Rolex Lume

The lume on many rolexes that I’ve seen looks shaggy around the borders and doesn’t conform tightly to the outline of the index. I’m assuming this is the result of normal degradation and that certain reference models may be more prone to it than others. But is there something more nefarious to consider such as a reluming job?

I wouldn’t touch this watch with a 10 foot pole, but are you implying that this is what a relume looks like?

@Cozmopak @southtexas @cicindela -- it's pretty era dependent. There are definite differences to the texture and 'precision' based on when the watch was made. Some eras are very precise, and others not so much. The late 60's, when the OPs watch is from, is a period where there were more smudged applications of lume. I can't say why but this is the first time they used the matte black dials so I assume it's because of this change.

Here you can see a 12 o'clock marker with lume shifted to the left and a lot of shagginess on several of the other plots. Watch is of a similar era to the OPs -- 1967 ~1.7m serial 1675 with zinc sulfide lume.


Here is a slightly later 1969 GMT with the same dial but 'waffled' lume. These tend to have more retraction (though I can't say for sure if there has been a bit off lume loss at the top of the 6 o'clock marker), though it's a tendency and not a rule:


There are also others around that period with a distinctive 'drooping' 12 o'clock marker (1.8m serial):


I can't say much about the OPs example without better pictures but it may just be one of the more extreme examples.

I’m not a professional by any means but I’ve found that most vintage Rolex hand sets age differently than the dials. In this example they have matching yellow lume. That plus the puffy unevenness on the dial makes me think this is a relume

It depends: you can find genuine matching hands sets as different color relumed ones.
Conditions and aging may change depending on watch history.
Also depends on period: for example 90's watches as 16610 and 16570 have different colors because different type of lume were used for hands and index.
When you see a "corn grain" Explorer 2 or a 16610 with exactly matching patina between hands and index, well that was a relume!

Don’t re lume, your watch would lose value. Most collector appreciate the imperfections.

Modern submariner date

Again...focus. Focus on the watch.

have fun
Kfw

Edit. Or maybe better still? Look at the image before you post it.