The Radium Girls. Vintage Danger - Radium Dials and A Wehrmacht Watch

[@j.burgess4459]

I remember a watchmaker telling me about how he stored on old ship's chronometer (I think it was a Glashütte marine chronometer) in his safe for a couple of years. One time he went to the safe after dark, and to his horror the whole inside of the safe (not just the chronometer) was faintly glowing!

[@lucafwn]

"So you have an old radium watch? And how is it?" "Not great, not terrible."

[@martinstreiter7306]

Ich hatte mal eine alte Omega Seamaster gekauft und diese bei mir im Physikinstitut mit dem Geiger-Zählrohr getestet: Katastrophe. Zusätzliche Strahlung sollte man vermeiden wo es geht! Das Argument im Netz ist oft, dass die Strahlung gering ist. Deine Erklärungen sind super. Besonders der Hinweis, dass das Leuchten nicht gleich der noch vorhandenen Strahlung ist, ist sehr wertvoll.

[@michaelbedford8017]

I've heard nothing but glowing reports about this episode 💚

[@raybentos3215]

I found the video to be most illuminating, and your comment gave me a warm glow.

[@Diamonddavej]

Before about 1925 radium dials mostly used the Radium-228 isotope derived from Thorium rather than Uranium ore, a half life of only 5.75 years. After about 1925 the proportion of Ra-226 (h.l. 1600 years) increased, the change likely due to increasing popularity of the incandescent light bulb resulting in a lack of thorium ore imports. "In nine of the thirteen paints prepared in the period 1915-1925 for which an isotopic activity ratio was determined (Table 1), radium-228 activity was clearly dominant at the time of preparation or use. In these, the calculated ratio of radium-228 to radium-226 activity in 1920 averaged 8.4 ± 0.82 (S.D.) and all were within the range expected for samples of three-year-old technical mesothorium" Keane, A.T., Holtzmann, R.B. and Rundo, J., 1994. Prevalence of technical mesothorium in self-luminous compounds used by New Jersey radium dial workers (No. ANL/ER/CP--81143). Argonne National Lab.

[@saymyname218]

I've been wearing a Radium watch all my life and it has never caused me any problems. I only wear it on my 3rd arm.

[@SecondHourWatches]

You're producing some really fascinating content lately. Thank you 🙏

[@CasebackWatches]

Glad you like it - thanks for watching!

[@MTbone7]

The real danger with this watch is opening it up and releasing the radium dust then breathing it in

[@MrGrentch]

Bit late to the party... 😊 Good information. I've a number of vintage watches with radium dials and I have a Geiger counter. The most active I have are WW1 Trench watches. One was scarily high until I had the radium removed. The biggest danger is if you open the watch and breathe some of that in. Not good. The other danger is if you have a collection of radium dialled watches in a small room, because radium decays into dangerous substances like radon. The Glycine looks nice. I have a Doxa DH. They came with a steel case so don't age as badly. I wear it regularly. I agree with you on the relumed hands, but on the colour: Many years ago someone gave me a box full of old stock radium watch hands and some examples were green. Quite bright green actually. One thing I've read/heard regularly is that if the hands and dial lume don't match this is a bad sign. Not always. Dials and hands were usually manufactured by different makers so could have slightly different mixes of lume/colour and hands are exposed to the air on both sides, rather than just one so can age differently.

[@jwags24]

What a crazy history lesson. I never knew that before. Thanks for the video !

[@emm_arr]

I'm pretty sure an old alarm clock in my family - that I ended up owning as a child - had radium markers on the dial. It did have glass in the dial.

[@AbdulRWatches]

Awesome storytelling and explanation Tim, do you think people in the future will be also commenting on material or process in today's watchmaking?

[@CasebackWatches]

Good question and in a way I hope so!

[@williammiller8317]

Very astute analysis of the watch Tim, just wondering what the value would be in it’s condition?

[@raybentos3215]

Ein weiteres großartiges Video, Tim

[@CasebackWatches]

Danke schön!

[@MrVitamincpp]

it is not small, fits perfectly on your wrist :)

[@77cjam]

An episode about Radium and lume.....highly "enlightening" 👍. All jokes aside I heard about the "Radium Girls" before and it's no laughing matter. Certainly a sad story. Good informative video

[@idid1866]

Glycine, has been quiet for a while...wouldn't mind seeing a remake of the model Tim was handling!

[@NaNByZero]

Pretty correctly explained, Tim. 🎉🕯🎂

[@AstnLivingHistory]

I just got a radium-painted ww2 compass. Any tips?

[@CasebackWatches]

Geiger counter. You can pick them up very cheap online.

[@jessebarrett5633]

Good stuff, appreciated the history. Thanks!

[@cedarcanoe]

I have an Elgin from the 40’ies with hesalite crystal and radium on the dial. I have asked myself if the hesalite is protecting against the radiation enough. Do you happen to know?

[@Agrippa31BC]

It’ll protect you from the direct radiation of the Radium, as it’s an alpha emitter, and alpha particles won’t go through crystal, metal or even skin, so they’re only dangerous if ingested or inhaled. So as far as you don’t open it and breathe radium dust, it’s safe. Some radium decay products emit beta and gamma radiation. Beta radiation won’t go through the metal, but a small quantity will go through the crystal, but not in a harmful quantity, even if worn daily. Gamma radiation will also go through metal and the crystal, but also not in a dangerous amount, but it will hit you (and go through you). The problem would be if it’s not airtight, so Radon gas could be leaking, and you’d be breathing it, but it also wouldn’t be in a dangerous quantity, certainly not more than you already have naturally in air.

