Akira Posted January 30, 2014 Report Posted January 30, 2014 I've been around luming for a bit now and a few things always bothered me a little... Luming needs a lot of practice - so it's natural that the first relumes will look like... However, 1. I often see topics, sales thread with watches advertised as "puffy lume mod" - more often than not, it's just clumsy applied lume! How many of those old vintages really have that style of lume? Many just have flat, sometimes slightly raised lume dots. 2. Real Rolex Tritium lume binder is 100% matte - that's something that's very hard to archive as you need a good binder Many people use clear vanish that still has a light gloss to it - an instant tell for me 3. The binder has completely dried out, without looking hard - too often the relume looks like dried paint 4. Original Rolex lume has an unique texture I found all these points/faults within my own lume/binder mixture at some stage of my learning curve. So, I decided to try out new stuff...change is good! Luckily I have a genuine 5513 matte dial and genuine 1675 matte dial with original Tritium at my place at the moment, to take as much inspiration as possible. A few gen pics for reference After various mixtures, try-outs after try-out, I have found a mix I feel comfortable to relume my own watches with. I probably won't come closer to the look of the real thing... 6x lense 20x lense I'd appreciate your input! Does it look good? Better? Worse? Looking forward to your replies! A
dbane883 Posted January 30, 2014 Report Posted January 30, 2014 I think its really good. Great colour, but texture just slightly off. Looks a bit "dry" and chalky. I'd thicken it up just a touch. To me it has to look like sponge toffee. Or the cross section of a slab of cake before you put the frosting on. Close up of my pre Comex tritium dial:
Donerix 2.0 Posted January 30, 2014 Report Posted January 30, 2014 You definitely nailed the color. Maybe just a touch less coarse. I see a lot of lime requests coming your way - if you want it or not
F.Castro Posted January 30, 2014 Report Posted January 30, 2014 I think its really good. Great colour, but texture just slightly off. Looks a bit "dry" and chalky. I'd thicken it up just a touch. To me it has to look like sponge toffee. Or the cross section of a slab of cake before you put the frosting on. Close up of my pre Comex tritium dial: +1
ogladio Posted January 30, 2014 Report Posted January 30, 2014 Very very impressive Akira! You've come a very long way. As others have pointed out, color is spot on. There's quite some variation I'd say regarding how the degradation has affected texture, some spongy - some not and more dry/matte. Regarding shape, my understanding is that gilt dials and earlier matte dials had more rounded shapes, later ones having flat appearance. Bart dial: Malteser plots matte: Spongy:
freddy333 Posted January 30, 2014 Report Posted January 30, 2014 Akira - I agree with most of your comments, but I think you need to sharpen the edges of your relume & swap some of the (convex) bumps for (concave) dimples. Also, make sure that whatever you use does not glow, or, if it glows, it glows VERY dimly & fades quickly (within seconds). Otherwise, although there are a small number of notable exceptions, a bright glow on a 50+ year old dial is always a dead give-away of man-made 'dabbling'.
Akira Posted January 31, 2014 Author Report Posted January 31, 2014 Thanks for the comments. I appreciate the input and suggestions! I'm well aware how it's still different to original Tritium lume, but after hours and hours of trying I wouldn't know how to replicate the look at 100%. Do you? Who does? I've yet to come by a relume job that is undistinguishable to the real deal - the closest I've seen is probably from The Zigmeister (which I have not seen through a 20x lense though) But who knows what he uses/used? Btw, Freddy - it's not glowing at all. Cheers, A
phillycheez Posted January 31, 2014 Report Posted January 31, 2014 (edited) Whoever does the lume for nbtimes.... Serious note... The Zigmeisters job on a Tudor snowflake is the best I've ever seen. Forgot who's but it's a Gen dial. I would say you're pretty close, just the texture isn't there yet. Edited January 31, 2014 by phillycheez
cc33 Posted January 31, 2014 Report Posted January 31, 2014 Not bad, I agree with freddy sharpening things up and getting the texture right is possible. My dial guy does it pretty good, I can ask him for the formula if anyone is interested, it doesn't glow 2
freddy333 Posted January 31, 2014 Report Posted January 31, 2014 Experiment with various pointed objects to 'prick' the surface to replicate the tiny dimples (originally air bubbles that popped).
