Hi All,
So with half a day free I set about another dial ageing experiment. This time on a Broad Arrow 57 replica dial for the 1861. In the spirit of keeping everyone informed about what is possible there are some photos below.

It was interesting to see that this test yielded the smooth almost satin finish to the dial itself that some of the originals show. The black has turned a very deep dark brown. I suspect the colour change to the hour markers might be a bit too much. The dial had some marks on it and was not new to begin with.

The pics show it next to a 50th anniversary dial that is original. What do you guys think?

Btw, I do not disclose how I've done this for good reason

 

Pretty cool, does the Luminova still glow?

 

Yes it does still glow and is even, although probably not as bright as before.

 

Looks good. I would not be surprised if many of the Brown/tropical dial Speedmasters were "generated" in a similar way.
Perhaps one difference between a naturally-aged versus force-aged dial would be in the uniformity of the result?

 

Joe, I guess that's what I'm trying to find out. Although I've got a drawer full of brown Mark II dials that got that way naturally I'm sure. They are very even too. With this particular method it would be possible to add some unevenness to the finish.

 

Interesting. In the past I experimented with exposing dial to UV source. Results were uneven "aging/deterioration". These were not Omega speedmaster dials, so the conclusions are not likely relevant.

 

Possibly a little too dark but when fitted with a set of matching hands it should look great

 

Just a thought.............maybe there is no such thing as a 'tropical' dial and they are all artificial, or maybe I have been watching too many low budget conspiracy docs on Netflix?

 

That's what I am scared of.....

 

Very interesting area of 'research'. I had vaguely wondered whether a tropical dial could be replicated using some combination of heat and UV. The laws of physics / chemistry says that this should be the case, as witnessed by your pics

 

Ha!
Just gotta find another way of producing a different coloured weathered dial and we are away to the $$$$!

 

$1k for a vintage dial with patina on ebay must get all the budding DIY alchemists conjuring up magical potions

 

Don't worry Space, I think there is more than enough evidence of one owner watches with tropical dials to say that real ones do exist. The trouble is just like with faded and spider web Rolex parts, they start to become a commodity which encourages exactly what I've done.

I wouldn't be comfortable selling these without making it very clear they aren't showing the genuine effect of age and marking them will a "tell". The only watch I've made so far with an aged dial (1968 Speedmaster ) has a mark on the reverse of the dial for that very reason.

I don't want to add to the problem but there is a demand for that look. For example, all the Speedmaster's sent to Omega for servicing that come back with new dials and hands with the originals chucked in a bag and damaged by the return trip.

 

that can be achived by aging the lume with any sort of colour and apply a new coat of matte` spray varnish. heat does not turn speedy dials brown. kind regards. achim

 

Actually Achim, others have shown that they do turn brown in the oven. Both the luminous and the dial itself. As far as I know, no paint or spray was used in those cases. Neither were they used in this experiment

 

Original brown aged dials definitely exist imo, I bought a nice 105.003 one direct from the original owner for not much money a few years ago. Although I do wonder how it happens naturally as this guy lived in the UK all his life (not exactly tropical) and there was no sign of other ageing factors.

 

I've always wondered about the use of "tropical". It obviously came from somewhere but I think brown or chocolate is more accurate, given the various climes etc these watches were held in. Regards, bill

 

The Dial doesn't look Brown to me.
Just the plots
Certainly not what is considered "Tropical"
Just more like 'old'

 

Most certainly it can be done in the oven - some Panerai guys have been doing this for years.