Pre-Patinated Lume: Authentic or Artificial?

KMII · 2016-09-11T02:06:48Z

Collectors debate pre-patinated lume in new watches: authentic design choice or artificial aging? Explore opinions on vintage aesthetics.

KMII

WPS member · Horological Meandering forum

33 replies2936 views4 photos

KMII opens a thought-provoking discussion on the trend of pre-patinated lume in modern watches, questioning whether this artificial aging enhances or detracts from a timepiece's authenticity. He invites the community to weigh in on whether factory-aged lume is a welcome design choice or merely a shortcut to a 'lived-in' look.

The last couple of years have brought a new trend to horology, namely that of artificially ageing certain aspects of watches, so as to make them look well worn or vintage. And while I believe that torturing jeans to within an inch of their lives before selling them for a premium is somewhat on the decline (or maybe I just do not form part of the target market anymore) the trend with watches is still there.

Now we all appreciate a watch with a story and the marks it has to show for it...

From: Hodinkee

But what's your take if the lume appears patinated the very day the watch leaves the factory?

From: Ablogtowatch

From: Theawesomer

A resounding yes, or resounding no?

Or depending on the situation - for instance acceptable to add warmth to the dial, like below?

From: Ablogtowatch

I am generally of the old fashioned view that products need to acquire their lived-in look through use and that the rest is, well a shortcut. At the same time the cohesiveness of the design may sway me from applying this principle rigidly at times.

Looking forward to hearing your opinions!

Key Points from the Discussion

Pre-patinated lume is acceptable and can look good when executed properly and on a watch where it fits the overall design, rather than being labeled as 'fake patina'.
While modern Superluminova offers various colors, including amber or brownish hues, its luminosity tends to be lower than traditional white/green, posing a trade-off between design aesthetics and functional brightness.
The use of colored Superluminova can support a watch's design without necessarily being 'faux patina,' especially when subtly executed, but some examples, like the Zenith shown, appear 'expressively artificial.'
For watches playing the 'retro card,' colored lume is coherent, as it contributes to the vintage aesthetic, and modern Superluminova allows for a wide range of color choices.
Pre-patinated lume in new watches can be seen as an attempt to portray a misplaced sense of 'authenticity,' similar to artificially patinated cars.
While some collectors prefer not to buy watches with fake patina, the appeal of certain 'tribute' models with aged lume is strong, especially when the original vintage pieces are unobtainable.

The Discussion

crown comfort

Sep 11, 2016

in general, if there is a market for it, then why not. Modern lume does not age like Tritium did and adding a warm touch is okay. What is on the other hand a no go, are artificially aged new parts on vintage watches, like ghost bezels etc. CC

Bounce781

Sep 11, 2016

2 watches swayed me: JLC TRIBUTE 1931 and OMEGA SEAMASTER 300. But j agree with you that in the vast majority of cases it just looks tacky or disjointed to the rest of the design Like anything, can be charming if done well or totally repellent if not.

KMII

Sep 11, 2016

Did not think of this but you are of course absolutely right Thanks for your input CC!

KMII

Sep 11, 2016

So for you it is also depending on the application. Forgot about the SM300 but then there are many examples out there and listing all would have been impractical

Arie - Mr Orange

Sep 11, 2016

Personally I\'d rather not buy watches with fake patina. But I have failed before so...

shortys home

Sep 11, 2016

... I personally have no problems with using different colours of SL to give a watch face a nice look. The big benefit of SL is that it can support a watch design by using clear white or black lume, and not always a yellow/brown SL can count as faux patina, if executed in a subtle way. The example of the Zenith you showed, though, is one step too far. The worst thing about this one is that it actually looks... well I struggle finding the right term... let\'s say "expressively artificial", to be

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Pre-Patinated Lume: Authentic or Artificial?

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