Because radium was ruled unsafe, Rolex phased out radium altogether and replaced it with Tritium.
In this post
Does Rolex still use radium?
Furthermore, radium also loses its glow over time. Rolex stopped using radium in 1963 due to the high risk of cancer that this radioactive substance has. This applied to the people who worked with it daily in the factory. In fact, people did develop cancer from working with applying radium to Rolex’s dials.
Are old Rolex watches radioactive?
From the 1950s to the late 90s, Rolex used the radioactive material Tritium, which refers to the chemical used on the hands and hour markers of the watches, which causes them to illuminate.
When did Rolex start using radium?
1953 – 1956, When Rolex introduced the world their sports / utility / tool watch concept with radium Submariner, TOG, Explorer & GMT Master.
What makes Rolex watches glow?
Contemporary Rolex watches (like the one pictured below) use a photo-luminescent material on their dials and hands, which means that modern watches will glow in response to light exposure.
How can I tell if my watch has radium?
Plastic crystals can often exhibit a burn-in from the paint. Radium-based paint was banned in the 1960s and all of the paint was phased out a decade later. The easiest way to tell if a watch is radioactive is to pick up a simple Geiger counter. This will tell you definitively if a piece is radioactive.
Can you still buy radium watches?
Radium was eventually banned after scores of dial painters died from cancer and various ghastly ailments. But many of the so-called radium watches are still around today, considered antiques and even prized as collectibles.
When did watches stop using radium?
Many of these workers developed bone cancer, usually in their jaws. Eventually, scientists and medical professionals realized that these workers’ illnesses were being caused by internal contamination from the radium they ingested. By the 1970s, radium was no longer used on watch and clock dials.
Should you restore a vintage Rolex?
While the replacement of most movement components rarely impacts resale value, vintage Rolex watches with replacement cases or dials can often be worth a fraction of what they would be otherwise. The other option to consider is sending your Rolex to a private repair shop or independent watchmaker.
Can you read a Rolex in the dark?
Rolex Oyster Perpetual 39 and Rolex Milgauss Black Dial
For modern watches, simply turn off the light and watch it glow. Whatever color it may be, a Rolex performs well in the dark because of its superior lume.
Why does my Rolex say T Swiss made T?
“T Swiss made T” means that the watch is Swiss and contains a certain quantity of tritium that emits less than 227 MBq (7.5 mCi). “Swiss T<25" means that the watch is Swiss and contains a certain quantity of tritium that emits less than 925 MBq (25 mCi).
How long does radium lume last?
1,600 years
Watches were using radium as lume until the 1960s. Radium is a material that can potentially glow for over 1,600 years which is around the half-life of the material wherein which the luminescence begins to dim.
What material does Rolex use?
904L steel
OYSTERSTEEL. A Rolex watch must work perfectly and maintain its beauty even in the harshest environments. That is why Rolex uses Oystersteel, a steel alloy specific to the brand. Oystersteel belongs to the 904L steel family, which is particularly resistant to corrosion and acquires an exceptional sheen when polished.
Does Radium Glow forever?
Radium dials usually lose their ability to glow in the dark in a period ranging anywhere from a few years to several decades, but all will cease to glow at some point. A radium dial clock from the 1930s. A key point to bear in mind is this: the dial is still highly radioactive.
Are radium dials still made?
Radium dials were produced throughout most of the 20th century before being replaced by safer tritium-based luminous material in the 1970s and finally by non-toxic, non-radioactive strontium aluminate–based photoluminescent material from the middle 1990s.
How long does Rolex lume last?
How long your lume lasts depends on the number of coats of Rolex Chromalight or Super-LumiNova applied to the watch’s face, hands, and dials. The more coats applied, the longer the lume will last after being fully charged. Most watches painted with lume need only 30 minutes in optimal light conditions to fully charge.
What items contain radium?
Radium-containing pills, pads, solutions, kinds of toothpaste, and devices designed to add radon to drinking water were once commonplace. Some of these devices are relatively harmless, but others contain potentially hazardous levels of radium.
Is radium paint still used today?
Radium paint itself was eventually phased out and has not been used in watches since 1968.
What color does radium Glow?
green
Yes, from around 1913 to the 1960s, they did contain radium, and they did glow green. But the radium itself did not give off a green glow. The radium was mixed with a chemical called a phosphor (made from silver and zinc sulphide). The radium gave off alpha particles, which hit the atoms in the phosphor.
Is it illegal to own radium?
Your possession of radium-containing watches and clocks for repair purposes, though only temporary, is subject to the general license provisions for self-luminous products containing Ra-226 contained in NRC regulations (10 CFR 31.12) or equivalent Agreement State regulations.
How do you get radium poisoning?
Radium can enter the body when it is breathed in or swallowed. It is not known if it can be taken in through the skin. If you breathe radium into your lungs, some may remain there for months; but it will gradually enter the blood stream and be carried to all parts of the body, especially the bones.