http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/...9937&sid=0b608265-baad-4e81-9aa7-7054c279a9b8 No doubt a follow up to that high price the 2998 chocolate dial recently scored but this dial looks seriously overcooked, like the wearer had a ringside seat at Bikini when Castle Bravo went off.
Well, I think we just discovered how the really brown dials are made lol. That must of had a very high heat for a very long time to go like that. Hey unless this is one of the watches NASA tested to destruction when deciding who would make the first watch to be flight certified by them........ Wait, it can't be a NASA test watch, it has Professional written on the dial
Also on a dial that faded I'd be looking for shadow marks behind the hour and minute counter subdial hands but there doesn't appear to be any. Even the lume in the hands are burnt!
Incidentally the Christies lot notes state: Guessing the tritium naturally turned to carbon over the years also.
Christies get some real gems and some real GARBAGE. I've stopped by sometimes at their office here in NYC and I am often a little shocked at their "expertise" on these pieces.
Agreed - I have met some of the AQ and Christies experts personally during previews and at least regarding vintage omegas their lack of knowledge was shocking to say the least.
10 minutes in an 800 W microwave - free fireworks show and accelerated radioactive decay. Another 10 minutes and you'd have a Speedmaster with a diamond dial.
Well, OK, but they should have some expertise in watches in general, no? Enough to know this is a cooked dial ?
Well I hope this one is not cooked: I suppose thinking logically it is possible as all the luminous material is gone. Leaving only the white plots. (Well most of them)
When demand exceeds supply money is to be made. Even so called respectable auction houses will accept what used to be donor watches as auction material. Ethics are relative. Buy tulips. Bill
That one at least looks plausible as the bezel has faded that blue colour, the original post aside from the charcoal lume has a perfectly unfaded black bezel as well, which just doesn't really gel with an "exposure faded" dial... even my 105.002 which has only the slightest chocolate colour to the dial has a blueness to the bezel matching it.