Tropical dials... how are they formed?

[007Sub]

Hey all, anyone ever see their dial start to turn tropical? What does it look like if so? What should one look for or notice? What causes it? Just curious!

THanks!

[springer]

Originally Posted by 007Sub

Hey all, anyone ever see their dial start to turn tropical? What does it look like if so? What should one look for or notice? What causes it? Just curious!

THanks!

Fading starts it.

[landroverking]

Time/Sun

[jedly1]

Proper ones .. Chemical reaction in the paint over time exacerbated by such non invasive things as the sun.

Nonsense ones ... Ones that have had moisture ingress , often unpleasant bubbling or smudging of the paints ...

Big difference between the two.

[HL65]

Originally Posted by jedly1

Proper ones .. Chemical reaction in the paint over time exacerbated by such non invasive things as the sun.

Nonsense ones ... Ones that have had moisture ingress , often unpleasant bubbling or smudging of the paints ...

Big difference between the two.

Exactly

Defective paint and sun creates color change. Many people turned them in when dials changed colors while servicing. Therefore true chocolate or color change dials are rarer as well as desirable by collectors. It wasn't only black dials that changed by the way due to defective paint. It also affected some blue dials on 1680/8's as well as white Exp II's known now as cream dials.

[vintagewaferthin]

Long term exposure to the sun as well as age.

[CrownMe]

Originally Posted by SteelerFan65

Exactly

Defective paint and sun creates color change. Many people turned them in when dials changed colors while servicing. Therefore true chocolate or color change dials are rarer as well as desirable by collectors. It wasn't only black dials that changed by the way due to defective paint. It also affected some blue dials on 1680/8's as well as white Exp II's known now as cream dials.

my god i love your collection. those are nice but that gilt sub you have is my favorite

[HL65]

Originally Posted by CrownMe

my god i love your collection. those are nice but that gilt sub you have is my favorite

Thanks!

[007Sub]

Great info! Thanks all! So question, is it a uniform process or do you see it in small segments? I noticed two slightly browner spots (hard to see very faint) near the 3 and 12 o'clock markers on my '68 Tudor sub. Dial is in fairly flawless condition otherwise. Could it be turning slowly I wonder?

[HL65]

Originally Posted by 007Sub

Great info! Thanks all! So question, is it a uniform process or do you see it in small segments? I noticed two slightly browner spots (hard to see very faint) near the 3 and 12 o'clock markers on my '68 Tudor sub. Dial is in fairly flawless condition otherwise. Could it be turning slowly I wonder?

No--it would have happened by now. Again it is a combination of defective paint and reaction with sun which created color change. The term tropical is used far too loosely anymore and people call damaged dials with moisture spots or water damage tropical and they are anything but that. There are plenty of dials out there that have a few spots on them--which yours is one of based on what you said.