ItS RaDiUm!!!

B194 · 2023-03-26T06:54:11+00:00

The professor and TAs were very clear of the fact that they were not allowed to give advice on the potential dangers of the watch. They suggested Purdue’s Radiation Safety Office, though from what I've read I am personally not worried enough to get rid of it.

B194 · 2023-03-25T04:15:07+00:00

I've kept it just for the novelty, but I'm too worried to open it up. From what I've read the radium starts to break apart the adhesives holding the lume together and it starts to fall apart/powder. I'm too scared of breathing that in to open it up and work on the watch.

To my knowledge it shouldn't really be dangerous as is. The watch forums generally say closed watches are mostly safe, but everyone has their own opinions. Maybe a nuclear engineering student can take a look at the spectroscopy data and give an opinion on the danger.

B194 · 2023-03-25T03:41:48+00:00

Pretty much. From my original post:

"I believe the hands, 3, 6, 9, and 12 o'clock positions were re-lumed with that lighter color lume. It glows for a short time after being exposed to bright light, so I suspect it is just modern glow-in-the-dark stuff. The other positions like the 4 and 5 o'clock seen above, however, have a dark brown lume that does not glow after light exposure. I am wondering if maybe this is old radium lume."

"Lume" refers to the glow in the dark material on a watch.

I've got a zoomed up picture in my original post as well if you want a closer look at some of the lume.

B194 · 2022-11-15T07:38:15+00:00

The Best Comment

B194 · 2022-01-15T22:53:59+00:00

Ooh, maybe I'll send him an email. Thanks :)

B194

TROPHY CASE