Akira Posted January 31, 2014 Author Report Posted January 31, 2014 My dial guy does it pretty good, I can ask him for the formula if anyone is interested, it doesn't glow I wouldn't mind knowing Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
cc33 Posted January 31, 2014 Report Posted January 31, 2014 I'll ask him, not sure if he will tell me though!
Big Dazza Posted January 31, 2014 Report Posted January 31, 2014 I've started working on trying to get this effect more accurately. I think I've found a way of doing the very fine pin holes. Problem is I have no good dials to try it on and I dont have a 20X loupe to take good photos :S Had a go at a 12 marker (a bit thick but was only a test) and also spread a bit on a blank dial to show the effect better. What do you guys think? Probably cant see it clearly enough though
dbane883 Posted January 31, 2014 Report Posted January 31, 2014 I've used a satin varnish binder, acrylic paint, and Masa (corn flour). I found masa creates the best texture..regular wheat flour is too fine... But getting the consistency is the key. Obviously no lume with the above ingredients. 1
Akira Posted January 31, 2014 Author Report Posted January 31, 2014 I've started working on trying to get this effect more accurately. I think I've found a way of doing the very fine pin holes. Problem is I have no good dials to try it on and I dont have a 20X loupe to take good photos :S Had a go at a 12 marker (a bit thick but was only a test) and also spread a bit on a blank dial to show the effect better. What do you guys think? Probably cant see it clearly enough though Looks pretty good too from that resolution. Definitely an improvement! Does it glow?
Big Dazza Posted January 31, 2014 Report Posted January 31, 2014 It does glow. I reckon I can make some that doesnt glow without too much trouble. I like my watches to glow though. Just need someone to send me some dials to be a guinea pig
Akira Posted February 3, 2014 Author Report Posted February 3, 2014 Update: This is now good enough for me 6x lense plus zoom 20x lense Perfect? Maybe not... but very close to the naked eyes.
ogladio Posted February 4, 2014 Report Posted February 4, 2014 Really like it, would say that you're just about as close as it gets if we're talking "lume" mixture (color, texture). Lovely picture of the hands too! When it comes to the dial, I'd say what remains for perfection is just practice and more practice to get the indice shape 100% (circles, rectangles and triangle). Just my uneducated 5 cents
Akira Posted February 4, 2014 Author Report Posted February 4, 2014 Really like it, would say that you're just about as close as it gets if we're talking "lume" mixture (color, texture). Lovely picture of the hands too! When it comes to the dial, I'd say what remains for perfection is just practice and more practice to get the indice shape 100% (circles, rectangles and triangle). Just my uneducated 5 cents Thats true...100 relumes from now they might be totally accurate in shape, but looking on my wrist I have to say they look pretty, pretty sharp. I might have terrible eyesight though
Mendota Explorer Posted February 5, 2014 Report Posted February 5, 2014 Here's a thought - is there any way to aerate/whip the lume mixture and make it frothy while you are mixing it? In theory, once it dries you might have the same tiny air bubbles and pores from the bubbles popping during the drying process. I've never worked with lume before so I have absolutely no idea what the consistency is, or if this is even possible, but it's just a thought.
mcotter Posted February 6, 2014 Report Posted February 6, 2014 cc33, Your "dial guy" has it down,his work is superb! It may be the only rival to RolexAddict's work which I hold in very high regard. He is a treasure, treat him as such!....thanks for showing off his work...best, mcotter I own a fair amount of 40 yr old lume, it's glow is all long past....
jdog111578 Posted February 23, 2017 Report Posted February 23, 2017 Yes, necro bumping an old thread, but Akira, but Akira, are you able to send me a message, I have a quick question. Cant seem to message you. @Akira
altesporsche Posted February 23, 2017 Report Posted February 23, 2017 On 1/31/2014 at 3:37 PM, cc33 said: Flat type from my dial man: Think he would do a Comex dial for me ? Im itching to get my 5514 complete !!!! Hahahah just realized how old this thread was..... oops got a little excited 1
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