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  1. Dsplash Oct 24, 2022

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    Hi!

    I’m fairly new to UG but have always liked and wanted a nice old polerouter.
    Today I saw this one. At first it felt like a barn find with its dirt and scratches but when I looked closely, I thought the lume seemed too clean for a radium watch but most of all the hands look quite different from the other examples I saw.
    Are these replacement hands? Could the lime on the dial be original? thanks! :)
    41BB3D6F-F6A2-4C5A-BA38-D51A4254B44B.jpeg CB3FCD00-3F05-4803-AA28-D6D837D8695F.jpeg 78C0CCB3-0DCC-42ED-AA25-25F104FAE00C.jpeg
     
    4BE4BBAF-16D1-47F6-AC4F-10D415A79B80.jpeg
  2. Mazoue Oct 24, 2022

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    I've not looked at it closely but that style of hands is found on some of the later bumper models and I suspect they are completely legit. You need to check the reference and serial. You'll find the hands in the gallery below created by @CafeRacer
    https://universalgenevepolerouter.com/galleries/s20217-h20217-polerouter-138ss/

    Based on those photos, the lume does look clean. If I had to guess then I might say that the dial lume is original but the hands have been relumed. But then would someone relume the hands and then leave it in that state with a trashed crystal?
     
    Fallout Boy likes this.
  3. Fallout Boy Oct 24, 2022

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    +1 ; can you check the lume (UV-light)?
    If the price is OK: go ahead! (Even if the hands are relumed.... )

    Old BULOVA with relumed hands under UV-light:

    IMG_0911.JPG
     
  4. Dsplash Oct 24, 2022

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    Thanks!
    The serial is 1827xxx. I asked for a uv shot but I doubt the seller can provide…

    if the price is right…What would be a right offer for this? :D
     
  5. Fallout Boy Oct 24, 2022

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    At a flea-market, I would pay up to 550 €.... ;)
     
  6. Dsplash Oct 24, 2022

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    Ahah then I guess I understand why the potential reluming would not matter…:D
    The seller will probably looking for about twice that amount :/
     
  7. Fallout Boy Oct 24, 2022

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    As I said, I would check the lume (and remove the case-back)....
     
  8. gatorcpa ΩF InvestiGator Staff Member Oct 24, 2022

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    The work could have been done many years ago.

    My thought is that it is all original. The prices on nice, original examples of early Polerouters have risen steadily over the last few years. In this market, $1,000/EUR1,000 is not unreasonable if everything else checks out.
    gatorcpa
     
  9. Dsplash Oct 24, 2022

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    Well, it went for almost 1200€. A little strong for me given the incertitudes…
    It seemed to be a nice watch though, too bad I could not make sure the lume was original :/
     
  10. CafeRacer Oct 28, 2022

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    Theyre 182xxxx serials, should say H20217-4 on the caseback.
    Here is an advertisement for one with these hands from 1958:

    Hamblar.jpg
     
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  11. Dsplash Oct 28, 2022

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    That’s indeed what was engraved on the caseback :)
     
  12. leonlecoultre Jan 20, 2024

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    Great watch at a decent price.

    Seems to me the matte black dials are not nearly as susceptible to radium burn as the white?

    I would have liked a better shot of the crown, seems original but it's cut off in all the pics, mysteriously?
     
  13. lawler Jan 24, 2024

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    It looks like it's had a hard life but for the right price could be a good buy.