1952 Rolex Oyster ‘radium telephone’ dial

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Pretty amazing dial in this, and fitted with a WWK stepped bracelet. Another wearer of mine.


Might be calibre 1210, circa 1954. I have two of these.
 
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It’s a 6022 and the serial number dates it as a 1952.
 
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Very cool!
I would disagree, I'd say very hot 😉,

What would cause the area around the numbers to remain relatively unaffected by the overall patina that's developed in the lacquer?
We can see faint radium burn from the hands around the dial (at 6 and ten) but the numbers have escaped any deterioration.
Would this originally have been a true "telephone dial"?