Today's movie tip: Radium Girls

[VWatchie]

 

 

[MechanicMike]

watched it awhile back. tragic and fascinating at the same time. I have a few dollar watches that have the radium. I don't touch em and they sit in sealed plastic bags. you can really tell the difference when I hit them with a UV light. even some at 100 years old they light up like nothing we use today. I've been told you can work on them with gloves and a mask, in a well ventilated area. But to wash your hands and clothes after. nah. I'll just leave them where they're at to look at them. 

good flick. .

[VWatchie]

I just Googled this topic and learned that "almost every watch between 1917 and the early 1970s used a form of radium paint", and that "the easiest way to tell if a watch is radioactive is to pick up a simple Geiger counter". However, the article also mentions other ways or hints to determine if a watch uses radium.

I didn't realize how dangerous radium is until I read the article and considering that many of the watches we enjoy working on are pre-1970s, I'm going to be more cautious in the future. 

Here's the article.

Edited October 26, 2022 by VWatchie

[MechanicMike]

Some of my Ingraham "dollar" pocketwatches. check out the Radium.

[Jack75]

It is true that our 'radium girls' developed cancer as a result of unknowingly ingesting quantities of radium. But 'other girls' have died from tobacco.

If you have a fine watch with a well preserved radium dial, such as my Longines cal 18.88Z,  relax a little and realse that you are in no danger unless you eat the dial.

Radium itself in the quantities used on dials does not glow. It was the incorporated fluorescent zinc sulphide that glowed. But over the years this has been degraded by the radiation. Perhaps into zinc oxide. I asked Dr. Roland Ranfft to do a little experiment by painting zinc sulphide onto the non-glowing ancient dial numbers and hands. The newly applied zinc suphide glowed giving the dial its original look. He now supplies activated zinc sulphide for anyone who is a good painter or who can outsource the work. Alternatively, the modern phosphors such as Luminova will also glow permanently, and more brightly than zinc sulphide, when applied to old radium dials. But the 'look' will be less authentic.

[Neverenoughwatches]

46 minutes ago, Jack75 said:

 Other girls' have died from tobacco.

We are all different mate and all prone to different diseases depending on our genetics. Cancers , heart diseases, respiratory issues, overactive immune illnesses,  underactive immune illnesses,dementias etc, etc.  Its about edging your bets mate, if cancer runs in your family then smoking is going to run your risk that bit closer. If heart disease then try to eat a healthy diet. Only fair to state the obvious that one person can be more susceptible to radium effect than another person. Precautions should ALWAYS be taken when working on old radium dials, but the risk of the individual should always be down to the individual and not influenced in any way.

[VWatchie]

14 hours ago, Jack75 said:

I asked Dr. Roland Ranfft to do a little experiment by painting zinc sulphide onto the non-glowing ancient dial numbers and hands.

So, was that done without first removing any of the old fluorescent zinc sulphides? I guess that goes without saying, but I thought I'd ask nevertheless.

[Jack75]

The old zinc sulphide is mixed with the radium and cannot itself be removed. The fresh zing sulphide was just layered on top of the old mixed lume.

On 10/28/2022 at 12:25 AM, Neverenoughwatches said:

We are all different mate ...

Thanks for the genetics lesson, but off topic.

[Neverenoughwatches]

22 minutes ago, Jack75 said:

The old zinc sulphide is mixed with the radium and cannot itself be removed. The fresh zing sulphide was just layered on top of the old mixed lume.

Thanks for the genetics lesson, but off topic.

I thought relavent

[Jack75]

Sorry N-E-W, I was called away to dinner. What I was going on to say is that the radiation sensitivity to animals including humans (the LD50/30 - 50% die within 30 days) is species dependent (elephants are more sensitive than humans) but does not depend upon the genetic makeup of the animal. We can all safely wear radium watches whatever the condition of our hearts.

btw did the dog die?

[Neverenoughwatches]

1 hour ago, Jack75 said:

Sorry N-E-W, I was called away to dinner. What I was going on to say is that the radiation sensitivity to animals including humans (the LD50/30 - 50% die within 30 days) is species dependent (elephants are more sensitive than humans) but does not depend upon the genetic makeup of the animal. We can all safely wear radium watches whatever the condition of our hearts.

btw did the dog die?

are you saying that we all react equally to radium ?. Interesting . Lol no the gorgeous husky is having a crazy moment,  eyes open and teeth showing. . I may be wierd at times but why would i have a photo of a dead husky for a profile picture .