Swiss vs Swiss Made

[dexvd]

Have been looking at 5 digit explorers and explorer IIs and noted that after the tritium T>25 or whatever dials there seems to be Swiss and Swiss Made dials that are about the same age, for example, watches from 1999 (Swiss) or 2000 (Swiss Made).

What are the differences between these dials? Different lume? When did each style start and end?

[mtgjr]

Swiss only dials appeared for only a couple years with the switch from Tritium to Luminova. Then to Super Luminova and the Swiss Made dials.

[Loevhagen]

Lume: Luminova = Super Luminova. The difference is not lume strength, but just the name
SWISS: Used as the guy said over here, but also as service dials later...

[Melchizedek]

Prior – 1953, The early age of Rolex luminous, used on their pocket watches, early oyster cases, bubble backs and radiomir Panerai’s.
1953 – 1956, When Rolex introduced the world their sports / utility / tool watch concept with radium Submariner, TOG, Explorer & GMT Master.
1957 – 1960, When Rolex lowered radiation and chanced dial printing from 1 to 2 colored print and enhanced the lacquer to a more glossy variant.
1960 – 1963, The pre ‘Transitional” period with “Exclamation” mark and due to the starting international regulation, again less radioactive luminous.
1963 – 1964, “Transitional” underline of which Rolex switched from Radium to Trtium, delivered dials are “swiss” signed but laminated with tritium.
1964 – 1967, The new generation tritium luminous got added on glossy dials, signing chanced from “Swiss” to “Swiss – T<25” & “T-Swiss-T”.
1967 – 1983, The matte dial with tritium luminous got introduced by Rolex. We see tritium signings variations like T Swiss T<25 or σ T-Swiss-T σ.
1983 – 1997, The last era of the tritium dials when the glossy dial surface came back, now the luminous was added in a added white gold surround.
1998- 2000, LumiNova was invented in 1993 and patented in 1995; Nemoto & Co. Ltd. was contracted in 1998 to provide LumiNova to Switzerland.
2000 – 2008, Super Luminova, a improved version of Luminova, a material that has the same properties as tritium but is not radioactive.
2008 – now, Chroma Light, the new blue-ish colored Super Luminova thats been in use since Rolex patented it.


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[Tools]

Originally Posted by dexvd

. . .What are the differences between these dials? Different lume? When did each style start and end?

During the changeover in 1998/99 Nemoto paint company was building a new manufacturing plant in Switzerland just for the watch market and their photo-luminescent sign paint Luminova.

The 98/99 Swiss only dials were the original Luminova dials and also extended into the service dials for several years.

After the plant was built, all Luminova was provided by Nemoto to the watch industry from the new Swiss plant.

There is only one patent and paint mix for Luminova, it did not become "better" or improved, it was just a name change for the watch industry.

[m-abz-t]

Interesting topic .. would you say the 'Swiss' is a collectible compared to 'Swiss made' as they were only out for a few years? or wouldn't it really matter?

[madonofrio]

Originally Posted by m-abz-t

Interesting topic .. would you say the 'Swiss' is a collectible compared to 'Swiss made' as they were only out for a few years? or wouldn't it really matter?

They're collectible in the sense that anything can be collected, but they don't seem to command a premium right now.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by m-abz-t

Interesting topic .. would you say the 'Swiss' is a collectible compared to 'Swiss made' as they were only out for a few years? or wouldn't it really matter?

Simple answer no.

[Ian Macdermott]

Originally Posted by madonofrio

They're collectible in the sense that anything can be collected, but they don't seem to command a premium right now.

Start an Internet rumour that they are collectible sit back wait for said rumour to take off then cash in.

[mdtddd2007]

Interesting

[m-abz-t]

Rumors started .. my rotary is a collectible! I will let it go for 3k lol :D

[madonofrio]

Originally Posted by Ian Macdermott

Start an Internet rumour that they are collectible sit back wait for said rumour to take off then cash in.

You forgot "buy as many as you can to corner the market".

[Ian Macdermott]

Originally Posted by madonofrio

You forgot "buy as many as you can to corner the market".

Another cunning plan foiled

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[vladamir15]

No, the swiss marking is common and imo somewhat undesirable

[Spyder555]

Swiss-T <25 ......all day long. Long live Trit