USMC8404 Posted November 9, 2008 Report Share Posted November 9, 2008 Good morning all, Yesterday I received the watch in the mail in good condition. I purchased it from a seller on ebay for a very fair price. My question now is why don't the markers and hands glow. I know that they are tritium and not luminova, but with a half life of 12 years or so, shouldn't they still be luminous? What are my options? Should I source an original tritium dial and hands, or have it up dated to superluminova? Sorry, no pictures yet. Will post later when I have more time. The Zigmeister, Bytor, and Stephane: if you are reading this please respond. Thanks guys... Regards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazarini Posted November 9, 2008 Report Share Posted November 9, 2008 Well the tritium glow life is been said to be around 10 years + or there about. I know Kelster has a gen tritium sub. maybe he can comment on the luminosity of his dial and hands. I have here a gen tritium dial on a 16800 Frankenstein, this one is for sure older then your dial but i can confirm that mine has absolutely no glow at all. As for super luming a gen tritium dial most of the people would consider it a blasphemy... personally i agree and would not touch it... Hope this helps to some level... regards Laz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMC8404 Posted November 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2008 Well the tritium glow life is been said to be around 10 years + or there about. I know Kelster has a gen tritium maybe he can comment on the luminosity of his dial and hands. I have here a gen tritium dial on a 16800 Frankenstein, this one is for sure older then your dial but i can confirm that mine has absolutely no glow at all. As for super luming a gen tritium dial most of the people would consider it a blasphemy... personally i agree and would not touch it... Hope this helps to some level... regards Laz Thanks Laz. I am just a bit disappointed. If I were to have the dial and hands replaced at the Rolex service center would it negatively effect the value of the watch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephane Posted November 9, 2008 Report Share Posted November 9, 2008 I am 100% with Laz here . Tritium should probably not glow after so many years. Having said that, remember we've read a lot of different situations about Tritium. Some dials glow longuer than others. Nothing is ever definitive. I'm not sure one could say "after x years, x months, x days, hours and minutes it should not glow anymore ". Maybe By-Tor or Ziggy can add their experience here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greystash Posted November 9, 2008 Report Share Posted November 9, 2008 (edited) I have a "W serial" Sub 1995. Exactly the same thing, if I look at the dial in the dead of night I can see it still glowing just a touch. Had the same questions. My advice would be if you care about the future value of the watch, then leave it all original. With the new Subs that came out this year, the older more traditional Subs are becoming more collectable. And the ones that are still the same as when they rolled out of the factory will be the ones that are valued the most. Edited November 9, 2008 by Greystash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMC8404 Posted November 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2008 I am 100% with Laz here . Tritium should probably not glow after so many years. Having said that, remember we've read a lot of different situations about Tritium. Some dials glow longuer than others. Nothing is ever definitive. I'm not sure one could say "after x years, x months, x days, hours and minutes it should not glow anymore ". Maybe By-Tor or The Zigmeister can add their experience here Thanks Stephane. I have a Rolex service dial that I purchased from a member here on the forum. Maybe I should install it and retain the original to preserve the value. I know if I send it in to Rolex, they will keep the original dial and hands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMC8404 Posted November 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2008 I a "W serial" Sub 1995. Exactly the same thing, if I look at the dial in the dead of night I can see it still glowing just a touch. Had the same questions. My advice would be if you care about the future value of the watch, then leave it all original. With the new Subs that came out this year, the older more traditional Subs are becoming more collectable. And the ones that are still the same as when they rolled out of the factory will be the ones that are valued the most. I am sure you are correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephane Posted November 9, 2008 Report Share Posted November 9, 2008 Thanks Stephane. I have a Rolex service dial that I purchased from a member here on the forum. Maybe I should install it and retain the original to preserve the value. I know if I send it in to Rolex, they will keep the original dial and hands. Well, it's up to you of course. But imho lume is not needed unless you have a hobby or a job for which it's helpfull. When it lumes, you sleep I would never have one of my gen's dial changed, not even by Rolex. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMC8404 Posted November 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2008 I'm going to think it over for a few days. I might end up putting it on TZ for trade. I know lume is not important to the function of the watch, but it really bothers me right now. Maybe I will get over it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchmeister Posted November 9, 2008 Report Share Posted November 9, 2008 If you want glow you should buy a different watch. Tritium is an inferior lumination material. But, unlike Lume, will glow with no charging from an external light source. I have tritium dials and watches from about the same time. They vary from low glow to no glow. My non-scientific observations are that the amount of glow is dependent on so many factors-amount originally put on the marker, material it is mounted on or mixed with, exposure to oxygen/polluted air. I cannot explain why but some of my new old stock dials still glow reasonably well but others have been dead for years. And no, as everyone else has said - don't touch that dial. I prefer to leave tritium dials in watches. So I would suggest buying a better rep or more contemporary lumed sub if you need glow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMC8404 Posted November 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2008 If you want glow you should buy a different watch. Tritium is an inferior lumination material. But, unlike Lume, will glow with no charging from an external light source. I have tritium dials and watches from about the same time. They vary from low glow to no glow. My non-scientific observations are that the amount of glow is dependent on