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Thread: aging tritium?

  1. #1
    Grand Master
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    aging tritium?

    is there a way to hasten the honeying on tritium, so it darkens quicker?

    cheers
    mike :wink:

  2. #2
    Master
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    Re: aging tritium?

    Don't think there is a quick solution, although those kept in the dark certainly go darker, markers & hands on safe queens are often very orangey/brown - but this is over many years. The opposite is that those exposed to light (worn or left out) tend to stay whiter.

    I think Jed posted a comment that a mate had left a Comex on a window sill for 3 months in the summer to bring back a whiteness to the markers, again a bit of a long process.

    Unless anyone has been experimenting with other techniques ?

  3. #3

    Re: aging tritium?

    I'm not a chemist, but I assume that it's actually the paint that's effected by light, not the Tritium itself, unless you've discovered a way to hasten / retard radioactive decay. Sunlight beaching the pigments in the paint, perhaps?
    M

  4. #4
    Master
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    Re: aging tritium?

    Quote Originally Posted by Broussard
    I'm not a chemist, but I assume that it's actually the paint that's effected by light, not the Tritium itself, unless you've discovered a way to hasten / retard radioactive decay. Sunlight beaching the pigments in the paint, perhaps?
    M
    Neither am I and haven't a clue regarding whats at work here :) , but the observations regarding exposure or not to light and the effects on T dial markers & hands are well evidenced

  5. #5
    Master
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    Re: aging tritium?

    Just my 2p. I have a two years old T dial Panerai and the markers are distinctly creamier than the hands have thus achieved.

    My point is, only two years to get a distinct and discernable patination :)

  6. #6
    Master lysanderxiii's Avatar
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    Re: aging tritium?

    Quote Originally Posted by Bluetinfloor
    Quote Originally Posted by Broussard
    I'm not a chemist, but I assume that it's actually the paint that's effected by light, not the Tritium itself, unless you've discovered a way to hasten / retard radioactive decay. Sunlight beaching the pigments in the paint, perhaps?
    M
    Neither am I and haven't a clue regarding whats at work here :) , but the observations regarding exposure or not to light and the effects on T dial markers & hands are well evidenced
    Placing a watch in direct sunlight will bleach the pigment out of the paint, to include the background.

  7. #7
    Master Pablo's Avatar
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    Re: aging tritium?

    That aged tritium look is really cool. I've a Fortis with tritium lume that's at least 5 years old but the lume is still as green as ever - no sign of it changing.

    Nick

  8. #8
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    Re: aging tritium?

    Sorry to bump this thread but I stumbled across it yesterday and thought it was interesting so I conducted a little experiment last night :D. I left my 5513 directly under a bright lamp for a couple of hours (not so close that it melted the watch!). Now the tritium, particularly on the dial, is noticably lighter. I kind of wish I hadn't done it now! :lol:

  9. #9
    Master
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    Re: aging tritium?

    Quote Originally Posted by uwtc
    Sorry to bump this thread but I stumbled across it yesterday and thought it was interesting so I conducted a little experiment last night :D. I left my 5513 directly under a bright lamp for a couple of hours (not so close that it melted the watch!). Now the tritium, particularly on the dial, is noticably lighter. I kind of wish I hadn't done it now! :lol:
    Whyever not? My own 1655 is quite bleached from a lot of exposure to sunlight (obviously not is Scotland) & ii's part of its history. 8)

    I'm sure it looks upon its fellow watches with honeyed markers and feels sorry for them spending their lives in a dark, dry safe while it got out to play. :lol:

    Mike.

  10. #10

    Re: aging tritium?

    If I recall correctly, I've seen pictures of modders putting dials into the oven at a low heat, to give the lume an artificially aged appearance. They did it with an Alpha - you might not want to do it to your watch, though!

  11. #11
    Master
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    Re: aging tritium?

    Quote Originally Posted by RTH
    If I recall correctly, I've seen pictures of modders putting dials into the oven at a low heat, to give the lume an artificially aged appearance. They did it with an Alpha - you might not want to do it to your watch, though!
    :shock: :shock: :shock: Think I'll give that one a miss! :lol:

  12. #12

    Re: aging tritium?

    I saw a setup in a post, the guy had heat lamps set up above Rolex Daytona dials, I assumed to "Patrizzi" them!
    Not sure if it was a spoof or not.
    C.

  13. #13
    Craftsman hiver's Avatar
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    Re: aging tritium?

    This is a classic debate topic, I even saw a post where a guy hung out his watch on a tree in the yard for months, aiming to give the dial patina :-) The other camp, as has been mentioned here, suggests to keep a tritium dial in as dark a place as possible, for the tirium to develop that creamy/reddish/orangy colour..

    /M

  14. #14
    Thread revival.
    Any recent views on the subject ? I have always been fascinated by the varying degrees of patina on watches from same age and same brand and differing patina on markers and hands.

  15. #15
    Master
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    Have a friend who wasn’t a fan of dark patina and searched for months for the right shade on a DRSD, finally got one and it was still a little dark for his taste so left it on a window sill in strong sunshine. Did the trick and he is now a happy bunny and the proud owner of a thin case DRSD with perfect patina for his taste.

  16. #16
    Master newsboy's Avatar
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    Here’s my safe queen that’s been locked up in the dark for a number of years




    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  17. #17
    Master
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    Reading this reminded me of Artisans de Genève's recent offering; tropical patina to order Daytona 6240s no less, as highlighted by frp422's thread.

    Though, if I was going to be spending €30,000 it would be me that I would be ageing for 5-7 weeks in the Bahamas!

  18. #18
    Master Redwolf's Avatar
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    A fascinating subject, I just wish there was a definitive answer.
    I have a few with tritium, this one a L/E diving watch. My theory is the Chronograph hand which is closer to the light has turned the desired honey colour while the rest is kept wanting.

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by watchlovr View Post
    I saw a setup in a post, the guy had heat lamps set up above Rolex Daytona dials, I assumed to "Patrizzi" them!
    Not sure if it was a spoof or not.
    C.
    I think I remember one such company based in the Caribbean that does something similar. Utterly ridiculous!

  20. #20
    Master Redwolf's Avatar
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    I picked up this NoS Lorenz from 1987 (I think) maybe 1988.

    Can’t capture the beautiful way the lume has aged that creamy yellow look.
    Cal. 955.111 and a 503.305 Brevet case.






  21. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by newsboy View Post
    Here’s my safe queen that’s been locked up in the dark for a number of years




    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    That saddens me so much... get it worn!!!

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