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Yikes, I made a brown / tropical Speedmaster dial!

woodwkr2
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This entire thread is horrifying! Not because the results aren't good, but because the results are good.

From the guys who have experimented with this, are there any "tells" that you could share? For example, when I'm authenticating a piece, I always take the hands and dial off and look at the underside of the dial. Old engravings, stray paint, etc can all help me deduce a redial.
 
dsio
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I think the key will be that expired tritium still might glow briefly but will go out very rapidly, the luminov will still glow for a long period even if it's dim
 
woodwkr2
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dsio dsio
I think the key will be that expired tritium still might glow briefly but will go out very rapidly, the luminov will still glow for a long period even if it's dim


True, if it's unmodified. It doesn't take much to scrape off the lume and re-do it with vintage looking lume (holding the phosphorescent bit of the mix).
 
dsio
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woodwkr2 woodwkr2
True, if it's unmodified. It doesn't take much to scrape off the lume and re-do it with vintage looking lume (holding the phosphorescent bit of the mix).

True but that's a much harder thing to do than cooking. Incidentally if you take a speedmaster pro and cook it in a microwave oven for 10 minutes you can create what I like to call "used re-entry heat shield" patina.
 
woodwkr2
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dsio dsio
True but that's a much harder thing to do than cooking. Incidentally if you take a speedmaster pro and cook it in a microwave oven for 10 minutes you can create what I like to call "used re-entry heat shield" patina.


What do you call the patina on your microwave when your wife walks in?
 
dsio
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woodwkr2 woodwkr2
What do you call the patina on your microwave when your wife walks in?

Trouble..

or "deep shit" patina
 
citizenrich
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G-shocks are like unbreakable. It must be brutal there...


STANDY STANDY
Find on my Speedy Moon the lume is so bright by the end of the day it glows like it's a light. Keep watches airtight when not wearing more to preserve the leather.

Don't even think of rubber straps as lucky for any to last more than 6months. Do a lot of fishing in salt water and even beaters with plastic parts don't last long. Have a army mate that goes through a g-shock every 3-4 months in the build up season the worst.
 
cristos71
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What's the betting we're going to see a whole lot of tropical chocolate Speedmasters showing up for sale over the next few months? 😒
 
pitpro
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Good expose on creating fake patina on dials.
This is nothing new, people have been baking
dials and bleaching bezels for a long time in the
Rolex world.
But here is the caveat. With Rolex 1680 Submariner
for example, collectors know that only a small serial
range's dials turned brown "naturally". It is said to happen
because of a dial paint batch that was mixed improperly
or a coating that was defective. But it only occurred on
serials 2.2-2.3 million. Same with the 16520 Zenith powered
Daytona's, if I remember it's like only the S and T serials.
Those watches command ~100% premium or more.
The 2.5 million 1680 and a V series 16520 will not turn
brown "naturally" and collectors won't pay 100% premium
for one that is brown.
That said, are there collectors that will pay a premium for
dial or bezel patina? There sure are.
Here's a little tip on the plots. Buy yourself a pure UV
LED flashlight or a magnifier with one. The tritium plots
look completely different under this light. It's another
tool in the quiver of the collector. The Rolex guys have been using
them for years.
 
woodwkr2
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pitpro pitpro
Here's a little tip on the plots. Buy yourself a pure UV
LED flashlight or a magnifier with one. The tritium plots
look completely different under this light. It's another
tool in the quiver of the collector. The Rolex guys have been using
them for years.



Oooh, juicy tip. Any reccs on these flashlights? Bonus points for a link where one can be purchased.
 
blackwatch
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photo500 photo500
Well here is the finished watch. Will have to wait until tomorrow for sunshine to show the colours properly. You know, here in Perth on a summers day, naturally ageing the dial is probably possible lol.

ytytybuv.jpg
Watch looks great. I'd see a doctor about that hand, though. Unless your name is Zoidberg.
 
michael e
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dsio dsio
How does the lume look in the dark after its been cooked?

The luminova only gives a very soft glow after being held under strong light, it is not noticable unless you are in a dark room, very much like old radium/tritium.
 
michael e
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pitpro pitpro
Good expose on creating fake patina on dials.
This is nothing new, people have been baking
dials and bleaching bezels for a long time in the
Rolex world.
But here is the caveat. With Rolex 1680 Submariner
for example, collectors know that only a small serial
range's dials turned brown "naturally". It is said to happen
because of a dial paint batch that was mixed improperly
or a coating that was defective. But it only occurred on
serials 2.2-2.3 million. Same with the 16520 Zenith powered
Daytona's, if I remember it's like only the S and T serials.
Those watches command ~100% premium or more.
The 2.5 million 1680 and a V series 16520 will not turn
brown "naturally" and collectors won't pay 100% premium
for one that is brown.
That said, are there collectors that will pay a premium for
dial or bezel patina? There sure are.
Here's a little tip on the plots. Buy yourself a pure UV
LED flashlight or a magnifier with one. The tritium plots
look completely different under this light. It's another
tool in the quiver of the collector. The Rolex guys have been using
them for years.

I have not had a go at trying to create a brown/tropical dial on a watch yet, I have only played with changing the colour of the luminova on this one, I think trying to make the black paint on the dial go brown could end in tears. I would love to see if anyone else has had a go with a Speedmaster, how do the Rolex guys do it? Any links?
Cheers Mick
 
sulaco
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I can see a lot of oven beeing misused and a lot of trouble with your missus (wifes) 😜
 
citizenrich
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Pitpro's post should be made into a "sticky".

as pitpro knows, Rolexland is a snake pit. I'm sure a lot of the experienced guys here know all about the nonsense. Seems like that singing steal-your-girfriend guy found out too. That big ego got bruised!!

good pro tips, pitpro !!

I have a theory going waaaaaay back that the original way they discovered dial and lume burn was by sticking their submariners and SD's in the dishwasher to "prove" how well they were engineered. For some reason, it seems like Scandinavians started it and then Italians picked up on it on the intertubes and,,,,,,,the rest is "tropical" history.

pitpro pitpro
Good expose on creating fake patina on dials.
This is nothing new, people have been baking
dials and bleaching bezels for a long time in the
Rolex world.
But here is the caveat. With Rolex 1680 Submariner
for example, collectors know that only a small serial
range's dials turned brown "naturally". It is said to happen
because of a dial paint batch that was mixed improperly
or a coating that was defective. But it only occurred on
serials 2.2-2.3 million. Same with the 16520 Zenith powered
Daytona's, if I remember it's like only the S and T serials.
Those watches command ~100% premium or more.
The 2.5 million 1680 and a V series 16520 will not turn
brown "naturally" and collectors won't pay 100% premium
for one that is brown.
That said, are there collectors that will pay a premium for
dial or bezel patina? There sure are.
Here's a little tip on the plots. Buy yourself a pure UV
LED flashlight or a magnifier with one. The tritium plots
look completely different under this light. It's another
tool in the quiver of the collector. The Rolex guys have been using
them for years.
 
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