Tritium Dial T<25 Debate / Photos

[csaltphoto]

Originally Posted by HogwldFLTR

Tritium is still being used; I love it. Actually wearing the top one (T<25) right now. If I had my way Rolex would get their crap together and engineer the use of Tritium in a unique way. I really am not a fan of Super-Luminova, fwiw. I thinks it's utter horse pucky the way they show their 15min lume on their website. Total misrepresentation. But that's just me.

This. But what they can't engineer is the half-life of Tritium. With the volumes used in watch dials they are pretty much dead after 10 years. I have some older tritium pistol sights that are still glowing somewhat after 15 years but the gas tubes are much larger than what would be used in a watch.

But yeah, Luminova is basically crap being sold as caviar. I have no doubt Rolex could artfully incorporate Tritium into their lume plots if they put their minds to it.

[HogwldFLTR]

Originally Posted by csaltphoto

This. But what they can't engineer is the half-life of Tritium. With the volumes used in watch dials they are pretty much dead after 10 years. I have some older tritium pistol sights that are still glowing somewhat after 15 years but the gas tubes are much larger than what would be used in a watch.

But yeah, Luminova is basically crap being sold as caviar. I have no doubt Rolex could artfully incorporate Tritium into their lume plots if they put their minds to it.

Again the whole issue of half life comes down to engineering the problem. On my Tritium powered watches the tubes can be replaced. If the average service of a Rolex is 10 years then that would be a great time for tritium maintenance as well!!! There would be added cost however if maintenance of a Rolex is inhibitive for owners then it seems like an alternate brand could and should be chosen.

FWIW, I wore one of mine last night and was amazed again by how bright it is in the middle of the night!

[Chester01]

No debate. This one was gifted to me by my now deceased mother in the late 90’s and been on my wrist more days than not over the past 20+ years. Serviced after 17 years and still about +2/3 per day. I appreciate the lume on my other watches, but for me watches are about meaning and not just looking for the next collector item. When one had a collection, the pieces can become as dispensable as the latest Apple Watch.


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[csaltphoto]

Originally Posted by HogwldFLTR

Again the whole issue of half life comes down to engineering the problem. On my Tritium powered watches the tubes can be replaced. If the average service of a Rolex is 10 years then that would be a great time for tritium maintenance as well!!! There would be added cost however if maintenance of a Rolex is inhibitive for owners then it seems like an alternate brand could and should be chosen.

FWIW, I wore one of mine last night and was amazed again by how bright it is in the middle of the night!

For Rolex I think the main issue is aesthetics with the current gas micro tubes. They would have to engineer a new way of encapsulating the tritium and there are only a handful of places that are set up to work with tritium; so most of the manufacturers just buy the tubes from a few sources. I'm sure it is not an insurmountable problem but I lack the background to think it through.

That being said if you absolutely need to be able to see your watch at night there a plenty of way less expensive options than Rolex. It's just too bad Rolex hasn't kept pace with the tech in this department or gone on to innovate something better than luminescent paint.

[HogwldFLTR]

As I said, engineering is the issue. Rolex is lazy and happy to milk their cash cows. The watch below is all tritium (bezel and dial lumes, note the T25 marking); I don't really see the drawback other than lack of innovation on the part of Rolex!!

[csaltphoto]

Originally Posted by HogwldFLTR

As I said, engineering is the issue. Rolex is lazy and happy to milk their cash cows. The watch below is all tritium (bezel and dial lumes, note the T25 marking); I don't really see the drawback other than lack of innovation on the part of Rolex!!

Interesting. Apparently there are new flatter tubes to encapsulate the tritium. Makes for a pretty thick watch though. Almost 15mm. But yeah, Ball really moved forward with the new tech.

[214270Explorer]

Tritium is safe; it will bounce harmlessly off your skin if you are DIRECTLY exposed, which will not occur as watches are sealed. Tritium was implemented due to its safety compared to the earlier Radium.

Two watches owned with Tritium are my Marathon Navigator Pilot Quartz (great lume), and a Vostok black IPB 396778 which has FANTASTIC lume (larger, wider hands and indices than the Marathon, but the same "value" (T25) of lume.)

I would not mind if Rolex/Tudor went to H3 Tritium lume tubes, just as long as the watches would MEET their current shock-test specifications.

It would not bother me to have their lumed hands / dials replaced every so many years as the half life reductions occur. As long as Rolex / Tudor would guarantee that they would make these Tritium parts available in perpetuity. Which is iffy at best?

You just cannot beat Tritium. Placed next to it, the current Superluminovas / Chromalights are quite weak, although usable. I just like the brightness of Tritium and always will. Plus it can be produced in any color desired.

[HogwldFLTR]

Originally Posted by csaltphoto

Interesting. Apparently there are new flatter tubes to encapsulate the tritium. Makes for a pretty thick watch though. Almost 15mm. But yeah, Ball really moved forward with the new tech.

A bit but Rolex also has some pretty thick watches.

Originally Posted by 214270Explorer

Tritium is safe; it will bounce harmlessly off your skin if you are DIRECTLY exposed, which will not occur as watches are sealed. Tritium was implemented due to its safety compared to the earlier Radium.

Two watches owned with Tritium are my Marathon Navigator Pilot Quartz (great lume), and a Vostok black IPB 396778 which has FANTASTIC lume (larger, wider hands and indices than the Marathon, but the same "value" (T25) of lume.)

I would not mind if Rolex/Tudor went to H3 Tritium lume tubes, just as long as the watches would MEET their current shock-test specifications.

It would not bother me to have their lumed hands / dials replaced every so many years as the half life reductions occur. As long as Rolex / Tudor would guarantee that they would make these Tritium parts available in perpetuity. Which is iffy at best?

You just cannot beat Tritium. Placed next to it, the current Superluminovas / Chromalights are quite weak, although usable. I just like the brightness of Tritium and always will. Plus it can be produced in any color desired.

Yes usable but barely depending on the implementation. My Daytona's lumes are too small for good full night time use especially if they aren't actively charged early on. But of course those with experience with Tritium lumes know that I'm trying to convert the previously initiated. So no more sermonizing. Sorry to those who haven't been converted.

[Dirt]

I don't get the hype over aged Tritium lume.
I have only ever valued fully functional lume.

[dry]

My polar explorer 2 patina. very deep ochre coloured. 100% natural. seems to be a production fault as I have another Rolex GMT explorer circa 1965 but the patina not as deep.

[iliketime]

love my tritium dials, shame the last place i sent to service nicked the 12 o clock marker

[101031-28]

Big fan of tritium: my 1984 16660 and my 1987 16550

[russ86]

Tritium Dial 100%

[TopDog2315]

Huge fan of the Tritium Dial T<25!!!

Still waiting for mine to cream up