This one has a crystal that is still glowing, (you can't have the only one Fifth!)
Looks like a late 20's Treasurer...Might have a fair restoration project here...If nothing else a nice band to work with.
Hope I didn't snipe anyone! ; D
Yowza! I have a couple watches with radium burned dials, but nothing like the burn on that crystal!
I'd suggest opening that baby up under a fume hood, and either wearing gloves or at least washing your hands after. You probably already know that, but it doesn't hurt to mention it.
In reply to Yowza! I have a couple by Elgin Doug
In reply to Lol, Do you think the mail by OldTicker
www.roger-russell.com/jeffers/radiumdials.htm nice read on this subject...
An old time watchmaker friend of mine told me this story. A good friend of his brought in a chronograph for hands because the glow in the dark stuff had flacked off. He installed a set of NOS radium hands that he had. The friend, who as it turned out was a Navy officier stationed on a nuclear sub set off some sort of alarms when he entered the boat with his new watch hands.
Jay
In reply to Most (if not all) of the by shooter144
Actually, no - the half life of Radium is 1600 years, so less than 3% will have decayed. 97% of it is still there.
What happens is that the zinc sulphide - what actually lights up when hit by the alpha particles from decaying Rd nuclei - has lost its fluorescence.
EDIT: Concur on not breathing, it, though.
Greg - had hoped one of us would bring this guy home, pretty close to the 'burn in' my '25 Conqueror had when he came to me:
I'll give you three "Treasurer" stars, that bracelet almost makes it four! I love those originals, send it my way if you don't keep it on this beauty.
Here's the way mine turned out:
http://www.mybulova.com/watches/1930-treasurer-2841
gb
In reply to Greg - had hoped one of us by Geoff Baker
I was kinda suprised that I got it Geoff, I only had a $31 + change snipe in and that was all it took...Seller has shipped it already so maybe I will have it by the end of the week... Lol, I am ready!!!
The only thing I see that may be an issue is the "possible ding" on the bezel just above the crown, I am hoping that it is just a reflection...time will tell.
In reply to heh, can I borrow that? by FifthAvenueRes…
Well, the watch arrived and nobody from Homeland Security as come knocking on my door yet...
I have a clasp to replace the broken one, and I am sure I have a crystal for it, the case does have a ding just above the crown, and the dial will need refinishing, but take a look at the movement...
Something is not right here...
In reply to Well, the watch arrived and by OldTicker
In reply to Kinda looks like a 7 jewel to by vintagebulova.com
Jay,
I am thinking that this movement was swapped out at one time, the Treasurer is advertised at a 15J...
It looks like I can update the movement database to include the 10AN in a 7J...or do you think it might have been offered in the Treasurer, or is this watch something else?
I have seen enough of these to make me wonder if they were indeed put together that way from the factory, but without any documented proof of this I would have to go with the movement swap theory.
Jay
Here's My theory.
In this Day (1920's) a Watchmaker would build a Watch for a Customer 'a la carte'. The Customer could spend more or less Money on the same style of Watch, depending on Budget, by 'upgrading' or 'downgrading' certain attributes.
ie: Rolled Gold Plate, Gold Filled or Solid Gold Case.
The same with Movements, depending on Budget.
ie: 7 Jewels, 15 Jewels, 17 Jewels or 21 Jewels
and Dials (?)
The vintage advertisements We see are priced based on the combination of attributes shown and described.
ie: 15 Jewels, Gold Filled Case = $$.
Any variantion from advertised would cost more or less depending on what the Customer wanted.
2c