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Watch Dial Numbers

mcoulton

By mcoulton
in Watch Repairs Help & Advice

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mcoulton Watch Enthusiast

mcoulton

Posted
Posted

Hello

I have a question about the watch dial I'm working on. The numbers: are they painted on or lumed? I've scraped away the "2" and I'm wondering if I should paint it or lume it. If I'm going t repaint it, then what type of paint would I use? Was it common to lume numbers? 

Thanks in advance for any help that can be provided. 

Michael

Watch Dial - Copy.JPG

JohnR725 Distinguished Member

JohnR725

Posted
Posted

My wild guess is that it's lume. It's interesting dial in that they printed the outline of the numbers. This would allow somebody to hand paint the luminescent material on and know where to do it. It'd be interesting to knowing the time frame that the dial and/or watch was made. I'm guessing because it says the word waterproof we can narrow it down for that. Finding a modern luminescent material that's darkening colors going to be interesting. Then because this is a holder luminescent material it's probably dark because it's radium based. But you need a Geiger counter to verify that.

mcoulton Watch Enthusiast

mcoulton

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Posted

Thanks John for the reply.

The movement itself is an FHF 175, so from the 40's or 50's. I'm thinking of re-luming the dial and hands. If the watch was water proof the case gasket is no where to be found. Then again maybe only the dial is waterproof and the rest of the time piece isn't ! ?

KOwatch Watch Enthusiast

KOwatch

Posted
Posted

As I've heard it, "waterproof" was what they called water-resistant watches before the 1960s when consumer protection laws were put into place limiting use of the misleading phrase in the US.

Almost certainly radium lume, radioactive, half-life of 1600+ years, don't breathe the dust, read up on material safety when working with it.

Some people love the tired old brown lume look, and will replace lume to preserve the look or pay big $$$ for original examples. Others call it dog-s**t lume, and will re-lume the watch to make it look green/white like the lume did when new (except with safe modern lume compound).

I've got a few 1950s watches where the lume dots (circles and triangles) have outlines painted on the dial.

Absolutely would need to replace the gasket, crown and probably crystal to regain water resistance.

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