[@cedarcanoe]

Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa thank you for the extensive and clear explanation!

[@Agrippa31BC]

Cedar Canoe happy to be of help.

[@harisreekm2138]

I have seiko 5 automatic 6349-501A watch with muscat oman emplem in it. is it worthy???

[@scottparis6355]

Will all genuine Wehrmacht watches (and for that matter, all WWII watches) be lumed with radium? Was there any other kind of lume at the time?

[@CasebackWatches]

No. Radium was the only material available as far as I know.

[@pim9383]

how do i subscribe twice to show my appreciation for your channel & personality

[@CasebackWatches]

Wow, thank you very much! It‘s very encouraging to read your comment.

[@stevefox8605]

Very interesting, thanks 👍🏻👍🏻

[@slogan8652]

Glycine should release this watch again.

[@Ossory88]

With radium as well?

[@SearinoxNavras]

Get a geiger counter. You'll find it fun to go between various old watches and finding which ones click. A decent cheap one costs less than $100 with shipping included.

[@CasebackWatches]

I thought about buying one! Must be fascinating to hear radiation. But madame won‘t like it 😉

[@chrisb5986]

Great video and information, Tim.

[@CasebackWatches]

Thank you!

[@mrp9498]

Good video, Tim👍🏼

[@herebarian]

If there was work done on the dial and the luminescence is modern, how would the watchmaker have opened the case back if Tim isn't able to? This is for personal understanding only as I'm a novice at this subject. Not trying to heckle or find faults and apologies if it seems that way.

[@CasebackWatches]

Good question! The watchmaker has way better tools. When a watch shows resistance they clamp it on a bench and then the opener can be handled with way more force. I've never seen that a watch couldn't be opened.

[@Agrippa31BC]

Odd that it doesn’t hack. I know many old watches don’t hack, but AFAIK, military watches should hack. If it is original, I’d suspect the little lever that stops the balance when the crown is in the setting position was lost during a service. I have an all original Tudor from the 70s that had this lever missing from the movement, and my watchmaker replaced it for me (he even did it in front of me as he doesn’t mind me staying in when it’s a small job so I can see how things work), so I know it can happen.

[@Zeeraha]

I find articles on Web that at least watches delivered to the British army featured hacking function. But perhaps the Wehrmacht version did not have it. Also, though it may seem like a simple function by adding a hacking lever to the movement, this would require a significant change in existing production lines, meaning these watches would be expensive. Since it required a mass production for military purpose, I am not sure if majority of privates received watches with a hacking function. My guess would be these models were reserved for officers who were the only ones actually timing attacks.

[@mattdevenish83]

Thumbs up for the music 👍🏼👍🏼

[@ComedyKraze1]

Wouldn't a radioactive detector help?

[@Zeeraha]

I wonder is it possible to repaint tritium on a vintage watch. I own such piece which originally had tritium lume, also I wonder if it is now dangerous to wear such a watch?

[@tap2262]

It is not uncommon to see hands and dials relumed with reclaimed Tritium. That said, given the short half-life of the material, it will emit very little glow on most vintage pieces. As such, it perhaps makes more sense to consider mixing some matching paint to refill hands with broken or missing lume.

[@frederico4d]

with I could get something similar at that size, looks great!

[@famillioner]

Hast Du das Buch "The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women" gelesen?

[@CasebackWatches]

Nein, noch nicht. Ist es gut?

[@dylvasey]

Stunning.

[@hongshen1429]

Would that mean the watch is around 80 years old since it was used by wehrmacht? I'm impressed it's still in working order

[@CasebackWatches]

Yes, It's from the 40s. But I'm pretty sure that it was serviced at least once.

[@TS-iz1ov]

@@CasebackWatches I´m sure to, if you look clothley you see signs on the caseback that someone at least try to open the Watch

[@kieranzucker]

So unfortunately the direct gamma and beta radiation given off by radium is not the only issue. It also naturally decays to form radon which is a radioactive colourless odourless radioactive gas associated with an increased risks of lung cancer. The levels given off by a radium dial watch are enough to exceed the safe levels of exposure by many times according to a formal scientific publication a few years back. I think HODINKEE did some coverage of the research.

[@zillsburyy1]

TGV is your kryptonite

[@stigdagermann]

Ich habe para bruchsicher sind gefahlich? Ich trage die jeder tag.

[@TS-iz1ov]

This are my Wacht and the Video are very interesting. My Brother want to trow the watch in the garbage bin. For that not bad I think ^^. I will let a Watchmaker open the Watch, now I am very curios.

[@juniorjohnson5961]

Thanks for sending this in for review 🙏

[@scottparis6355]

Watch Tim's "Wehrmacht Watch" video. It gives a very clear description of what genuine watch will look like on the inside.

[@akepatinagaraju8564]

👍👍👍👍👍

[@livonian]

Did he buy it from Ukraine? 🤔

[@CasebackWatches]

He inherited it by a family member.

[@livonian]

@@CasebackWatches Must be legit then 🙂 Otherwise it does look a lot like a product of the Ukrainian "Wehrmacht watch industry"

[@clyde2801]

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