Will sunlight bleach patina?

[Andrejb]

Was told the other day that sunlight would “bleach” patina! Is this true?

Anyone have any watches that this has happened to? This makes me want to wear my 89’ 16570 less

Thanks.


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[Peter11]

I am pretty sure that patina is not developed by hiding your watch in the safe.

[Heypacha]

Bleach will bleach patina.

[kokota]

Originally Posted by Peter11

I am pretty sure that patina is not developed by hiding your watch in the safe.

I think this contributes to developing patina.

[arcadelt]

Depends on whether the patina is true patina, "fauxtina" (made by manufacturers) or fake patina (made in tin sheds in backyards).

[rootbeer7]

If stored away in dark, patina will happen naturally. Sunlight can lighten it. There was a thread somewhere here about it. Many of the uniform ‘pumpkin’ patina have been ‘helped’

[scooba]

Originally Posted by Andrejb

Was told the other day that sunlight would “bleach” patina! Is this true?

Anyone have any watches that this has happened to? This makes me want to wear my 89’ 16570 less

Thanks.


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Yes 100% uv will lighten the patina, I know factually this is correct

[joli160]

Originally Posted by Peter11

I am pretty sure that patina is not developed by hiding your watch in the safe.

It does develop in the safe more so than under the Sunny UV

[henrylee]

I guess you learn something new everyday. All this time I thought sunlight created patina.

[arcadelt]

I'm sure anymore what we are talking about here. Classically, patina is oxidation, buffing through use of woodwork and fine scratches developed in metalware. In watches, it’s the changing colour of lume, degradation of dial lacquers, and scratches in cases, bezels and crystals. Are we just talking about UV effects on lume here?

[Loevhagen]

Constant sunlight: Lightened tritium plots
Constant shadow/dark: Creamy tritium plots

[garymj]

My white romans dial has gone cream on my Day Date. Had from new in the 90s and it was bright white.

[adawil2002]

32 years of wearing daily and not worrying about it.

[GradyPhilpott]

Originally Posted by adawil2002

32 years of wearing daily and not worrying about it.

[capote]

Originally Posted by adawil2002

32 years of wearing daily and not worrying about it.

Awesome

[uncleluck]

Originally Posted by Andrejb

Was told the other day that sunlight would “bleach” patina! Is this true?

Anyone have any watches that this has happened to? This makes me want to wear my 89’ 16570 less

Thanks.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just remember we’re here such a short time. On your death bed are you going to be thinking “I’m glad I wore my Watch less so as not to bleach the patina”. No, wear it as much as you want, enjoy it. It might even look better!

I kind of get the whole “I don’t want to wear it” stuff as I used to be terrible, even as a kid I’d keep all my toys mint and put them back in boxes. And for what? So someone else could have them and ruin them. Same thing into alduthood, never driving nice cars, hardly wearing my best watches.

I’ve totally changed my way of thinking in recent years and actually use stuff. I think watching people die in my family in recent years just put things into perspective as to just how short life is and to actual enjoy my things how they were meant to be and not to keep mint for someone else to use.

[James444]

Originally Posted by Loevhagen

Constant sunlight: Lightened tritium plots
Constant shadow/dark: Creamy tritium plots

+1 yes I read it somewhere before with ppl experienced it b4

[Iflylo]

Originally Posted by uncleluck

Just remember we’re here such a short time. On your death bed are you going to be thinking “I’m glad I wore my Watch less so as not to bleach the patina”. No, wear it as much as you want, enjoy it. It might even look better!

I kind of get the whole “I don’t want to wear it” stuff as I used to be terrible, even as a kid I’d keep all my toys mint and put them back in boxes. And for what? So someone else could have them and ruin them. Same thing into alduthood, never driving nice cars, hardly wearing my best watches.

I’ve totally changed my way of thinking in recent years and actually use stuff. I think watching people die in my family in recent years just put things into perspective as to just how short life is and to actual enjoy my things how they were meant to be and not to keep mint for someone else to use.

Amen brother!!

[Justinmg]

Originally Posted by adawil2002

32 years of wearing daily and not worrying about it.

Thank you! It’s watch, just wear it

[James444]

If not wrong I read it on the watchprosite

[77T]

Originally Posted by arcadelt

I'm sure anymore what we are talking about here. Classically, patina is oxidation, buffing through use of woodwork and fine scratches developed in metalware. In watches, it’s the changing colour of lume, degradation of dial lacquers, and scratches in cases, bezels and crystals. Are we just talking about UV effects on lume here?

I agree that the word is broadly used and often misunderstood due to ambiguity.

The lume ages differently than the dial paint. That’s due to chemical outgassing as well as interaction with light. The amount of energy to which the lume is exposed is based is directly on the photon's electromagnetic frequency and wavelength. The strontium aluminate–based non-radioactive photoluminescence in Super-Luminova ages differently than the older zinc based pigments.

So IMHO, the aging that occurs “in the dark” is more from outgassing than decay. In the case of lume interaction with light, a lot depends on wavelength.

