Agree 100%
I see beauty in this dial.
There are some watchmakers that use a tritium mix. Personally, if you do want to go that route, I would recommend an age-appropriate superluminova. The results can be very satisfying. Here is an idea of what you can expect.
IMO there is an error in your thoughts: The watch how it is now is not original any more because it has lost most of the luminous material... it did not leave the factory this way.
No error - I did say there are two schools of thought. Crystals and crowns are consumables and a replaced crystal should not detract from originality of a watch. However, even with crystals - how much time and effort goes into gentle polishing with polywatch just to rescue a scratched original. IMO altering the dial changes the originality of the watch. A restored dial is not an original dial. A relumed dial is not an original dial. The loss of lume over 50/60 years is part and parcel of the natural aging and patination of the watch. Would anyone advocate refinishing a “tropical” dial? It certainly didn’t leave the factory that way. What about polishing a case that has scratches - it also didn’t leave the factory that way. I value originality and a watch being untouched above all else.
No error - I did say there are two schools of thought. Crystals and crowns are consumables and a replaced crystal should not detract from originality of a watch. However, even with crystals - how much time and effort goes into gentle polishing with polywatch just to rescue a scratched original. IMO altering the dial changes the originality of the watch. A restored dial is not an original dial. A relumed dial is not an original dial. The loss of lume over 50/60 years is part and parcel of the natural aging and patination of the watch. Would anyone advocate refinishing a “tropical” dial? It certainly didn’t leave the factory that way. What about polishing a case that has scratches - it also didn’t leave the factory that way. I value originality and a watch being untouched above all else.
Totally agree with you- I am of the other camp. I see tropical dials and moldy lume as materials failure and damage- not age related beauty. The OP’s watch is a very nice example but the watch took moisture at some point and the lume absorbed it like a sponge and degraded. Naturally aged tritium lume in a water tight watch typically goes yellow to orange. Luckily the dial surface appears to be unharmed.
I appreciate those who love the Wabi-Sabi, and I can enjoy a bit of it myself- but to a point.
True, I am a wabi guy. Also a tree hugger 😀. My feeling is there are at best a few hundred of each 2998 model still around and I want to treat them as treasures and preserve them as much as possible. I admit the lume on this is far from stunning, but to me it blends with the overall karma of the watch and so I personally would not sacrifice it to a permenant face job. But, it ain't my watch (yet) 😀
James Hyman gets a lot of recommendations on here for speedy relumes.
