Hello,

I'm looking for a Speedmaster from 90s with Tritium dial and hands..
Just found this one.. https://www.orologeriaduomo.com/pro...05000-speedmaster-professional-moonwatch.html
1999 year, but it is described as 3570.50, saw more pictures from seller with open case and the movement is 1861.
Is it possible that 3570.50 has a tritium dial? Some transitional model possibly?

Thanks a lot

 

the early 3570's came with tritium dials, so that is correct. This one however, has absolutely no patina tho.

 

Thank you! So if there is no patina happen in 17 years, it will never be?


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Well, if the watch goes swimming without the recommended pressure testing/preventive maintenance, it may develop some [non-desirable] patina!

Now here's a bit more serious comment, I have read that exposure to light is the most significant cause of patina on Tritium and that watches that remained stored for long time and thus not exposed to light may develop the [more-desirable] patina...

 

no one truly knows, it all depends on how much or how little exposure to light it gets.

 

That seems to be the consensus although not fully proven, although @alam is slightly mixing cause/effects as more exposure to UV usually means whiter markers. See a relevant discussion here.

 

Thanks! Makes sense... especially as this Speedy is located in sunny Italy

Probably the best thing is to get one witch developed patina already.


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To add a little trivia: from the MO book, these were only made from 1996-1997, and could have either an 861 or 1861 movement.

 

My 1999 is tritium dial, cal. 1861, 1499/842, serial 48.372.xxx.

I have also 1998 48.363.xxx, cal. 1861, tritium dial.

So yes 3570.50 can have cal. 1861 and tritium dial.

1999 is on steel bracelet, 1998 on strap:

 

Thanks! Do you have those watches from new? Just wondering regarding conditions for this kind of patina

 

No, I do not have them from new.
Here is a little better picture of dial and color of plots. Color is dark yellow.

 

If it was bought new in 1999 (not quite sure if this is what you meant), it was "new old stock". Omega stopped producing tritium speedmasters in 1997, and your serial number is consistent with the ones produced in 1996-1997.

 

Tritium patina is oddly variable. See this post: https://omegaforums.net/threads/different-lume-ageing-patina.11085/#post-129459

 

I use MWO and this chart for dating moonwatches 1861/861: http://www.chronomaddox.com/romans.html
Without extract I really do not know what date it was produced/sold.

As far as I know tritium was replaced in 1998, so till then they probably still made tritium dials?? I am no expert but if acessable literature is correct my watch dates late 1998 maybe 1999.

 

All I have is just an information from seller. Probably yes, this watch purchased in 1999, according to warranty card... Thank you very much for the info! It makes me think I need to learn more about history of Speedmaster models and patina/aging processes in general, before I give up my modern Speedy to some older model... If this one will look like my super-luminova it makes no sense for sure.

 

Great info there! thanks

 

My 48.352.xxx is a Tritium Dial, 1499/842, and I believe cal.861 (that's what I remember being told when I purchased, I'll have to go back and confirm the service record from Nesbits). Was sold as a ;96 3590.50.
Strangely, the date listing shows it as a '98 with cal.1861.
http://www.chronomaddox.com/romans.html

Figures this stuff isnt an exact science, but just putting my info out there for reference.

 

I have also 1996 48.347.xxx that I got yesterday and it has all same feature only caliber inside is 861.

Sabber....please if you can provide info what is ticking inside that would be great.

 

Given Omega's "parts bin" practices, it's definitely not an exact science, and can be downright frustrating. The above info is consistent with a 3590.50, but you'd have to look at the dial/caseback/bezel/etc. to see if those are still consistent with a 3590.50, or something else. For example, if you have a 17-jewel 861 movement, that would point towards a 3590.50, but an 18-jewel 861 was used in both the 3590.50 and the 3750.50.

(I'm using the "Moonwatch Only" book as a reference. While it's more complete, and contains better information than the websites, the information that it contains is still not necessarily complete.)

However, assuming that you do have either a 3590.50 or a tritium 3570.50, the physical watch differences can only point to one of two conclusions: you have a 3590.50, or you have either a 3590.50 or a 3570.50. There seems to be no definitive way to say that you have a 3570.50 without papers or an extract, as the tritium 3570.50 seems to be physically indistinguishable from later 3590.50s.

The 1499/842 bracelet was used on both watches, and so does not help.

Also, I wouldn't worry too much about the serial number websites saying that your watch is "1998" or an "1861". They're making their best educated guess, and they're sometimes wrong. From the "Moonwatch Only" book:

• The 3590.50 was made from 1988-1996 (this is a fact).
  
  
• The authors have seen 3590.50 movement numbers from 48.240.xxx-43.343.xxx. However, this is just what they've seen -- the actual range could be larger.
  
  
• The tritium 3570.50 was made from 1996-1997 (again, a fact).
  
  
• The authors have seen tritium 3570.50 movement numbers from 48.339.xxx-43.385.xxx. Note that there is overlap with the movement numbers of the 3590.50.

Even though your serial number suggests that it's a tritium 3570.50, it might still be possible for it to be a 3590.50. The listed ranges are just what the authors have seen, and yours might just be outside the range.

 

My tritium Speedy 3570.50 is from 1999 according to the warranty card. Bought it in 2016. It has a nice patina and the dial is lightening up to light brown in the sun. Serial number 48.34xxxx