Now this is different than how the paint on the dial ages. Dial paint does outgas but more slowly and less affected by photon wavelength. The pigments react differently by dial color compared to the afterglow pigments used for illuminating markings on watch plots, numerals and hands.

I’m going to leave the other aspects of metallurgical patina to our SS, Gold and Platinum experts.


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[perryj]

Originally Posted by 77T

I agree that the word is broadly used and often misunderstood due to ambiguity.

The lume ages differently than the dial paint. That’s due to chemical outgassing as well as interaction with light. The amount of energy to which the lume is exposed is based is directly on the photon's electromagnetic frequency and wavelength. The strontium aluminate–based non-radioactive photoluminescence in Super-Luminova ages differently than the older zinc based pigments.

So IMHO, the aging that occurs “in the dark” is more from outgassing than decay. In the case of lume interaction with light, a lot depends on wavelength.

Now this is different than how the paint on the dial ages. Dial paint does outgas but more slowly and less affected by photon wavelength. The pigments react differently by dial color compared to the afterglow pigments used for illuminating markings on watch plots, numerals and hands.

I’m going to leave the other aspects of metallurgical patina to our SS, Gold and Platinum experts.


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That’s exactly what I was thinking but was too lazy to write hahaha
j/k excellent info!

[Valle de Joux]

Originally Posted by Andrejb

Was told the other day that sunlight would “bleach” patina! Is this true?

Anyone have any watches that this has happened to? This makes me want to wear my 89’ 16570 less

Thanks.


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Sunlight (actually, certain UV rays) can and will discolor a Rolex dial and their markers - vintage Rolex collectors pay a hefty premium for this!

[77T]

Originally Posted by perryj

That’s exactly what I was thinking but was too lazy to write hahaha

j/k excellent info!

Wouldn’t you like to opine on the patination of gold in its various alloys vis a vis SS? I left the entire field of YG, RG and WG open.

And don’t even go there with Platinum and Rolex’s proprietary use of Unobtanium in its alloying furnaces.




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[brandrea]

Originally Posted by 77T

I agree that the word is broadly used and often misunderstood due to ambiguity.

The lume ages differently than the dial paint. That’s due to chemical outgassing as well as interaction with light. The amount of energy to which the lume is exposed is based is directly on the photon's electromagnetic frequency and wavelength. The strontium aluminate–based non-radioactive photoluminescence in Super-Luminova ages differently than the older zinc based pigments.

So IMHO, the aging that occurs “in the dark” is more from outgassing than decay. In the case of lume interaction with light, a lot depends on wavelength.

Now this is different than how the paint on the dial ages. Dial paint does outgas but more slowly and less affected by photon wavelength. The pigments react differently by dial color compared to the afterglow pigments used for illuminating markings on watch plots, numerals and hands.

I’m going to leave the other aspects of metallurgical patina to our SS, Gold and Platinum experts.


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I’m not going to pretend I know anything about the subject after this post

Great info Paul

[LittleRobin]

Originally Posted by adawil2002

32 years of wearing daily and not worrying about it.

Blimey, if I make 32 years of wearing my first Rolex I'll be 99: a bit late to the party you might say

[Randy9999]

Originally Posted by 77T

I agree that the word is broadly used and often misunderstood due to ambiguity.

The lume ages differently than the dial paint. That’s due to chemical outgassing as well as interaction with light. The amount of energy to which the lume is exposed is based is directly on the photon's electromagnetic frequency and wavelength. The strontium aluminate–based non-radioactive photoluminescence in Super-Luminova ages differently than the older zinc based pigments.

So IMHO, the aging that occurs “in the dark” is more from outgassing than decay. In the case of lume interaction with light, a lot depends on wavelength.

Now this is different than how the paint on the dial ages. Dial paint does outgas but more slowly and less affected by photon wavelength. The pigments react differently by dial color compared to the afterglow pigments used for illuminating markings on watch plots, numerals and hands.

I’m going to leave the other aspects of metallurgical patina to our SS, Gold and Platinum experts.

Yes, but since there is a measurable delta between outgassing rates relative to Super-Luminova and regular dial paint, would the former also impact the latter? We are, after all, referencing gas that is essentially trapped within the clamshell.

[77T]

Originally Posted by Randy9999

Yes, but since there is a measurable delta between outgassing rates relative to Super-Luminova and regular dial paint, would the former also impact the latter? We are, after all, referencing gas that is essentially trapped within the clamshell.

The process isn’t under pressure - not like hot air expanding. So there could be a deposition layer that builds up on the dial from the more active lume. That later could interact with the dial paint but it gets cleared away during routine servicing.

If a watch was put away and not touched for decades, I suppose it could have a measurable visible effect.


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[Iflylo]

Here's one that has been in its box since 1994. Notice the hands have aged differently than the lume plots.

[77T]

Originally Posted by Iflylo

Here's one that has been in its box since 1994. Notice the hands have aged differently than the lume plots.

Ironic coincidence because my Root Beer had age that way and people swore I had replaced the hands. The hands are open so the lume gets air from both sides instead of lying flat against metal.


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