I love my Turnograph Thunderbird, but I can't read it - Help!

[Zumkopf]

The title says it all, really. My particular DateJust Turnograph "Thunderbird" model has a beautiful blue face and elegant slender silver-colored hands. IMHO it strikes a perfect balance between elegance and function, and it is about as large a watch as I can wear on my skinny wrists without looking ridiculous.

The problem is that for my tired old eyes it's hard to read at a glance, and it is almost impossible to read in low light and/or when at an angle. I was wondering whether anyone else had a similar issue and was able to solve it with a minor change enhance its readability, like changing the hands to Explorers or Wide Boys, and/or change the dial. And if so, how much a change like that would cost. I would hate to have to sell the Blue Turno and buy something else, but a watch you can't read is just a bracelet.





Thanks for any insight or advice. Z

[77T]

Hands with lume helps reduce the reflection that solid hands produce. They should provide better contrast against the blue dial, too.

[The Joker]

Looks quite legible to me. Blue dial's are a little harder to read. It's the contrast between the dial and hands that makes the most difference to legibility not really the size of the watch.

Rolex insist on using silver hands which don't help, Cartier with a white dial/black hands, can read across the room.

Changing the hands to larger explorer ones is a possibility, have seen it done. See if you can find a watchmaker that would change the dial or hands and discuss.

[kneedeep]

Agree with what's been said about needing more contrast. A white dial with dark hands and markings are easy to read or wider hands with plenty of lume on them are more visible against dark dials.

[HORNBLOWER]

I have seen submariner hands on this model and they look great.

[14060m]

I love it
She's beautiful

[GradyPhilpott]

I wouldn't mess with the watch, but I might invest in a pair of glasses with progressive lenses.

They'd probably be cheaper, too.

[PimpStick]

I have this one that's great on readability. 41 Tritium tubes and HUGE markers.

[Zumkopf]

The way the blue changes from silvery-light to deep sea navy depending on the angle of the light... it's like a beautiful woman's eyes.

But the watch resembles a beautiful woman in two other ways. It's an expensive thing to have on your arm, and it's often hard to read.

[Jack T]

If you're going to change anything, make it the hands. That dial give the watch it's character, it's 'look'. Going to a white or silver....Nah, that would just homogenize it.

[Zumkopf]

Originally Posted by Jack T

If you're going to change anything, make it the hands. That dial give the watch it's character, it's 'look'. Going to a white or silver....Nah, that would just homogenize it.

Good advice. I see a trip to the AD in the near future.

[Rolexpharm]

Get a model with the Maxi dial

[Thunderball57]

Nice to see a fellow TB owner. I've never had a problem reading mine, but it has gold hands. The dial was replaced at RSC in Lititz, PA in May. It's a slightly different shade than the original.

[tkerrmd]

glasses?? and leave the beautiful watch alone?

[SALTY]

Originally Posted by tkerrmd

glasses?? and leave the beautiful watch alone?

Or get a Ball - I think you can read them (like the Luminox watches) from space!

[SL BRABUS]

Originally Posted by tkerrmd

glasses?? and leave the beautiful watch alone?

Agree....^^^....


or this would help.....^^^......

[datejusting]

I changed from a blue dial to a white dial and it seemed to help.

[Andad]

I'm surprised that nobody has helped you out yet mate.

It's about two and a half minutes past twelve