Before & After – Show us your relumed watch!

[Nupero]

A thread dedicated to the art of reluming.

We all love old radium/tritium hue. But can a watchmaker ever truly recreate that special color? Let's find out! Show us your relumed specimens!

I'll start with a black dial Zenith circa 1964.

Before. The handset was in bad shape. There was no tritium left on the minute hand, but the original lume blibs on the dial were intact with a lovely old-tritium hue.


After. My watchmaker relumed the hands to match the dial. I'm very happy with the result! 😀

 

[Nupero]

Wrist shot!


And a close-up of the relumed hand & original tritium marker. Looks pretty good!

 

[Nupero]

Next up Camy Superautomatic!

Before: Tritium lume completely missing from the minute hand. Not a good look!


After: Handset relumed to match the original tritium dots on the dial. Watch looks so much better now.

 

[marco]

The second image is before. Work by LewisWatchco.
Adam did an amazing colour match.

Edited: May 27, 2023

 

[p4ul]

Red Devil repaint!

 

[Davidt]

It goes without saying that a relume should always be disclosed and before you consider having work done, really think through whether or not it’s the right course of action for a particular watch.
That said, there are obviously times when a good relume is absolutely the right approach and when done right it can improve a Watch significantly.

 

[JwRosenthal]

Sometimes it’s not a matter of taste


It’s one of rescue.

 

[Nupero]

@JwRosenthal Wise words and beautiful watches! Was that Zodiac a full reluming job or just the handset?

 

[JwRosenthal]

Nupero

@JwRosenthal Wise words and beautiful watches! Was that Zodiac a full reluming job or just the handset?

The hands were relumed, dial cleaned (glossy dial so it was easy to get some of the surface crap off) and the indices lightly cleaned and brushed with lume to match the hand color. They were looking a little ashy so the light brushing with the fresh lume just popped them up in color and matched them to the hands.

 

[Spruce]

I’ve never had hands relumed but I did get the hands on this watch de-lumed.

A previous owner must have thought it a good idea to add lume to the non-luminous hands.

Before


After

 

[kohster]

How come none of you folks are sharing before/after shots in the dark so we can see the new glow? 😀 😀 😀

 

[OllieOnTheRocks]

Had a rather successful relume of this Suveran.

Before:


After:

kohster

How come none of you folks are sharing before/after shots in the dark so we can see the new glow? 😀 😀 😀

In my case I actually ask for the new lume not to glow - keeping it as true to original as possible.

 

[JwRosenthal]

OllieOnTheRocks

Had a rather successful relume of this Suveran.

Before:


After:

In my case I actually ask for the new lume not to glow - keeping it as true to original as possible.

Ok, you need to state for the record who did that relume job- it’s spectacular! Unless you are trying to keep them all for yourself.

 

[kohster]

OllieOnTheRocks

In my case I actually ask for the new lume not to glow - keeping it as true to original as possible.

Oh, interesting. So the reluming in those cases is just to restore damage/degradation. Had never thought of that as an option. Neat.

 

[Omegafanman]

Only had it done once. The watch needed full service and repair etc and was a non-running drawer find so pleased enough with the results....
.

 

[gbesq]

BEFORE:

AFTER:

 

[blubarb]

OllieOnTheRocks

Had a rather successful relume of this Suveran.

Before:


After:

In my case I actually ask for the new lume not to glow - keeping it as true to original as possible.

Stunning! Who did the work?

 

[wagudc]

blubarb

Stunning! Who did the work?

Inquiring minds want to know @OllieOnTheRocks

 

[Davidt]

Another one that’s been away for a dial and hand relume and is now away for service + new crystal. Hopefully back in the next couple of weeks.

Before


After

 

[Nupero]

Next a 70s Tissot with somewhat utilitarian full reluming.

kohster

How come none of you folks are sharing before/after shots in the dark so we can see the new glow? 😀 😀 😀

Here you go!