Hey guys so due to recent report on radon gases being emitted from radium dialed watches I want to look at maybe reluming one or two pieces in my collection. But I would like to know if this will affect the value at all? It's just simple lume dots and hands on a Longines... IMO I can't see how it would hurt the watch that much but still I would like some opinions please?
My personal view is that a well done non glowing job is not a detriment. Especially on a rare watch. Especially when original lume is far gone and the rest of the watch is fine. Flaking lume is not only a health hazard it impacts the movement.
Yes. In most cases it will hurt the value. How much depends on the specifics of the watch. I personally try hard not to buy relumed watches.. The counter would be philips has sold many watches that look obviously relumed for premium prices so there are clearly buyers for them
It seems to affect some brands more than others. Well done Seikos don't seem to suffer but a relumed Rolex is the death knell for resale. I can understand your desire to relume but I imagine taking the watch apart and scraping the old lume actually causes more exposure (perhaps to unsuspecting watch master) than leaving it alone. How much radon gas is being emanated from the tiny lume dots on the Longines?
Idk... I feel like if you're worried enough about radiation from your vintage watches that you'd alter them better to sell that particular watch and get a different one...
Why not just apply some binding agent of some sort to fix the (potentially) flaking lume to the dial better?
Originality, no matter how hazardous for your health, is more valuable. Modifications will hurt a watch's value. This is incremental to the rarity and desirability of a given piece.
I have never seen a decent re-lume job myself. It destroys the watch's value. Even getting a dial or hands replaced by an official RSC hurts collector value.
If done well and right by a skilled individual, exactly matching the lume color on the rest of the watch AND period-correct materials are being used for it, I see no issue. It requires full disclosure in the event of a sale, though!
So theoretically speaking, this previously relumed on the hands Buren WWW, with flaking lume all over the dial, and a correct replacement case: ...would regain some value of it were put back into it's original, polished lug case: ...and lose value with original radium hands like this fitted on to it?
In most cases reluming a dial will most certainly affect the value of the watch...certainly the case for vintage rolex. reluming of the hands of a watch is generally more acceptable I think.
What are your opinions on a relume of these hands?. They may be original but I think the charcoal color is looks dirty and unappealing.
Personally I'd leave those as is. A relume is ok/positive if the original is horrific but hour/min hands often age considerably darker than the dial. Is that a replacement chrono hand?
I am not sure. It does not hold a charge any longer than the hands. If it is a replacement it is an older one.
Absolutely not. I should have mentioned that overall original condition (case and dial) as with all vintage watches, is key. What I wanted to say is that some watches, In good overall condition, will lose more relative value than others if relumed. Rarity, desirability being key factors. Vintage Speedmasters are a good example. There was a time, not so long ago, where a relumed 321 Speedmaster would lose a tremendous amount of $. In today's market, it seems that retouching or reluming all together, of these watches, do not affect their value as much as it used to.
Hi! Imho it depends. What condition the lume is today is one factor. Is it already relumed and perhaps poorely so, a good matching (non glowing) relume can increase the value. Is the lume in bad original condition I would say that it depends on the watch itself and its value. A very expensive Sub or Speedy, I believe a relume will decrease the value a lot, but if it is a cheaper watch I would say it does not affect the price negatively. If the lume is in good original condition it will obviously be a terrible idea...