Does Tritium Every STOP Aging

[Metric30]

I’ve been researching and have had difficulty ascertaining whether or not tritium ever stops aging. I ask because I’m in the market for some Subs that are 40+ years old tritium dials. Does tritium stop aging after its radiolume has died out or close to it? Or will a piece from the early 80’s continue to patina today and onwards? Thanks in advance, community!

[Dan S]

It depends on many factors, but I don't think the radioactivity of the tritium is particularly relevant. It will depend much more on ambient conditions, exposure to moisture, etc. Patination also depends a great deal on the formulation of the original luminous compound. It has been well established on the forum that Rolex lume from various eras tends to age differently, although all bets are off if there is moisture intrusion, mold, etc.

[adawil2002]

Going on 35 years with my 16550 Explorer II. It will glow for a short period of time after exposed to bright light for 30 minutes. It was never as bright as the lume of new Rolexes.

[Tools]

Originally Posted by Metric30

I’ve been researching and have had difficulty ascertaining whether or not tritium ever stops aging. I ask because I’m in the market for some Subs that are 40+ years old tritium dials. Does tritium stop aging after its radiolume has died out or close to it? Or will a piece from the early 80’s continue to patina today and onwards? Thanks in advance, community!

Don't confuse tritium with the actual lume paint it is mixed with. Tritium decays into Helium-3, which isn't going to excite the paint any more over time.

The paint matrix will age the same as any paint does, until it eventually falls off the dial as dust.

[Metric30]

Thanks, all. I guess my question simply is this: can one reasonably expect a creamy tritium dial that’s already 40 years old to continue to change color over the coming decades or does it eventually settle into and plateau at a certain point?

[TimeLord2]

Had my 1973 GMT in a drawer for about 20 years. When I had it serviced in 2021, the lume plots and hands were an off white creamy color. As I have been wearing it in the California sun over the past year or so, I have definitely noticed they have become more white. At service, I did ask to have the hands stabilized as there were cracks developing. hopefully they wont turn to dust anytime soon.

[harry in montreal]

Funny, I too have a 1972/1973 gmt 1675. When I pulled it out of storage all the lume was yellow. I plan to wear her and see if it will revert back to white. Is your dial a 2b variant by chance? Mine has cubist fonts in the Rolex logo

[TimeLord2]

Originally Posted by harry in montreal

Funny, I too have a 1972/1973 gmt 1675. When I pulled it out of storage all the lume was yellow. I plan to wear her and see if it will revert back to white. Is your dial a 2b variant by chance? Mine has cubist fonts in the Rolex logo

Hi Harry, if you are referring to the classifications like on the gmtmaster1675.com forum for the brown dials then I think mine is more 2d with serif font. However, if you have a 1675 then I have no idea, Hahahaha. Perhaps I am off on the date range its a 3.4 mil. here's a recent pic. Quite white now but the darker marks in the center of the hour plots has never gone away…

[Fredrik]

Originally Posted by Metric30

Thanks, all. I guess my question simply is this: can one reasonably expect a creamy tritium dial that’s already 40 years old to continue to change color over the coming decades or does it eventually settle into and plateau at a certain point?

It depends in my experience... My 1680 gets dark in storage but gets whiter if worn during summer.

[Dan S]

Originally Posted by Metric30

Thanks, all. I guess my question simply is this: can one reasonably expect a creamy tritium dial that’s already 40 years old to continue to change color over the coming decades or does it eventually settle into and plateau at a certain point?

Please update this post in 20 years with the answer. We will be patiently waiting, assuming any of us are still alive.

[harry in montreal]

WoW That is a beautiful 1675

The one that I have is a Mk 2.5 lemrich dial. Strangely, a few months ago thé gmt won in apocalypse now by marlon Brando has the same dial with the funny fonts. Marlons wife auctioned it off last year. Anyhow, we shall see about these exciting lume shenanigans

[Metric30]

Thanks for sharing your experiences. I didn't know it was quite that active (eg turning dark then white then dark again etc). I wear my watches regularly and beat em to hell. I suppose no matter what the dial looks like at purchase, I can expect it'll stay a creamy/whitish color as a daily wear

[linesiders]

The compounds in the lume vary by year and manufacturer and changed frequently, ans their reactions over time change a lot. The T lume on an early 60s Sub, which can have several different mixtures over a year, will be different than what was used by Rolex/Tudor/Omega in the late 60s, which is different than the lume from the 70s or 80s. Mixtures and ingredients kept changing, often frequently.

Originally Posted by Metric30

Thanks, all. I guess my question simply is this: can one reasonably expect a creamy tritium dial that’s already 40 years old to continue to change color over the coming decades or does it eventually settle into and plateau at a certain point?

It will most likely change, particularly when in the sub.

Originally Posted by TimeLord2

Had my 1973 GMT in a drawer for about 20 years. When I had it serviced in 2021, the lume plots and hands were an off white creamy color. As I have been wearing it in the California sun over the past year or so, I have definitely noticed they have become more white. At service, I did ask to have the hands stabilized as there were cracks developing. hopefully they wont turn to dust anytime soon.

Put it in the safe with not access to light to recharge the patina ; )

[bncapass1]

The Rolex Tritium era ran from 1964 – 1997. The mixture process was Tritium, which is in its natural gas state, is then infused with a solid, then ground to a fine powder and then mixed with phosphorescence zinc sulfide. Zinc sulfide on its own will glow very briefly after being hit with a UV light but then fades rapidly after the light source is removed. In Tritium luminous compound, the radioactive decay bombards the phosphorescence zinc sulfide produces a continues glow. The caveat is from the moment the compound is mixed and applied, Tritium starts to lose it radioactivite decay reaching a half life after 12.5 years. Now, one would think a 1994 Submariner being more than 25 years old would not glow at all however I find even today that many even early 90's sports models can still be seen in the dark after your eyes adjust. It’s very faint but you can still see the remaining radioactive decay at work charging the zinc sulfide. What is perplexing to me is Singer, who made dials for Rolex, seems to have used two different types of radioactive luminous compounds. One that would glow after hit with a UV light but rapidly fade after the light source is removed like my two 1970’s Datejust’s and my 1980 Air King with the other like my three 1990’s sports models which do not react to any light source at all including a UV light yet you can see the very faint glow in pitch dark after you eyes adjust.

[TuRo]

Hugely unscientific answer, but I've found it slows down after circa 40 yrs - but never stops !