Painted and Radium?

Dan S · Apr 25, 2024

As I mentioned, the response to UV is unrelated to radium. If you want to know where the radiation is coming from, you will need to measure the dial and hands separately using your Geiger counter. TBH, I don't know why it's important.

Old Watches · Apr 25, 2024

Dan S
As I mentioned, the response to UV is unrelated to radium. If you want to know where the radiation is coming from, you will need to measure the dial and hands separately using your Geiger counter. TBH, I don't know why it's important.

Dan S., your reputation across these forums precedes you.

Over on VRF, you may remember a thread titled “Sorriest Relume Ever” about my dad’s gilt 5513. On VRF, I signed up as III65SUB5513. I’m leery of radium.

So, if this dial must be replaced in order to make it correct, or generally acceptable to wear, I’d like to know what is a correct model/dial from which I can cannibalize parts. If I know what non-radium dial fits, I’d hope to use it’s non-radium hands as well.

So, it is less about the radium hands than having matching and original dial and hands.

I’m just done with radium.

Dan S · Apr 25, 2024

O Old Watches
Dan S., your reputation across these forums precedes you.

Over on VRF, you may remember a thread titled “Sorriest Relume Ever” about my dad’s gilt 5513. On VRF, I signed up as III65SUB5513. I’m leery of radium.

So, if this dial must be replaced in order to make it correct, or generally acceptable to wear, I’d like to know what is a correct model/dial from which I can cannibalize parts. If I know what non-radium dial fits, I’d hope to use it’s non-radium hands as well.

So, it is less about the radium hands than having matching and original dial and hands.

I’m just done with radium.

Thanks for clarifying your objectives.

speedb · Apr 26, 2024

O Old Watches
Also, I wonder whether the entire dial was redone? Could it be possible the lettering was repainted and the lume and markers be left intact?

Lots of older watchmakers even today will have vials of radium lume hidden away, whenever your dial was refinished the watchmaker simply re-applied radium to the dial?

Considering the overall condition of your watch, having the current dial refinished again by a specialist would be my recommendation.

numero27 · Apr 28, 2024

Davidt
Seems odd it's reading so high with a refinished dial. I wonder if it's only the hands that still contain radium

1.69 usv/h mesured on the glass is low for a radium watch . That is probably the remaining paint on the hands .

speedb · Apr 28, 2024

numero27
1.69 usv/h mesured on the glass is low for a radium watch . That is probably the remaining paint on the hands .

I had some hands re-lumed a few years ago and just the dots on the indices gave a reading of 1.6usv/h 😵‍💫

Painted and Radium?

Dan S

Old Watches

Dan S

speedb

numero27

speedb

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