90s Speedmasters - dial and hands aging

Taybharr · May 10, 2020

I wasn’t sure whether to put this in modern or vintage as these are “new-vintage”. I’ve been looking more at Speedmasters from the 90s and I feel that I often see differences in hue between the hand lume and dial lume. I find the dial lume often produces a pleasing yellow hue but the hands can sometimes look a bit pale. My first inclination with these watches is to believe the hands are not original, but I was wondering if any members here could refute that (especially original owner watches). For instance, if the dial and hands were produced by different companies, do they often age differently?

I was looking at this watch being offered by Wanna Buy a Watch that is a prime example of this phenomenon.

WYO_Watch · May 10, 2020

100% replacement hands on that watch 👍

The Father · May 10, 2020

I wouldn’t even buy that one.

Taybharr · May 10, 2020

@WYO_Watch @The Father glad you guys agree with me. So there is really no evidence that we should see widespread lighter aging hands? Obviously difficult to prove that definitely, but I just want to make sure my belief that many of these watches have replacement hands is not unfounded

WYO_Watch · May 10, 2020

There have been several threads that discuss the coloration difference between dials and hands. (Here is a small picture database I tried to get off the ground haha it didn’t really take, but it may someday: https://omegaforums.net/threads/speedmaster-hand-lume-color-variation-picture-database.91764/)

The watch you posted has super luminova hands (modern replacements). These will not yellow with age and will remain white through the life of the speedy.

My limited experience in handling vintage speedmasters, is that most of the time the dial and hands will have “similiar” coloration but not identical. Hands and dials were not made at the exact same time so you can expect some variation. But it seems like many watches have “similar” degradation so it looks pleasant and isn’t a perfect match like many relumes.

Foo2rama · May 10, 2020

From that picture, I concur replacement luminova hands on a tritium dial.

rootbeer7 · May 11, 2020

This is 1997 and apparently all original. The hands are slightly lighter, but lighting is often a factor looking at images.

Majork · May 11, 2020

WYO_Watch
My limited experience in handling vintage speedmasters, is that most of the time the dial and hands will have “similiar” coloration but not identical. Hands and dials were not made at the exact same time so you can expect some variation.

It also has a lot to do with the fact, that the dial lume is applied on pad printed white markers, whether the hands have no background themselves. There will always be a difference in glow and shade based on the thinner application on the hands.

asrnj77 · May 11, 2020

My 1991. After exposure to bright light the dial will glow for about 15 seconds and the hands remain glowing for about 35-40 seconds.

STANDY · May 11, 2020

Not forgetting hands and dial may have been lumed at two different places, on two different days with two different batches of lume.

Davidt · May 11, 2020

I'm more suspicious of perfectly matching hands and dial. More often than not there's a slight discrepancy in colour between the two.

kov · May 11, 2020

STANDY
Not forgetting hands and dial may have been lumed at two different places

With Speedmasters they definitely come from different subcontractor suppliers (Fiedler / Singer) 😀

dan7800 · May 11, 2020

Is it just me, or does the "T Swiss T" also look off? (Just asking for my own education)

joe band · May 11, 2020

dan7800
Is it just me, or does the "T Swiss T" also look off? (Just asking for my own education)

i agree the swiss made looks odd, like the ultimate pair of S look thicker, but that could be crystal distortion. i've seen many weird looks in pics that are ok in the hand.

90s Speedmasters - dial and hands aging

Taybharr

WYO_Watch

The Father

Taybharr

WYO_Watch

Foo2rama

rootbeer7

Majork

asrnj77

STANDY

Davidt

kov

dan7800

joe band

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