Bodo Posted July 9, 2006 Report Share Posted July 9, 2006 (edited) Some of my Reps have bad Lume in the markers, but they look like genuine because they´re lumed flatly, even and with matt-white finish Others ahve rather great lume which glows green in the dark but: In the light you can tell it´s a fake from the hi gloss finish and uneven application. I have a genuine Yachtmaster and TT Sub so I can compare them. Genuine Rolex never has hi gloss finish on the luminova. It´s always matt, always even, always recessed from the edges. So how can I relume the markers with matt finish Super-Luminova to give my reps the genuine look? Is there anyone in Europe, better Germany, who does that job? If someone had already done it I´d appreciate a how-to. Edited July 9, 2006 by Bodo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Usil Posted July 9, 2006 Report Share Posted July 9, 2006 Good question. I would like to know too. Is it something they mix into it prior to application? Or is it the application process itself? Usil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finepics Posted July 9, 2006 Report Share Posted July 9, 2006 Its a combination of both things. When the gens are lumed they are done by machine and there are certain machine application varnish/binders that are mixed with the lume powder that give a glossy finish. This is not possible when applying lume by hand as different varnish/binders have to be used so after the lume has dried it will be matte. Then a coat of the varnish needs to be applied over the lume which will give the gloss finish to it. Hand application will never be as good as a machine finish so it should be borne in mind as we all have a tendancy to examine our reps under magnification where, of course, any faults will be more apparent. But under the naked eye they should not be that visible. A rep is a rep so if perfection is what you want then buy the gen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchwatcher Posted July 9, 2006 Report Share Posted July 9, 2006 only one guy that seems to get this mod right... The Zigmeister. i had him lume my 1680... he used an ivory matte lume which is very bright in the dark and has a smooth matte yellowish look of a real vintage in the light... i doubt this picture will show what i'm talking about well, but here it is (the dk flecks are not on the lume, but rain drops from when i took the pic outside): Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finepics Posted July 9, 2006 Report Share Posted July 9, 2006 only one guy that seems to get this mod right... The Zigmeister. i had him lume my 1680... he used an ivory matte lume which is very bright in the dark and has a smooth matte yellowish look of a real vintage in the light... i doubt this picture will show what i'm talking about well, but here it is (the dk flecks are not on the lume, but rain drops from when i took the pic outside): Not sure that only one guy gets it right!!!! I also have the Vintage Rolex lume in stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sssurfer Posted July 9, 2006 Report Share Posted July 9, 2006 I know very little about Polexes, but I suppose that reluming is not very different in different brands once the relumer knows about the needed nuances in different models and vintages. Then it all comes to hand precision and skill. And, as for that, I can add my witness that Finepics is second to noone (with all my respects to The Zigmeister), on the gorgeous job he made on my best watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finepics Posted July 9, 2006 Report Share Posted July 9, 2006 Marco - thanks for that, it was a pleasure to do yours!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubiquitous Posted July 9, 2006 Report Share Posted July 9, 2006 (edited) A genuine 16610 marker up close. The lume looks like snow packed into the marker... However, I have seen a few genuine (modern) markers done a bit sloppily from Rolex SA. Seems that every now and then, a less than perfect ne will slip out of QC... Edited July 9, 2006 by ubiquitous Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bodo Posted July 10, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2006 A genuine 16610 marker up close. The lume looks like snow packed into the marker... However, I have seen a few genuine (modern) markers done a bit sloppily from Rolex SA. Seems that every now and then, a less than perfect ne will slip out of QC... That´s what I mean. Even, matte and recessed from the frame. I´m curious how these markers are produced at the factory. BTW I didn´t mean the old non frame markers. These are different from the modern type. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
palpatine Posted July 10, 2006 Report Share Posted July 10, 2006 Not sure that only one guy gets it right!!!! I also have the Vintage Rolex lume in stock. mee too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swdivad Posted July 10, 2006 Report Share Posted July 10, 2006 And, as for that, I can add my witness that Finepics is second to noone (with all my respects to The Zigmeister), on the gorgeous job he made on my best watch. I will second that Finepics does a finerelume Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finepics Posted July 10, 2006 Report Share Posted July 10, 2006 Thanks for all the compliments guys - the thing you have to remember is that Rolex do not hand lume their markers. They are all machine made on highly specialised equpiment and this cannot be nearly as well reproduced when luming by hand. Really the only solution to this would be to source an original dial - this is why Frankenwatches are the Rolls royce of reps - so to speak!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V Posted July 10, 2006 Report Share Posted July 10, 2006 I will second that Finepics does a finerelume I will third that? I guess this is not right but whatever.. Finepic does a very good job indeed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchwatcher Posted July 11, 2006 Report Share Posted July 11, 2006 mee too! finepics/palp... post a pic or two pics, that's more convincing. the tricky thing about the vintage lume jobs is that they do not have the metal retaining border that we see in ubi's closeup pic of that standard marker. without that, it takes a very steady hand. the other thing i like about zig's work is that it not only has the correct vintage-yellow tint, but it glows like a torch at night... side story: i walked into an AG yesterday... one of the largest in metro NYC, in order to try on an Oris tt1. I was wearing the 1680 and took it off to try on the Oris. So the salesman picks up my 1680, looks it all over, then says "so how's your R-L-X running"... I said "runs fine, but i just wear that as a 'beater'" ... the guy's jaw dropped and nearly hit the floor... but, fwiw, this guy was pretty green and wouldn't have known a gen from a rep anyway... goes to show you who's really manning the counters at these AGs... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubiquitous Posted July 11, 2006 Report Share Posted July 11, 2006 Well, the great thing about the vintage dials is that the lume can vary so much with each specific example. Lots of different suppliers of dials, varying conditions that the watch was kept or stored in over time, etc. You have thick, puffy markers, uneven markers (from tritium swelling), flat markers, etc. 5513 Gilt dial: 1680: 1665 Rail Dial: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
palpatine Posted July 12, 2006 Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 (edited) finepics/palp... post a pic or two pics, that's more convincing. the tricky thing about the vintage lume jobs is that they do not have the metal retaining border that we see in ubi's closeup pic of that standard marker. without that, it takes a very steady hand. the other thing i like about zig's work is that it not only has the correct vintage-yellow tint, but it glows like a torch at night... mine do not glow or only a little bit, i can vary that like i want to! the genuine vintages usually do not glow anymore or only a little bit... Edited July 12, 2006 by palpatine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Watchandpen Posted August 15, 2006 Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 By the way (to Finepics) - I just sent you a PM with a request to relume my 45mm PO. RSVP. Many thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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