The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Yes, I would say that it is very likely . . . .

If I was you / Craig, I would most likely try to darken the existing paint instead of starting all over, there are various ways of doing that, but Craig should know, and of course the hands themselves should be worked on as well.

“Immaculate patina is an art form only mastered by time itself”

But a man with the proper skills can make it look quite nice.

Let’s hear how it goes, and remember to post pictures.


/ Kurt B

Thanks Kurt.

To the OP, if you would like to be adventurous:), here's a nice writeup that says one can actually detect radium using a dosimeter or a Geiger counter, seems doesn't work on tritium lumes. So taking off those hands and measuring radium could be one possibility, unlikely a relume would have been radium. The only problem is getting hands on one of those meters or finding someone that can lend one.

http://www.thewatchforum.co.uk/index.ph ... opic=40906

Apparently dosimeters are quite cheap
http://www.ebay.com/gds/What-Dosimeter- ... 808/g.html

a bit of black tea on the hands lume - nothing more.

I would say a good strong Coffee, but It depends on what the paint that's on them right now is, if it's Tritium it will work, but if it's Luminova or some kind of acrylic / plastic paint then it won't, a simple touch up with a matching colour water based ink might be better, but there's obviously other options.

Patinating the hands themselves is probably a little harder.

But let's assume that Craig has tried something similar before.

Anyway, I look forward to see the result.

/ Kurt B

Well, this is a great Forum and the advice, feedback and insight into my vintage Breitling has been most appreciated. Based upon the posts as well as professional guidance from Craig at Chronodeco, I decided to have Craig waive his magic wand and attempt to match the hands to the numbers on the face in order to show the appropriate patina, as it appeared as though the hands had been re-lumed. Markings in the caseback show that the re-lume may have occurred in 1959 but this is without certainty.

At any rate, Craig got it right as the photo below will show in the "before" and "after".....

Before:





After:

Absolutely stunning now, maybe could have still been made a bit darker looking but that could be risky, great job Craig!

Craig nailed it perfectly, and IMO the colour is fine, one can always discuss that a colour could have been lighter or darker.
A perfect match is basically impossible, and it's not like picking candy in a candy shop, you get one shot and then you leave it there, as nobody wants to mess too much with a watch like this, since a second or even third attempt could eventually end up being fatal.

/ Kurt B

Wonderful, even better now; tea, coffee or a secret Craig recipe ?

Craig being Craig his pics are low-res, I'd love to see a hi-res pic of those "timewarp" hands, amazing the metal shows no patina at all (that we can see at this resolution) after at least 40 years.

had a smilar issue w/ an Ed White Speedie, a 30+ years safe queen, the dial lume had aged, the white hands looked factory perfect at low resolution, only to show relevant aging/cracking at higher resolution.

OP: collectors are crazy

yep, a bit higher resolution does show some patina/corrosion on tip of minute hand and sweep second.
watch was bought in February 1957, strap could well be the original.
not too bad, really.

And the prize for understatement goes to.........

Is that one of yours Fred, a beauty!

it is the watch this thread is about, San.