Rolex Forums - Rolex Watch Forum - View Single Post - TRF Rolex Library: Vintage Rolex "UnderLine___" Dials...Theory or Hypothesis...

Orchi · 27 February 2012, 12:19 AM

Err Buddies...here are few more News reports dated as far back as May of 1959...
taken from various Newspaper publications within USA...
as well as from Australia...

http://news.google.com/newspapers/url?id=_...article_s&cad=0

http://news.google.com/newspapers/url?id=c...article_s&cad=0

1. Watchdial radiation peril seen - The Sydney Morning Herald - May 3, 1959.

Washington, Saturday (AAP-Reuter)
Three United States manufacturers of watches and clocks were warned by the Atomic Energy Commission last night not to distribute luminous dials containing Strontium-90, one of the most feared elements of radio-active fallout.

An AEC spokesman said that two of the companies had imported such dials and had already distributed many of them.
One company said its supplies came from Switzerland.

The AEC spokesman said watch dials containing Strontium-90 would normally be NO more hazardous than conventional radium dials.

However, they might be more hazardous in the certain circumstances if, for example, the wearer slept with his hand over his face or with his eyes near the dial.

The AEC sent warning letters to the Westclox Division of the General Time Corporation, the Bulova Watch Company, and the Elgin Watch Company.

The spokesman said that another company, the American Phosphors Corporation, had imported a quantity of Strontium-90 last November without a license from the AEC. He said the company manufactured luminous compound.

Violation

Letters to the four firms warned them they were violating Atomic Energy Act regulations by importing Strontium-90 without AEC permit.

The AEC spokesman did not identify the countries from which the offending dials were imported.

The company said it had imported the watches from Switzerland.

In a statement it announced: "The luminous dial watches sold by Elgin were laboratory-tested to ensure that the radiation level is well within safe limits."

The company had not been informed by the Swiss supplier that Strontium-90 was the luminous agent used in the imported watches.

The statement said Elgin had presumed that the luminous agent was Radium. It said the company had imported 4000 watches and had sold 1200 of these.

Bulova said in a statement that it had found no Strontium-90 in any dials in its possession or in library samples of lines handled in the past.
Of the one watch about which the AEC complained, Bulova said it was impossible to tell whether it had been treated after it left Bulova's hands.

http://news.google.com/newspapers/url?id=_...article_s&cad=0

http://news.google.com/newspapers/url?id=c...article_s&cad=0

2. Strontium-90 Used in Dials - AEC Orders Halt - The Milwaukee Journal - May 2, 1959.

Washington, D.C. - AP- Three watchmaking companies were ordered Friday by the AEC to halt distribution of any luminous dials containing Strontium-90.

Strontium-90 deadliest element of radioactive fallout, can cause bone cancer.

The AEC said...

The Bulova Watch Co. Flushing, N.Y., was cited for a single watch with Strontium-90 dial. It was trademarked Westfield, transferred to a Louisburg(N.C) jeweler and sold to someone in 1955. The AEC said.

A General Time Corp. executive said the dials and hands involved in its case were imported five or six years ago, and were used only in repairing watches. He said none of the imported parts had been used since AEC's inspection.

Elgin said..."We are cooperating fully with AEC by halting the shipment of any imported watches in which Strontium-90 was applied," the spokesman said.

In the previous postings...
Orchi had wondered n asked...
why the AEC did NOT have any issues with other brands of SWISS watches during such time... :P
when the AEC was concerned about Rolex having distributed...
more than 600 Ref 6542 GMT Masters watches which would contain too high dosage of Strontium-90...
to the American public back then... :(

(Hey from now...
some of the Buddies who own the Ref 6542 GMT Master...
made perhaps in the late 50s...
would realize by now...
why the OCC Dial...
n the Bakelite Bezel insert are giving off so much glowing...
in the darkness or under the UV lights...) :wub: :wub:

Well it is all becoming that hopefully some of the missing puzzles would be answered by...
finding more articles or materials which would perhaps pinpoint to the strong possibility
that Rolex too or perhaps the SWISS watch industry at large...
had had Strontium-90 applied in their models of sport watches...
or the Rolex tool watches especially...
in the 1950s or even until the early 1960s... :o:

Err...after reading n digesting some of the crucial information provided herein...
is anyone from O & P...beginning to believe as Orchi does...
that Rolex had in most likelihood used Strontium-90 luminous paint...
during the 1950s n even until the early 1960s...? :woot:

More to come soon...

