Tropical dials

[Neverenoughwatches]

Random idea I had today watch people ( what else do you expect ) . While looking at my Smiths Everest today , I was thinking how lovely the patina is on it and how nice it would be to have more dials in my collection like that. I wondered how quickly artificial uv light would conjure a patina on a fairly old dial. 

[Knebo]

9 hours ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

Random idea I had today watch people ( what else do you expect ) . While looking at my Smiths Everest today , I was thinking how lovely the patina is on it and how nice it would be to have more dials in my collection like that. I wondered how quickly artificial uv light would conjure a patina on a fairly old dial. 

Haha, interesting idea. An potentially one with which you could make a lot of money! Some Rolex models will literally be +100% in value if it has a tropical (black that has become red-ish) patina. 

Please post a picture of your Everest!! I'm a fan of that watch, too. How old is it? 

Edited January 2 by Knebo

[Neverenoughwatches]

My wife looks after my good watches but here is a picture ofvthe ebay listing when i bought it. I think its the 10 years anniversary of the climb , so 1963, A404/E model.

[HectorLooi]

For some reason, I've never appreciated patina. I like my things clean and sparkling. Maybe it a dental thing. 

[RichardHarris123]

9 minutes ago, HectorLooi said:

For some reason, I've never appreciated patina. I like my things clean and sparkling. Maybe it a dental thing. 

I mentioned that in another post, I too like them to look pretty much new. Each to their own as far as aesthetics go. 

[GuyMontag]

Count me as one who is not a patina fan. I have to admit, I don't get it. Does anyone like a patina on their car? Or house? Or those old photos in the shoe box that are turning yellow? I'm trying to come up with anything that patina makes looks better and I'm not coming up with anything. Well, except for one thing. My wife. Her patina is the evidence of her years of warmth, genius, generosity and all around brilliance. She is definitely one thing in life that gets better with age

[HectorLooi]

So, it's definately a dental thing.

2 hours ago, GuyMontag said:

Well, except for one thing. My wife.

Awww.... You're just trying to avoid sleeping on the couch.

[Neverenoughwatches]

I personally wouldn't  go around telling women thst they had developed a patina . But there are plenty of things that are fully appreciated for the their age related  colour changes. A piece of antique furniture can be completely ruined if it's not sympathetically restored, this goes for antiques made from most materials. Its something that an antique dealer actually looks for, there is even a process that mimics an aged look....distressing an item.

Edited January 3 by Neverenoughwatches

[Knebo]

Well, I can be partial to patina. But some sellers try to sell (!) "damage" as "patina". Those two should be distinguished. Let me use a Rolex Explorer 1016 as the example. Here, the price difference between a new service dial (~10k) and a beautiful tropical patina (~30k) can be insane. Non-tropical patina and slight damage will be in-between in terms of prices.

This is likely to be a new/service dial and hands that was replaced by Rolex. I find it a bit boring and, well, not original!

 

Here we have a normal but pretty patina. Primarily of the tritium lume. 

 

Now this one has "damage", especially in the centre of the dial and on the hands. 

 

This one is beautiful "tropical patina". Colours have changed, but no (significant) damage.

 

 

  

On 1/3/2025 at 8:21 AM, Neverenoughwatches said:

I personally wouldn't  go around telling women thst they had developed a patina .

I think that's good life/marriage advice 

 

 

 

Edited January 7 by Knebo

[Neverenoughwatches]

That first dial is very vanilla....plain as. Whereas the last is nice...not that I'm a rolex ( yes small r for rolex same as swatch only get small s even though they deserve a big S for being SHITTY people ) fan. Patina looks so nice on original white dials...old 30s and 40s and military stuff. 

2 hours ago, Knebo said:

On 1/3/2025 at 7:21 AM, Neverenoughwatches said:

personally wouldn't  go around telling women thst they had developed a patina .

I think that's good life/marriage advice 

 

thats one idea I'm not planning on experimenting with...it's a...I just know thought.

[Nucejoe]

Lovely patina? 

Reminds me of a sellers description of his watch on sale.

    "Lovely cracked crystal "