Reluming a dial

Looking to the collective wisdom for some advice. I'm considering picking up an 80's Heuer dive watch as a daily beater. I like the looks but would prefer to have working lume. What are my options? Can tritium be reapplied. Could I have the existing lume replaced with SL. Is it possible to find a service dial or have one made. And if any of the above is possible could you recommend some one to do the work. Finally, what sort of price would I be looking at. The watch probably won't be worth more than £500.

If it’s a ‘cheaper’ watch I would get one of the well known relume experts to paint the dial with luminova

Would it be worth bothering, rather than just enjoying the watch for what it is?

All options are possible. Everything from brand new, highly functional lume, to old-looking stuff that barely glows for a moment then goes dark, and all points in between. James #thealchemistrelumer on Insta is your man. He has done a few for me, and friends. I have yet to hear of an unsatisfied customer.
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Originally Posted by gerrudd

Looking to the collective wisdom for some advice. I'm considering picking up an 80's Heuer dive watch as a daily beater. I like the looks but would prefer to have working lume. What are my options? Can tritium be reapplied. Could I have the existing lume replaced with SL. Is it possible to find a service dial or have one made. And if any of the above is possible could you recommend some one to do the work. Finally, what sort of price would I be looking at. The watch probably won't be worth more than £500.

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Speak to James Hyman. He can do literally anything with lume.

Agree with others, can't think of anyone better than James, the guy is a magician. But also as others have stated if it's a beater then why bother. Certainly a rare or cherished watch, but a beater, not sure it's worth it.

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Originally Posted by Wallasey Runner

Agree with others, can't think of anyone better than James, the guy is a magician. But also as others have stated if it's a beater then why bother. Certainly a rare or cherished watch, but a beater, not sure it's worth it.

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Have you had something relumed by him Ken?

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Originally Posted by Hood

Have you had something relumed by him Ken?

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Yes. I sent a 1961 Seiko Alpinist to Olli of this parish for restoration and the dial and hands were forwarded on to James. There is a thread on it on here, James did a good job and wasn't expensive, I think a little over £100 for Dial plots and hand infills.

https://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.p...storation-Tale

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Originally Posted by Wallasey Runner

Yes. I sent a 1961 Seiko Alpinist to Olli of this parish for restoration and the dial and hands were forwarded on to James. There is a thread on it on here, James did a good job and wasn't expensive, I think a little over £100 for Dial plots and hand infills.

https://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.p...storation-Tale

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Good to know.
I'd heard he is good but no experience of him.
Unfortunately with the vintage Rolex even the very best relume massively devalues the piece.

As an alternative option, I used to love the old 80’s Tags and recently bought a new CWC SBS diver with ‘light vintage’ lume as a daily wearer. With the Monnin style case it is as close to a ‘new’ version of an old Tag you can buy IMHO and there’s a fair few options of auto, steel and PVD cased etc. They seem to pop up on the sales forum a fair bit too. Oh, and the lume on mine is very good indeed, even though it is slightly cream coloured you wouldn’t know once night falls!


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Originally Posted by RobDad

As an alternative option, I used to love the old 80’s Tags and recently bought a new CWC SBS diver with ‘light vintage’ lume as a daily wearer. With the Monnin style case it is as close to a ‘new’ version of an old Tag you can buy IMHO and there’s a fair few options of auto, steel and PVD cased etc. They seem to pop up on the sales forum a fair bit too. Oh, and the lume on mine is very good indeed, even though it is slightly cream coloured you wouldn’t know once night falls!


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Funny you should say that. I picked up a CWC SBS 3 or 4 weeks back, the one with the PVD case. Up to that point I thought I didn't like PVD and that a 41mm diver was too big for me. I was wrong. I really like the CWC and find it very attractive, wearable and sensible. Maybe I should be happy with that but there is just something about the 80's TH's I like. We'll see.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...c5abafa3a7.jpg

To everyone else who replied, thank for the advice and suggestions. Even if I don't decide to do anything with it now, it is useful information to have.