Hi all. I have a vintage Tudor Prince Date+Day from about 1970 (picture below). I only recently acquired it but the piece does look to be in mostly honest condition.

It’s starting to lose some time so I think it’s about time for a tune up service. I was also considering two light restorations and wanted to get the forum’s thoughts. I don’t have plans on selling immediately but want to maintain value in the future.

I realize that maintaining originality is key for vintage but replacing the crystal is acceptable. Anyone ever try and put a sapphire crystal in a vintage watch? I don’t mind acrylic but thought it might be nice to not have to worry about the scuffs. I love hesalite on my Speedy’s but buffing our scratches with the cyclops and gold bezel gives me some pause.

Finally, the hands. The minute hand has dropped some lume (maybe a cause of the timing issue) and I wanted to have that cleaned up. Was considering a relume as well. If you were to relume, would you just use tint and binder to match or add working lume?

 

As far as the hands, pics aren’t the best but I personally would just stabilize the current lume to keep the rest in place. That is assuming the picture was taken after the lume drop you mention.

 

^^^ yup, stabilize and fill, that’s it. I’ve had this done on a few and if your watchmaker can do a little tinting of the new white lume compound, they can get it very close (can only see the patch with a loupe). If you lose all the lume in the process, then just have the hands relumed to match the color of the pips on the dial.

Oh, and please don’t do Sapphire on these- the acrylic is part of the charm and makes the dial pop

 

Thanks!

Here is a close up where you can see gaps in the minute hand lume.

 

Ooo, that lume may be a total gonner- not much to save there. In a situation like this where there is a pronounced halo of ashiness around the lume in the hands (which will be impossible to match), I would just opt to have both hands relumed to match the dial pips. Some would say leave it alone, but it’s already compromised and it would bug me.

 

Yup, big difference from that first pic. Have to agree with JDub

 

Me too...

There are many watchmakers who will do a sympathetic relume for you. Based on what your pic shows in terms of color of the pips, it should not be difficult to match the hand lume.

 

And with a proper match, those hands will pop and in turn the pips will pop (sympathetic visual effect). Or he can just send it to me and I’ll get rid of that nasty thing for him.

 

If you're in the US, your watchmaker can send just the dial and hands to Everest Watch Works, where Kent Park can work some wizardry. I can't recommend him highly enough.

 

Thanks all! I think I have my marching orders.

Going to send it to Kelly Hunter at AOW for service and restoration.

 

But don’t touch those perfect little dial pips! I have never seen anyone be able match those lovey little orbs.