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So...Um...This Happened #1...1 Owner Tropical 6542

watchknut
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Um...

One of these things is not like the other...

9E37B7BF-895D-490F-B2A0-4B263C9324FC.jpeg


Coronet is wrong. No Swiss at bottom of dial. Chapter ring and writing are not the correct bumble bee yellow. Possible lack of serifs on markers. What is up with the hands?

Some differences in bezel font as well.
F5C6D05B-5D47-40ED-8641-12E71DB351CF.jpeg 9A5B57EA-535A-48B3-8AC6-99FBC2651BD3.jpeg
 
Dan S
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Good to see that you've taken a deep dive into this reference, Matt. 😀
 
watchknut
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Dan S Dan S
Good to see that you've taken a deep dive into this reference, Matt. 😀
Thanks for sharing the auction! Will be watching it for sure.
 
watchknut
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Finally got around to measuring with a Geiger

33D72E03-320D-419D-842B-C3C6F9FB833B.jpeg


Definitely hot...a dental X-ray is 10 uSv and this is 43 uSv... so wearing it for an hour is like 4 dental X-rays.

Crazy to think the previous owner had the equivalent of 467,200 dental X-rays over the course of his ownership 😉
 
Denarius
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I love these early Bakelite watches but they look ridiculously fragile, not just the bezel but the dial and hands, surely its virtually unserviceable as the chance of the lume dropping out the hands or bezel crumbling while stripping it down is very high?

I would be a bit concerned about the Radium too, wouldn't want to breath any of that dust in 🤮
 
jhross98
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watchknut watchknut
Finally got around to measuring with a Geiger

33D72E03-320D-419D-842B-C3C6F9FB833B.jpeg


Definitely hot...a dental X-ray is 10 uSv and this is 43 uSv... so wearing it for an hour is like 4 dental X-rays.

Crazy to think the previous owner had the equivalent of 467,200 dental X-rays over the course of his ownership 😉

I vote this watch as the find of 2019 but for me 43 usv is too hot. It's not scientific but I only will go to low 20s and I limit wearing those watches to once a month at most
 
ATWG
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I agree, plenty has been documented about the fate of watchmakers assembling these. That reading is way out of my comfort zone. Be careful in how much exposure your body is subject to, and don’t put your hands in your pocket for too long when you do wear it ;-)
 
watchknut
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jhross98 jhross98
I vote this watch as the find of 2019 but for me 43 usv is too hot. It's not scientific but I only will go to low 20s and I limit wearing those watches to once a month at most
ATWG ATWG
I agree, plenty has been documented about the fate of watchmakers assembling these. That reading is way out of my comfort zone. Be careful in how much exposure your body is subject to, and don’t put your hands in your pocket for too long when you do wear it ;-)
Agree guys.

I wear it very infrequently and when I do it spends more time on my desk than my wrist.

Truth be told, I usually just take a pic and post on IG.
 
Dsloan
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Yikes! That's a lot of radioactivity. Do you also have a radon detector? I've seen speculation that the radon offgas may be more dangerous than the alpha particles from the radium.
 
janice&fred
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watchknut watchknut
Agree guys.

I wear it very infrequently and when I do it spends more time on my desk than my wrist.

Truth be told, I usually just take a pic and post on IG.

you should send it in to rolex and they will service the watch for you so it's safe and wearable.
i'm sure i'm not alone with this thought, as surely someone on TRF and WUS would suggest that.
 
77deluxe
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janice&fred janice&fred
you should send it in to rolex and they will service the watch for you so it's safe and wearable.
i'm sure i'm not alone with this thought, as surely someone on TRF and WUS would suggest that.

That probably would be the advice on WUS.
 
watchknut
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janice&fred janice&fred
you should send it in to rolex and they will service the watch for you so it's safe and wearable.
i'm sure i'm not alone with this thought, as surely someone on TRF and WUS would suggest that.
Sending to Rolex is a terrible idea. They will charge an exorbitant amount to service the movement only.

Nothing can be done to stabilize or make it safer other than removing all the radium bits and if you do that then the watch is worthless.

I am not servicing the watch not removing the bezel to install a new crystal as the risk of cracking the insert is too great.

It will stay on it’s “survivor” state under my ownership.
 
jhross98
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janice&fred janice&fred
you should send it in to rolex and they will service the watch for you so it's safe and wearable.
i'm sure i'm not alone with this thought, as surely someone on TRF and WUS would suggest that.

No. You should definitely not do this under any circumstances. Or flip a coin and make heads following this advice and tails putting it in the garbage bin.. Oh wait they're the same thing
 
janice&fred
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watchknut watchknut
Sending to Rolex is a terrible idea. They will charge an exorbitant amount to service the movement only.
jhross98 jhross98
No. You should definitely not do this under any circumstances. Or flip a coin and make heads following this advice and tails putting it in the garbage bin.. Oh wait they're the same thing

so far this is two more than the number of readers I thought would have taken my post seriously.
 
jhross98
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janice&fred janice&fred
so far this is two more than the number of readers I thought would have taken my post seriously.

Well played. Well played indeed
 
Dan S
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janice&fred janice&fred
you should send it in to rolex and they will service the watch for you so it's safe and wearable.
i'm sure i'm not alone with this thought, as surely someone on TRF and WUS would suggest that.

I agree, in fact as I mentioned earlier, Rolex requires it. 😉

gmt_hero.jpg
 
watchknut
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janice&fred janice&fred
so far this is two more than the number of readers I thought would have taken my post seriously.
Well played sir...I was a bit surprised by the suggestion 👍
 
danbl68
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WOW! I mean come on! That is so beautiful...I have always been told and hear all the time "you are so nice...." but honestly this is one example of why sometimes it pays to be nice to people, and the right person. Good luck with that, and congratulations.....I hope one day that I can be so lucky! I have always loved the Pepsis, and to think to own something this rare!
 
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