Re-lume questions on an old Squale

[SpringMangler]

Bought this old Squale Medium last week. It’s cosmetically not too bad for its age, with the main issues being the crystal and the hand lume. It’s certainly not a valuable watch, but I do want to keep some of its character.

The watch has a ETA 2452 which is running fairly well, but it is due a service and I’m also going clean up the crystal as I think it’s going to be tricky to get a replacement of the same type (please let me know if I’m wrong).

So, the main question is what to do with the hands.

The lume on the hands is discoloured, particularly on the hour hand, and viewing under a loupe I can see it’s started to disintegrate and leave powder on the dial. Looking at the state of the hour hand, I suspect the lume may come out when I remove it to service the movement as it's already started to detach.

I don’t want to touch the dial and seconds hand lume unless absolutely necessary, so then the question is how best to match that colour if it does disintegrate on removal? I saw NickelSilver’s comments on another post Colour matching old lume about mixing chalk into the lume to give that grainier texture that old lume has, and this grain is especially noticeable on the seconds hand. The colour on the seconds hand and dial is more of a dirty green than discoloured white. Does anyone use coloured powder watercolour powder and if so, any particular type?

On a slightly different note, is it normal for Tritium to go a reddish brown as I seem to remember reading somewhere that some older radium lumes go brown with age?

 

Edited March 19, 2023 by SpringMangler

[watchweasol]

Hi I am in the process of doing an old Unitas  military watch where the lime in in much the same condition and made the descision that doing either the hands or the indices would spoil the effect of the watch so left it alone. Maybe a bit of clear varnish to stabilise the present lume would be in order.

[SpringMangler]

2 hours ago, watchweasol said:

Hi I am in the process of doing an old Unitas  military watch where the lime in in much the same condition and made the descision that doing either the hands or the indices would spoil the effect of the watch so left it alone. Maybe a bit of clear varnish to stabilise the present lume would be in order.

I would like to do the same thing but worried that removing the hands will dislodge the lume on the hour hand, as it has sunk quite a bit and looks to be detaching.

Is there a particular varnish to use? Conscious that some do gas out for while (bit like me), so wouldn't want it to affect the dial etc., once the crystal is put back.

 

Edited March 19, 2023 by SpringMangler

[watchweasol]

Hi. The Humbrol model makers varnish, I would do before removing the hands in an effort to prevent it crumbling. 

[RichardHarris123]

5 minutes ago, watchweasol said:

Hi. The Humbrol model makers varnish, I would do before removing the hands in an effort to prevent it crumbling. 

Does the type of varnish matter ? 

[watchweasol]

I wold not think so but avoid the likes of dope etc (smells of pear drops) used in model making humbrol clear does not affect plastics, most models are plastic. Some use shellac and spirit they are the ones to avoid.