Hello!

The lume on my old Seamaster (Bond) is getting pretty faint (I've owned it for 23 years... yikes), and I was thinking of having the hands relumed. (Not the dial.) I know this can be controversial, but I am more interested in seeing the hands in the dark than preserving some value—I could be homeless and destitute and I still won't ever sell that watch.

So a couple questions:

1. Recommendations for reluming in the US? I saw some older posts that mentioned IWW. Is this still the current place to go? And are they still running about a year behind?
2. Any reason I wouldn't just get a new pair of hands from Omega and put the old ones in a box?
3. Can a skilled relumer match the color of the lume on my dial while still increasing the glowiness (is that a word? I hope so, because I like it!) of the hands?

Thanks very much!

 

How about getting a pair of new hands instead?

 

It's a 23 year old watch. The lume has aged and change color a bit. So new replacement hands will not match the dial. A good relumer can match the dial. I use to use Jack at IWW but he is slowing down and not taking in new jobs he was the best. Don't know who I would trust today.

 

If it’s a Bond SMP the lume on the hands won’t match the dial anyway...they never do with the tritium versions. New hands is by far the most practical solution for the OP if he can source them.

 

Can’t I get these from Omega if I have one of their licensed service centers install them?

 

Typically Omega service centers don't do small jobs like this, and hand replacement would come with a full service only. You may want to wait until the watch is due for service to get this fixed.

 

No harm in asking. I’ll call the local boutique after the holiday.

 

Let us know what they say.