put an MBW red sub dial under a UV light, i may even try to set up a magnifing lense above

Bob dident you go somewhere hot a while ago and noticed your dial changing, i remember a post?????

Over a week under the lamp and i think i am seeing some fading but it is so faint it may be my imagination