so many factors-amount originally put on the marker, material it is mounted on or mixed with, exposure to oxygen/polluted air. I cannot explain why but some of my new old stock dials still glow reasonably well but others have been dead for years. And no, as everyone else has said - don't touch that dial. I prefer to leave tritium dials in watches. So I would suggest buying a better rep or more contemporary lumed sub if you need glow. DId I mention that this watch is Gen? I guess not. Yes, I am leaning toward trading it off or selling it for what I paid for it. But I'm going to set on it for a few days and think it over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greystash Posted November 9, 2008 Report Share Posted November 9, 2008 DId I mention that this watch is Gen? I guess not. Yes, I am leaning toward trading it off or selling it for what I paid for it. But I'm going to set on it for a few days and think it over. I got the impression you were talking about a gen. I reckon you're right, give it a little time and see. You'll probably get over it. Remember...what it lacks in lume it makes up for in super cool (increasing the value of your watch) lug holes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
takashi Posted November 9, 2008 Report Share Posted November 9, 2008 This will just increase the value of your Sub. Don't change it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rower Posted November 9, 2008 Report Share Posted November 9, 2008 I have a 1988.5 16800 Gen Sub that had also quit glowing a few years ago before I really started collecting or learning about watches. I took it to my authorized Rolex dealer in town and they gladly replaced the "T" (tritium) dial and hands that had quit glowing with superluminova dial and hands. It cost me an arm, a leg and then some to have this done. I asked them for the old dial back and they told me that Rolex will not give them the new dial without sending in the old dial. Now after learning more I am just sick that they got my T dial. I did get the bezel insert with lume dot and all the "T" hands back...but no dial. If I had it to do over again I would not have let them change the dial and hands. Like it is stated above, if you want a watch that glows get a different watch. If you absolutely have to make your gen glow then don't let anyone but The Zigmeister touch it. I have studied luming techniques till I felt like my brain was glowing and The Zigmeister is the master. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligoat Posted November 9, 2008 Report Share Posted November 9, 2008 What about buying another tritium dial on ebay- around $100-150, and have it relumed by Ziggy (or Vaccum, or Everestwatchworks) and a new set of hands from Clark's for around $20- they will have decent lume, but maybe you get those relumed also so they'll match. Have your local watchsmith install them and you keep the old original hands and dial for later. That way you've got your lume for a couple of hundred dollars or so and you can put the original dial and hands on if you decide to sell the watch. I bought a 16800 gen this month- same deal, good price on ebay, wanted a gen beater. Tritium dial w/ white gold surrounds, 8.1m SN, circa 1983. Come to find out the dial and hands still glow fairly well, so now I'm thinking they were a late 90's replacement set. I read the other day on TZ that matte dials were still used into the 8 million SN's. And all I was doing was buying a beater. Of course, I'm happy with the dial and hands and will just leave them as they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guanaco Posted November 9, 2008 Report Share Posted November 9, 2008 I have a Speedmaster that's 36 years old, the Tritium markers still glow but at a very faint glow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephane Posted November 9, 2008 Report Share Posted November 9, 2008 You're right. Hold for a couple of days, you might love it then. But please, leave it as it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoJo35 Posted November 9, 2008 Report Share Posted November 9, 2008 Buyer's remorse? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the window god Posted November 9, 2008 Report Share Posted November 9, 2008 I have a 1985 TT Sub and the markers will just barely glow but the hands still do, strange? anyway I have decided to leave it alone at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray T Posted November 9, 2008 Report Share Posted November 9, 2008 I have a 1996 Tudor with no glow at all on the dial, but the hands still glow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted November 9, 2008 Report Share Posted November 9, 2008 What about buying another tritium dial on ebay- around $100-150, and have it relumed by Ziggy (or Vaccum, or Everestwatchworks) and a new set of hands from Clark's for around $20- they will have decent lume, but maybe you get those relumed also so they'll match. Have your local watchsmith install them and you keep the old original hands and dial for later. That way you've got your lume for a couple of hundred dollars or so and you can put the original dial and hands on if you decide to sell the watch. Ditto that. I would think twice before sending anything to Everest though. He has had 1 of my dials since July (which I stupidly pre-paid in full) & after promising a 4 week turn around, followed by a guarantee of completion weeks ago, the wait continues with no end in sight. And he no longer even bothers to respond to my once bi-weekly email inquiries. Very unprofessional. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligoat Posted November 10, 2008 Report Share Posted November 10, 2008 Ditto that. I would think twice before sending anything to Everest though. He has had 1 of my dials since July (which I stupidly pre-paid in full) & after promising a 4 week turn around, followed by a guarantee of completion weeks ago, the wait continues with no end in sight. And he no longer even bothers to respond to my once bi-weekly email inquiries. Very unprofessional. Thanks for the update, Freddy. I haven't tried him yet, but thinking that Ziggy was probably backed up, I was looking for another option. Vaccum has been slow to respond, also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norituck Posted November 10, 2008 Report Share Posted November 10, 2008 Keep it original or sell it but don't change it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMC8404 Posted November 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2008 Thanks for all of the feed back! After reading and considering all of the options I am leaning toward just leaving it as is, at least for now. I have not ruled out getting a second set of hands and a second dial, but that can wait. For now it will remain in unviolated, unadulterated condition! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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