Hi guys!

Due my lack of experience with vintage dials, can you tell me of this dial have the marks relume/degraded?
The hour number look a little strange but i would like to hear opinion from someone with more experience.
Thanks!!

 

Looks fairly consistent with normal lume degradation.

 

Here is another example. I think OPs watch may be re-lumed.

 

Funny, that's the watch I posted recently on the vintage WUS forum as an example of a decent entry-level diver that someone might want to buy. If someone doesn't buy it soon, I'll buy it myself and give it away to a deserving newbie someday.

You could be right about the re-lume, but it's hard to be sure. We know that lume can degrade in a wide variety of ways over 45 years, depending on the ambient conditions. Its not unusual to see lume receding from the plots. Either one of these watches could have had the hands and/or dial re-lumed ... or not.

Bottom line, I'd like to suggest that the OP shouldn't get too worked up over this issue. We're not talking about a high-end collectible dress-watch like a Constellation, but a solid entry-level vintage tool watch. Military watch collectors are already very accustomed to this way of thinking. If I were looking to get into collecting vintage dive watches at a low price point, I'd be ok with this watch in the $200-$300 range. They're attractive watches, in simple chunky 38mm SS cases, with 600 ft depth ratings. Much better than the usual chrome-plated 5atm crap.

 

Nice Vantage! Hamilton sub brand from 69-74 or around there. I agree it’s been relumed at some point but a mild clean and a good relumer and it’s stunning.

Ive got a nice one from 72. Different model. I can dig out the catalogs if you want.

 

The other thing to keep in mind is that some degree of sloppiness is often to be expected at the price point these watches originally sold at. It just seemed a bit too sloppy on OPs watch.

Agreed, the price point on these is in the $200-300 range for a decent watch.

 

Good point. I should have stated that Vantage was a budget sub brand for Hamilton. Personally I think they punch above the Hamilton’s of the era with a surprising level of detail and styling for what they where.

Mine has the same movement as a Tudor but is finished at a higher level imho.

This is like a budget A Carelli and awesome with its “C” case.