What is the general opinion on this? It is sometimes OK if you are into a more cosmetically "perfect" watch? Or is it always bad? Does it indicate you can not trust anything about the watch? What if it is disclosed by the seller who restored the watch?
I don't think it's always bad, depends how professionally it's been done. I've seen plenty of vintage watches that have been relumed really well. As much as I like authentic, I also like aesthetically pleasing and if the lume is in a poor state and the watch isn't particularly rare, then why not have it retouched by a professional IMO. John Senoir used to do some great work on Military pieces, colour matching how they should look.
I think that skilled, compassionate relume work is so easy to have done nowadays that it isn't such a problem. Keep in mind that unless it has been stabilized, your watch's original lume will continue to degrade, eventually to the point that it will require a relume - so IMO, if your watch's dial lume is unattractive now, you may as well get it over with. This position has its caveats, of course - first and foremost, do not relume a watch if you're preparing it for sale and hoping that it will allow you to ask a higher price. Let the eventual buyer decide what to do, to his or her own preference. Second, don't split hairs - if your watch retains its original lume but the shade is just not that perfect orange-yellow, or the hands have aged differently than the dial, leave it be - you could sell it and look for one that meets your preference, or just wear the watch and allow it to age to the point that it will require lume work.
Here's a previously post on the topic. https://omegaforums.net/threads/th...tch-restorer-reluming-ed-white-content.56502/
There are some very very good restoration guys out there who can do amazing things with lume. IMO restoration lume should never glow. I don't think it a sin if it lifts a watch in appearance.
Completely agree. I had an Ed White relumed and it greatly improved the appearance, no it doesn't glow. I don't plan on selling it, if I did I would state it was a relumed dial and hands. If it increases your enjoyment of the watch why not?
2 questions as I am an idiot when it comes to vintage watches: 1.) If it's called relume, why shouldn't it glow? 2.) How long should a modern watch last before the lume wears out?
1) Basically you are restoring to match the appearance of aged lume that has lost its glow as is appropriate in an old watch. 2) No idea.
That's the reason I wanted mine to have no glow. So it could be distinguished between one of the ones that glows a little and fades quickly. Although authentic the purpose could also be dubious.
As collectors, I find it ironic that many accept reluming a dial but prefer it doesn't glow. Yet we frown upon other forms of dial refinishing which may significantly enhance the dial's appearance.
If you want your lume to glow on a valuable vintage watch when there is already (nicely patina'd) lume there, then it is a big NO NO. You shouldn't be collecting vintage If the lume is already missing, go for it. Just need to make it match. If the lume is partially missing, then it is a gray zone. All depends on how bad. I personally have become very good matching the lume but will NEVER re-do on a higher end watch (over $500). Black light tells pretty easy if there has been work done.
What about stabilisation on the hands lume? In this picture (from the sales post I bought from) you can see the hour hand lume is starting to degrade. I'm not sure if I want to get that repaired, stabilised so it doesn't degrade further, or leave it as is.. What would you guys do?
Re luming is like plastic surgery. If the "Before" photo makes you wince more than the "after" then it's a good idea to do it. Re luming is simply another skill in the watchmakers set that has its place. However it must be disclosed and it must be done well. Frankly there are some dials where they are just plain ugly, until relumed. Another issue is that many of the relumes we see lack the skill I require to gain enjoyment from. These are not acceptable. Re luming is like re polishing or repainting hands. We tend to throw our hands up in horror at relume, and it it true you really don't want it on a watch represented as original that is selling for a lot of money. However sometimes, it can transform a watch with an annoying missing lume plot, or a dial devoid of any lume, into an attractive enjoyable watch. As always with anything done to a watch I believe in full disclosure.
Maybe this is what's kept me out of the vintage watch scene. It's just kind of hard to know what's acceptable and what isn't, and why.
I had a Croton Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver where the hour markers were really hard to see and the luminous material was disintegrating. I left the hour and minute hand but got the hour markers relumed. That's not the best of photos but it makes a big difference to the whole look and legibility of the dial. I'll be selling it at some point so that should be a good indication on the effects of relumes. If nobody will touch it with a 10 foot barge-pole I probably shouldn't have done it.