Tritium has fallen out of GMT dots

[Bastelhausen]

Hello!
I have an interesting offer for this 1988 GMT Master 16700.
It has lost some of it's Tritium, especially in the Dots. As I'm not an experienced vintage buyer I would like to ask you all if this is normal or if this is considered a problem and may damage the watch and value.
Thanks a lot!

[watchcrank]

Its not uncommon for a dot to fall out after a sharp blow to the watch. But from this single scan and the hazing on the dial my guess is that this watch has had moisture inside it and has eliminated the bond of the original dial. Some of the plots look like they may have been repaired already. I would tread cautiously with this watch, inspecting the movement for surface rust or repair. I see the hands are not in good condition as to the lume as well. Better scans may tell more. m

[SubKing]

it does happen that tritium can flake off or fall out of dial markers with the wg surrounds, but for it to look like that and be so consistent; It looks to me that someone has intentionally removed the tritium out of some of the markers. The empty ones are too clean. Why someone would do this? Only god knows..

[chris333]

Agree with what the others have said - the ageing on this particular example is off. I would pass, for sure.

[strafer_kid]

Originally Posted by chris333

Agree with what the others have said - the ageing on this particular example is off. I would pass, for sure.

Yes - definitely looks a bit odd and as if some form of activity has taken place?

[Richard Carver]

Someone may have tried to bake the dial going for some patina. Lots of dials ruined that way. There is a real probability there is Trit dust in the movement. If I were buying I would factor in a replacement dial and a service.

[sensui]

Looks like a hard pass...too many nicer examples around with perfect tritium lume plots. I personally like that matte'ing thing going on with the dial though if subtle and even.

[Aututto]

Yeah I'd also suspect moisture. Look at the tritium on the the Mercedes logo and especially the GMT hand. The GMT hand tritium is cracking at the base of the triangle.

[chows99]

Unless it is selling way lower than market price, give this offer a pass. The dial condition is too way off. You haven't even inspect the movement yet.

[Bastelhausen]

many thanks for your answers! yes, i will pass on this one!

[bondtoys]

I wonder why the end of the secondhand is placed exactly over the 24 hr hand to prevent identification of the correct hand stack.

Missing lume plots usually are a thing of fakes, haven't seen that too often on genuine watches.

[springer]

Originally Posted by bondtoys

I wonder why the end of the secondhand is placed exactly over the 24 hr hand to prevent identification of the correct hand stack.

Missing lume plots usually are a thing of fakes, haven't seen that too often on genuine watches.

The dial is a genuine Rolex dial. Aftermarket hands have the same "stack" as genuine hands. The hands depicted in the photo appear by all means to be genuine Rolex hands.