Lume is completely non-existent now, but expected after 23 years, but just curious if anyone has ever bothered with it? Or do they just ‘replace the dial’. I do like the patina look and don’t want to mess with it as 2 x POs have demoted it, and it’s far from a regular wearer, but I was interested if anyone has done it before. Friend has same year but still has lume. This has nothing, What changed from these lumes to the current materials?

 

That is a tritium dial and likely hands (although hard to tell in the photos). The tritium has lost some of it’s ability to excite the lume material. I’m sure someone could resume the dial and hands but most would simply replace the dial and hands with new luminova parts...

 

I did but you got to make sure the person is great as I've seen many botched jobs
here's mine:

 

It cost me a little under 210$ Canadian so about 155$ us, shipping included (to send it and get it back)

 

IMHO part of the charm of this particular watch is the color of the tritium : it has patinated quite nicely. And it is from a bygone era (the era of radiactive lume which patinates ... they will not make them like this again, ever). So I would think twice before doing such a thing. OR, if your heart is set on getting glow-in-the-dark back, heed Al's advice : replace the dial and hands, but keep the originals safely and securely free from damage, as these will undoubtedly add value down the line, whereas a relumed (or service replacement parts) will detract from value. Just another 2c opinion...

 

+1

@ TO,

Consistently aged tritium lume is such a rare thing especially with view on the 2531 being a diver which usually is more exposed to enviromental influences than other watches used to be over the time.

So I would suggest to trade it to a connaisseur an start looking after a superluminova 2531 (i.e. vintage 2001 or younger) rather than destroying that (still) collectible item by modding it that way.

My 2ct

 

Thank you people for all your input, appreciated,

Archer, I've had it from new, so the hands are as it was when purchased, in 96 or 97, I don't remember exactly when but was definitely no later than 1997.

So the lume on the Mk1 and Mk2 PO that I have, Luminova, will that ever fade?
11 plus years on and it looks the same, or is the PO Superluminova?

I think I will probably leave it as is, It's not as collectible as many believe, as 1) It's quartz, and 2) it's mid-size, but it's still the go to for HRH I still see. Spoiled by PO this one feels quite small when I go back to it.

 

I agree, the one I got relumed was a 2nd hand that I bought for next to nothing on pre-owned market, I still have the original kept safe with all the original paper work including the hangtag and omega chronometer hangtag, here a new dial sells for about 575canadian with tax so got it with the relume fee for under 240 so less than half

 

The Luminova (or Superluminova if you prefer) doesn't seem to lose it's effectiveness over time, but of course it needs to be charged, where tritium didn't.

I agree that on a mid-sized quartz the collectability factor isn't likely going to be there, but who knows really? It's usually the less popular watches that end up being collectible in the longer term. Certainly reluming is one way, but that is a permanent change to the dial and hands that can't be reversed, so just be sure that's what you want. Changing the dial and hands allows you to go back if you ever want to.

Cheers, Al

 

Just change the dial for a new Super Luminova version, but make sure you get the old dial back to keep

Looks like your hands were already swapped out

 

Hi Modernism,

Didn't even noticed that it is a midsize quartz so sorry for my enthusiastic outbreak, just thought there is someone about to irreparably start destroying historical heritage

Best,

Winny

 

Definitely not, never been touched... hands or anything.

I think it should maybe be left as is, I've got good lume on the PO, well one of them anyway... the blue lume on later PO 8500 is weak in comparison.

It'd be good if it was lumed up, My late father had the same watch, maybe a year or so newer than mine, and his was still glowing the last time I saw it.

Al, I never knew that, I thought it drew the lume from the daylight when I was outside. I had no idea it didn't need charging, Assumed it was daylight it picked up on, as that did enhance it.

Thank you again good people,

 

I would leave it as is...
Keep the charm
Cheers

 

If lume is important to you have it re-lumed or as said by others get a replacement dial and save the original one

 

+1 keep it as is. Great watch.