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  1. 1972Steve Oct 29, 2018

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    Hello OF-

    Curious about patina dials. Was this dial the result of tobacco smoke, bad urethane, bad paint? View attachment 648610
    F9EC8130-83B6-4E7F-9777-DE4DB96A36C4.png
     
  2. Khamenman Oct 29, 2018

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    I remember reading a thread somewhere here in OF about the dial. I think it's combination between the brass base, the paint chemical composition, and the UV exposure
     
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  3. alam Oct 29, 2018

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    Tobacco smoke? highly improbable. Oxidation most likely.
     
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  4. cicindela Steve @ ΩF Staff Member Oct 29, 2018

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    Tobacco
     
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  5. STANDY schizophrenic pizza orderer and watch collector Oct 29, 2018

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    Yep Tobacco,
    About a three pack a day owner who worked in a office where everyone smoked I would say.......
     
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  6. marco Oct 29, 2018

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    And is no longer with us !
     
  7. Khamenman Oct 29, 2018

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  8. Fialetti Oct 29, 2018

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    More likely in this case to be yellowing of the varnish caused by exposure to light, since the more shaded areas - around the cannon pinion, the edge of the dial, the logo, and the grooved subdial - have yellowed less.
     
  9. chipsotoole Oct 29, 2018

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    I often wondered why the areas directly round the indices are spared. It often look like a kind of halo...like some kind of bad attempt at redialling! I thought it might have something to do with the metal of the indices not allowing a certain chemical reaction to happen. If it was just purely tobacco, then surely this effect would stain right up against them. I think it's a sunlight, varnish, moisture combination thing...But like I seem to be saying more often these day...what do I know?
    jlcpay.jpg
     
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  10. Marcel81 Oct 29, 2018

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    I guess sometimes its from the radium that burns the dial. You can see it often when the watch was unused for long period. The hands leave like a „burn in“ on the dial
     
  11. STANDY schizophrenic pizza orderer and watch collector Oct 29, 2018

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    Tobacco

    I have seen these similar to the OP picture posted clean up as if they were new after a dial clean. No issue with varnish just tar on top of it.
     
  12. alam Oct 29, 2018

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    a watch case sucking vapors containing particles of nicotine? interesting theory. I would like to read the physics that make this possible, specially in common environments such as smoking in close quarters..
     
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  13. Khamenman Oct 29, 2018

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    Indeed. I always thought a watch case is almost air-tight
     
  14. 1972Steve Oct 29, 2018

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    Well I may have to have a go with this process

    Step 1. Start smoking.
    Step 2. Lung cancer and enjoy the watch while I still have time.

    All kidding aside I thank you for the replies. If anyone has some of these unique pieces please post pics.
     
  15. kov Trüffelschwein. Oct 29, 2018

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    Next thread to come : "is a caramel dial worth the hundred Davidoff cigars to make it happen?" [​IMG]
     
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  16. D.D. Oct 29, 2018

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    Toaster.
     
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  17. gatorcpa ΩF InvestiGator Staff Member Oct 29, 2018

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    My vote is UV light exposure over many years combined with yellowing of natural varnish.

    I guess it is possible to replicate similar damage from “radium burn”. However, the OP’s watch in question does not have radium on the dial and neither do these watches from my collection:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Hope this helps,
    gatorcpa
     
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  18. 1972Steve Oct 29, 2018

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    Well then cancer comes with the watch.
    1. If it’s cigar smoke the risk for lung cancer increases
    2. If it’s long exposure to UV light skin cancer increases. Because all of these models should show this color in theory then.

    Death watches. Spooky.
     
  19. Toishome Oct 29, 2018

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    Nicotine for sure
     
  20. thenameisnando Oct 29, 2018

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    I agree with it being UV - tobacco seems to go against the idea that even older watches containing radium keep in the radium particles/radiation so I can't imagine a case sucking in tobacco smoke to give all these vintage watches a patina. Unless they are constantly hot boxing in their car for years...