Community Stories

1999 Seamaster with yellowed lume?

B
Posts
7
Likes
3
Hello, I keep reading that only tritium lume yellows substantially and also that tritium lume was no longer used after 1997 or 98. However, I recently received a Seamaster 2551.80 (36mm) with serial number starting "602XXXXX" which apparently dates it to 1999. The dial indicies have yellowed a fair bit. Is this SL lume that has yellowed or rather tritium? It does still light up for a short while after being exposed to a flashlight for a few seconds. Thanks very much!

omegaseamaster.webp
 
B
Posts
7
Likes
3
B BuckyBuckwild
Hello, I keep reading that only tritium lume yellows substantially and also that tritium lume was no longer used after 1997 or 98. However, I recently received a Seamaster 2551.80 (36mm) with serial number starting "602XXXXX" which apparently dates it to 1999. The dial indicies have yellowed a fair bit. Is this SL lume that has yellowed or rather tritium? It does still light up for a short while after being exposed to a flashlight for a few seconds. Thanks very much!

omegaseamaster.webp
Answered my own question: It appears the lists of serial numbers with dates found online are not very accurate. Sorry about that.
 
B
Posts
7
Likes
3
Wondering if it could have even been originally assembled with tritium-lumed dial and SuperLuminova hands 馃
 
padders
Posts
9,865
Likes
15,502
It鈥檚 definitely a tritium dial. The hands may also still be tritium as those never fade to the same pumpkin colour as the dials, a mismatch is typical. If the watch has had even one official Omega service by now the hands would have been swapped for SL items since that is included in an official service. If you aren鈥檛 getting good persistent glow out of the hands I鈥檇 suggest it unlikely they have been changed. The watch is from ~1997, I鈥檝e owned a 2531 with tritium on serial 60,206,xxx in the past.

ps Tritium lume pips normally change like the dial lume too so its probably had a replacement bezel at some point. It does look tidy. I'd expect to see a SL persistent reaction from that too.
Edited:
 
DenisChalandier
Posts
164
Likes
237
B BuckyBuckwild
@padders Great, thank you so much for that info!

The bezel pip glows incredibly bright so yes, I imagine it's been changed.
Only the dial match the watch. Hands and bezel has been changed for recent lum ones.
 
Sign up or log in to reply...

Similar threads

MtV

A little gem from eBay - 2577 Seamaster with a black hobnail dial

MtV Vintage Omega Watches Help, Discussion and Advice
Truva1
Truva1
Posts
24
Views
5K
identifybeard

Inherited Omega 2712-2 with yellowed crystal

identifybeard Vintage Omega Watches Help, Discussion and Advice
Rochete
Rochete
Posts
10
Views
3K
maxbelg

WITHDRAWN: 1959 Omega Seamaster with original lume and water resistant!

maxbelg Private Watch Sales
maxbelg
maxbelg
Posts
4
Views
5K