Tritium Dials still available?

[vanbo]

I was pretty bummed to learn that Rolex hasn't been using Tritium in Explorer II watch dials for some time, and those watches that are old enough to have them are either no longer glowing or will not be within a few years.

Why did Rolex decide to not use this on watches designed for exploration? I spend time in Alaska where in the winter we only have a few hours of light, and the Luminox just doesn't last long enough. I also hoped to go to Antartica in the future and it seems like if I am there for any winter months that my watch would also no longer work well. It seems that the Explorer II is no longer a working "work watch".

Of course, in most of these situations I will be more worried about other issues than my watch, but just annoying they would make a change like that that fundamentally changes the design of a watch meant for such uses.

[mike]

The use of tritium was generally nixed in the 1998-2000 timeframe as health conserns arose. Tritium is a mildly radioactive substance (beta) that while it won't penerate a crystal was felt to pose health issues to watchmaker/dial makers etc....

Certainly no where near Radium (The radium girls) in potency it was never the less curtailed by many watch brands in favor of Luminova/Superluminova.

I know, Ball, Luminox, and some use a tritium gas inclosed in glass vials. Be sweet if others did that as well.

[stevemulholland3]

I hope tritium isnt that bad because I get tritium dust all over me and occassionally in my mouth as well when restoring some of these old watches..I geuss I will know in a few years...lol

[Tools]

Originally Posted by stevemulholland3

I hope tritium isnt that bad because I get tritium dust all over me and occassionally in my mouth as well when restoring some of these old watches..I geuss I will know in a few years...lol

Make no mistake about it.... Tritium, if active, is a health hazard... It is radioactive.... you can't see it, you can't feel it.... but it is there..

Tritium is part of the hydrogen family but with extra neutrons... these neutrons are thrown off hence, their activity that excites the phosphors in the paint.. Tritium eventually decays to inert hydrogen..

If inhaled and active, it will bombard the tender linings of our mouth, lungs, and esophogas with beta radiation, those unstable extra neutrons. It will essentially burn the inside surfaces of these unprotected linings..............

[mcjp6]

Originally Posted by Tools

Tritium eventually decays to inert hydrogen..

hopefully that is what you have been dealing with Steve....
otherwise you may need to buy another watch soon for that third hand you\'ll be sprouting.