Is this Old Radium on this Vintage Smiths Pocket Watch?

Hello everyone, hope you’re well. I’ve recently picked up an old smiths pocket watch off of eBay and before I open up the case for repair I was wondering if anyone knows if it’s using radium lume? If so I guess I should leave it alone. I’ve attached some photos, I don’t know anything about the watch so if you have any reference numbers or info about the movement that would also be appreciated. Charged up with a UV light.

Thank you

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Smiths certainly did use radium lume, but almost certainly not on something as late as this, as it's probably from the seventies. If it was then after decades of ionising radiation, while the radium will be as radioactive as ever, the lume will be fried. If it wasn't, the radium would be providing more than enough energy to make it glow. As such, this is just more evidence, if needed, that that this is much later. Smiths carried on making pocket watches similar this to the very end - in Wales.


However, with any lume that may be a bit exciting it's worth keeping in a well ventilated place as the problem with radium lume in good condition is radon gas before any other risk.

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Originally Posted by M4tt

Smiths certainly did use radium lume, but almost certainly not on something as late as this, as it's probably from the seventies. If it was then after decades of ionising radiation, while the radium will be as radioactive as ever, the lume will be fried. If it wasn't, the radium would be providing more than enough energy to make it glow. As such, this is just more evidence, if needed, that that this is much later. Smiths carried on making pocket watches similar this to the very end - in Wales.


However, with any lume that may be a bit exciting it's worth keeping in a well ventilated place as the problem with radium lume in good condition is radon gas before any other risk.

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Yeah I too thought maybe it’s too new of a piece to have used Radium but I’m not sure what lume it would be otherwise. Tritium maybe?

I’ve read that tritium when hit with a uv light remains glowing for a few seconds once the lights are off whereas Radium will instantly stop emitting lume once the lights are turned off. I’m this case it’s the former that’s happening.

Here is a photo of the movement so if anyone can give more info about the pocket watch.. would be great https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...399d3cc56c.jpg


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