Isn't a similar situation with Speedmasters, in that although any watch could potentially turn brown naturally, it's much more likely to happen in the 2911xxxx serials.

 

Been searching for this on the web last few days with no result. Thanks

 

29.11, but also 29.6

 

I lived in Cairns for a while, everything just grew fungus - camera lenses, watches, any leather, inside photo frames and yeah rubber just turned to mush and disintegrated.

 

You're welcome Tritium, I used a Valorbe file and some french chalk plus a bit of patience. Best to mask off the back of the dial to prevent scratching too.

 

Well for me the back of the dial still looks out of the packet fresh. Having said that - if I wanted to deceive - that would be easy to change. Also you would expect a dial that has been part of a watch for x number of years to have been out during a service, plenty of them have marks from that thanks to careless watchmakers. Mine at least, apart from the colour change looks pristine. Again, I think it highly likely that all these aspects of the patina can be replicated given enough spare dials and time. The big tell on this dial is the lack of the two T's next to the Swiss made. Seems it's a kind of art to produce and a science to uncover

 

Well I left a 1969 dial in a case, no movement, outside in the bangkok sun and humidity for three months.

zilch

 

Exactly correct!
I have a personal database on both.
There's actually a few more digits that can be added
to both batches

 

A better shot outdoors

 

Another 'tell' might be that luminova has a very smooth, almost shiny finish, whereas tritium and radium have an almost crystalline appearance.
I'm guessing the smooth finish survives the cooking?

 

Have you modified a 321 [service] dial to work with an 861. I will be trying to do it soon. How did it go?

 

I wouldnt be brave enough to try something like this but the outcome is suprisingly good.

 

I did the same with a Rolex GMT bezel , same result nothing to see here ! This was a later bezel (2003), they just don't seem to fade.

 

Have you modified a 321 [service] dial to work with an 861. I will be trying to do it soon. How did it go?

 

The pins on the 321 dial and longer and thicker, so they need to be shortened and thinned to fit the 861 movement

 

Interesting the browns are more prominent in 29///// serials, is there any earlier or later serials that can change?

 

I understand, I have seen photos, and held the two dials side by side - I'm looking for someone who has experience actually modifying the 321.

 

I have fitted a 321 dial to the 861 movement and thats all I did was to shorten and thin the pins

 

Did you take pics / post anywhere? I'm going to attempt this..

 

Not really too much to see......

Trimmed 321 dial foot, only the thinner part needs to be thinned down, and shortened


Fitted on 861 movement. The fat bit of the 321 pin isnt required to enter the hole in the 861 movement for the dial to sit flat but the fat part does come very close to where the pin mounts into the movement. The screw then secures it in place.


This is the dial..........which maybe in hindsight I probably shouldnt have modified the feet, the dial has started to turn brown, although it has no lume remaining. Looks fine under a crystal but a bit rough when viewed in normal light