Franken Fat Lady

[KTY]

Hello all, my name is KT and I am new to the group.

I checked out a 1985 Rolex 16760 (first GMTII model) aka Fat Lady this morning with an intention to purchase.

The watch looked really nice. I got the seller to expose the dial to a bright light source. Guess what? The hands glowed like a torch while the hour markers stayed unilluminated, suggesting that the former were replacements.

Imagine the hands remaining white after the tritium indices have acquired a yellow patina in years to come. Because i am fussy, I did not  buy the watch.

Would you buy the watch and then replace the hands with a tritium set?

KT

[ck77]

depend how much you like the watch.
if you can find the tritium hands, why not. but of course, with matching patina.

[Samajaya168]

well, 4 me i don mine 

[Scott C.]

I DO mind if one growth but the other not 

first of all, is this piece supposedly come with T-dial (see the dial if stated "T-Swiss-T" or "T < 25" or anything with "T")? if it's not, then a bit strange, the t-dial hand will not need extra light source to grow... and if it's one grow one and not on the other, then have to be careful, it might not an original pair.. sorry, i don't mean to offend any one but just a word of caution It just that in my opinion, the T-dial should grow by itself (if the tritium still active) and you need not to purposely expose it to bright light source.... and since it's a 1985 piece, the tritium shouldn't be that strong anymore...

if change the tritium hands, then have to look for a pair that match back your dial's markers otherwise i DO mind too


good luck!
scott

[G.MAC]

my advice is if you want the watch just for wearing then by all means go ahead  . But if you want to keep it and hope to sell it one day after you are tired of it then i dont suggest you buy it. my dad has one and the tritium lume is almost all gone. hardly any glow from it. but then again in your case it is going to be a bit weird because the hands glow but not the numbering.

[KTY]

Thank you all for the input.

If I were to buy the watch I will definitely change the hands to a tritium set to match the tritium markers. That said, I shall always harbor a lingering suspicion that the dial or bezel may also be from a service set. Note that this watch is not equipped with a no date dial peculiar to some fat ladies but the dated one similar to the 16710. Really, there is no way to tell. Is there?

Watch collecting is emotional. As long as there is an element of negativity, rightfully or not, it is best not to pursue. Why spend money only to feel lousy? I have decided to let the watch go.

Talking about lume, I have an IWC mk12 which I bought new in the mid 90's. The tritium hands and dial (3,6,9, 12 markers) had for some time acquired a patina and are no longer luminous.

KT

[ck77]

Thank you all for the input.

If I were to buy the watch I will definitely change the hands to a tritium set to match the tritium markers. That said, I shall always harbor a lingering suspicion that the dial or bezel may also be from a service set. Note that this watch is not equipped with a no date dial peculiar to some fat ladies but the dated one similar to the 16710. Really, there is no way to tell. Is there?

Watch collecting is emotional. As long as there is an element of negativity, rightfully or not, it is best not to pursue. Why spend money only to feel lousy? I have decided to let the watch go.

Talking about lume, I have an IWC mk12 which I bought new in the mid 90's. The tritium hands and dial (3,6,9, 12 markers) had for some time acquired a patina and are no longer luminous.

KT

Ya spend whatever that bring joy to you. That Mark 12 is a classic, do share the pictures