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  1. Walviskroket Oct 10, 2019

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    Hi guys,
    Just noticed my lume looks dirty. Is this patina or signs of a badly maintained watch?
    upload_2019-10-10_14-5-15.jpeg
    upload_2019-10-10_14-6-9.jpeg
     
  2. 321Only Oct 10, 2019

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    Patina!
     
  3. KingCrouchy Oct 10, 2019

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    Nice patina.:thumbsup:
     
    Walviskroket likes this.
  4. asrnj77 Oct 10, 2019

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    One man’s patina is another man’s service dial

    That being said I think it looks good and I like the yellow lume
     
    connieseamaster and time flies like this.
  5. JwRosenthal Oct 10, 2019

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    I think he’s talking about the moldy creep on top of the lume. That says to me moisture got in at some point-lume is like a sponge and the moisture turns the lume dark. I have a few watches like this and depending on how much darkening it has determines if I can live with it or not. If it has totally dulled down the dial and makes it low contrast (like you see in so many SM300’s), I wouldn’t be able to live with it. Yours isn’t that bad but would be on the edge for me Some see it as “patina”, I see it as damage.

    Sometimes you will see it on the 2-5 markers- that implies that the crown leaked at some point. As long as the case is now sealed properly and no more moisture gets in, it shouldn’t grow anymore.
     
    Walviskroket likes this.
  6. Henneth Oct 10, 2019

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    After looking at it at proper lighting and on a big screen it is not as bad as I thought. Even though there seems to be some dirt on the lume and hands I for myself could perfectly live with it... ;)
     
    Edited Oct 10, 2019
  7. stahlmotte Oct 10, 2019

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    In my opinion Patina:thumbsup:::popcorn::
     
  8. BlackTalon This Space for Rent Oct 10, 2019

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    Not the best lighting in the photos, but I suspect under less bright lights the moldy lume may stand out a little more. If I were a potential buyer I would want to see it in natural light. And I would want to know when it was last serviced (and who did the work), and I would want to see the movement. Mainly I would want to be sure any moisture source has already been addressed, or it will get worse, and can also be causing issues with the movement.
     
    JwRosenthal likes this.
  9. DaveK Yoda of Yodelers Oct 10, 2019

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    Your avatar @asrnj77, good god, what did one person do to require such a sign to be created?! (no pics please;)) Any signmakers on OF? What is the weirdest sign you have had a request for?
     
    chronos likes this.
  10. aginoz Oct 10, 2019

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    The “patina vs damage” debate is perhaps the most subjective one of all. If the movement and case are corrosion/damage free then I’d go with “age appropriate patina”. The patination on the hands also looks consistent. Would happily wear it.
     
  11. Dan S Oct 10, 2019

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    Mold.
     
    JwRosenthal likes this.
  12. oinkitt Oct 10, 2019

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    Get rid of it and buy a new one!!!!
     
  13. jaguar11 Oct 11, 2019

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    Looks great to me whatever it is!!!!
     
  14. asrnj77 Oct 11, 2019

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    Ha! It was actually at a high end housing compound in Lake Tahoe, California. I’d chalk it up to overly cautious Californian bureaucracy. Some of the condos at this place were 1200 square feet and selling for 1.4+ million dollars. I think poor people don’t want that in their pool either :cool:
     
    DaveK likes this.
  15. DaveK Yoda of Yodelers Oct 11, 2019

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    A good law to enact would be that if someone creates a sign like this, they must list everything not allowed in the pool: Crocodiles, high heels, fighter jets, lava, vintage watches..
     
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  16. Walviskroket Oct 12, 2019

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    I really like the Patina on it. I just noticed that it looked dirty while making a picture of it.
     
  17. Walviskroket Oct 12, 2019

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    upload_2019-10-12_17-24-30.jpeg

    Picture in natural light (yes still need put the DON bezel on it) This is still my bleached bezel experiment
     
    cooljme likes this.
  18. Dan S Oct 12, 2019

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    Nothing wrong with it, looks very honest.
     
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  19. JwRosenthal Oct 12, 2019

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    Agreed- looks much better in that light, not as flat and low contrast as the first set of pics you put up. Still think you need to make sure it’s water tight so the moldy creep doesn’t get any worse.
     
  20. BlackTalon This Space for Rent Oct 12, 2019

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    That lume looks much, much better in the natural light photo :cool: This is why it can be so hard to judge conditions by photos -- lighting makes a lot of difference (if nothing else, white balance is often off).
     
    JwRosenthal likes this.