27 February 2012, 12:19 AM	#10
Orchi Banned Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Malaysia Posts: 2,934	Err Buddies...here are few more News reports dated as far back as May of 1959... taken from various Newspaper publications within USA... as well as from Australia... http://news.google.com/newspapers/url?id=_...article_s&cad=0 http://news.google.com/newspapers/url?id=c...article_s&cad=0 1. Watchdial radiation peril seen - The Sydney Morning Herald - May 3, 1959. Washington, Saturday (AAP-Reuter) Three United States manufacturers of watches and clocks were warned by the Atomic Energy Commission last night not to distribute luminous dials containing Strontium-90, one of the most feared elements of radio-active fallout. An AEC spokesman said that two of the companies had imported such dials and had already distributed many of them. One company said its supplies came from Switzerland. The AEC spokesman said watch dials containing Strontium-90 would normally be NO more hazardous than conventional radium dials. However, they might be more hazardous in the certain circumstances if, for example, the wearer slept with his hand over his face or with his eyes near the dial. The AEC sent warning letters to the Westclox Division of the General Time Corporation, the Bulova Watch Company, and the Elgin Watch Company. The spokesman said that another company, the American Phosphors Corporation, had imported a quantity of Strontium-90 last November without a license from the AEC. He said the company manufactured luminous compound. Violation Letters to the four firms warned them they were violating Atomic Energy Act regulations by importing Strontium-90 without AEC permit. The AEC spokesman did not identify the countries from which the offending dials were imported. The company said it had imported the watches from Switzerland. In a statement it announced: "The luminous dial watches sold by Elgin were laboratory-tested to ensure that the radiation level is well within safe limits." The company had not been informed by the Swiss supplier that Strontium-90 was the luminous agent used in the imported watches. The statement said Elgin had presumed that the luminous agent was Radium. It said the company had imported 4000 watches and had sold 1200 of these. Bulova said in a statement that it had found no Strontium-90 in any dials in its possession or in library samples of lines handled in the past. Of the one watch about which the AEC complained, Bulova said it was impossible to tell whether it had been treated after it left Bulova's hands. http://news.google.com/newspapers/url?id=_...article_s&cad=0 http://news.google.com/newspapers/url?id=c...article_s&cad=0 2. Strontium-90 Used in Dials - AEC Orders Halt - The Milwaukee Journal - May 2, 1959. Washington, D.C. - AP- Three watchmaking companies were ordered Friday by the AEC to halt distribution of any luminous dials containing Strontium-90. Strontium-90 deadliest element of radioactive fallout, can cause bone cancer. The AEC said... The Bulova Watch Co. Flushing, N.Y., was cited for a single watch with Strontium-90 dial. It was trademarked Westfield, transferred to a Louisburg(N.C) jeweler and sold to someone in 1955. The AEC said. A General Time Corp. executive said the dials and hands involved in its case were imported five or six years ago, and were used only in repairing watches. He said none of the imported parts had been used since AEC's inspection. Elgin said..."We are cooperating fully with AEC by halting the shipment of any imported watches in which Strontium-90 was applied," the spokesman said. In the previous postings... Orchi had wondered n asked... why the AEC did NOT have any issues with other brands of SWISS watches during such time... :P when the AEC was concerned about Rolex having distributed... more than 600 Ref 6542 GMT Masters watches which would contain too high dosage of Strontium-90... to the American public back then... :( (Hey from now... some of the Buddies who own the Ref 6542 GMT Master... made perhaps in the late 50s... would realize by now... why the OCC Dial... n the Bakelite Bezel insert are giving off so much glowing... in the darkness or under the UV lights...) :wub: :wub: Well it is all becoming that hopefully some of the missing puzzles would be answered by... finding more articles or materials which would perhaps pinpoint to the strong possibility that Rolex too or perhaps the SWISS watch industry at large... had had Strontium-90 applied in their models of sport watches... or the Rolex tool watches especially... in the 1950s or even until the early 1960s... :o: Err...after reading n digesting some of the crucial information provided herein... is anyone from O & P...beginning to believe as Orchi does... that Rolex had in most likelihood used Strontium-90 luminous paint... during the 1950s n even until the early 1960s...? :woot: More to come soon...