Lume that Certina used in the 60's (Radium, Tritium or something else)

[Alf85]

Hey guys,

I thought of sharing a question that has been bugging me for a while in my collection of Certina's.

I collect watches that have no lume prefferably and tritium lume on some models. Regarding radium i have read a lot of articles and as one might say it is a matter of personal choice in the end and i chose not to collect radium lumed watches.

But a thing with Certina has picked my brain for a while.

Usually 50's and 60's watches with radium have no specific signage on the dial, tritium watches have the T.

But Certina in the 60's stoped using radium for example in the DS 2 line that started production in 68, no radium was used (as it was already ilegal to do that by the end of the 60's) but no T markings on the dials either...

I am attaching a picture of my red DS 2 project to emphasize that.

And then my big question is about the DS line...that started at the end of the 50's...the first one's have radium, there are some with T like the Amagnetic but there is another part of them that have no radium and no t on the dial, like the DS i am attaching. I know it is not radium as i tested it with a geiger counter and had no readings.

So what do you think? Are those dials with Tritium for both DS and DS 2 and they simply did not mark it? or is it some other lume?

Thanks for your thoughts

Enjoy the day!

Alf

 

[Regan888]

Are you sure that DS 1 do not have radium? 50s imo seem like radium...

 

[Nupero]

Great question!

I have thought about this subject too as I have chosen to avoid radium watches. I think that Certina was just inconsistent with the T-markings, plain and simple. If your geiger counter does not light up then your watches should have tritium lume. The only other lume available during the 60s was promethium, but as far as I know Certina never used it.

Do you know the serial number on your DS-2? I'm guessing it's a pretty late production model. Btw, both of my DS-2s have T's on the dial 😉Serials date to 1970 and 1969 with these two.

 

[Dan S]

If no Geiger reading then it is tritium. Unless the lume was replaced in modern times.