Aquatimer 3536-01 Lume

I'm in search of a 3536-01 and found the example shown below. The lume looks really yellow on it. How typical is this and what would need to be done to return it to what I would think is proper condition?

It looks that way because this model has Tritium which has naturally aged and gone that colour. It is characteristic and reflects the age of the watch. It probably does not lume anymore either.

If it were me, I would leave it that way, reflecting the age and character.
The only way to get it back to pristine would be to send it to Shaffhausen for a new dial and maybe hands, which would probably be Superluminova if there are no Tritium dials left in stock.

Its interesting to note that the lume has not gone yellow for the other eleven markers and the hands.

I agree with mark and would not relume the dial. Vintage lume has a whole different character.

On the earlier watches the hands, bezel pip and the dial marker at 12 o'clock were tritium while all the other markers were super-luminova...tritium yellows faster than luminova so your dial looks the way it should.

Thanks Stanford! I didn't know that - interesting piece of information

Best

yes newer versions have have superluminova across dial, bezel pip, and hands. I will upload mine in a separate thread. Mine is from 2004 i believe. The one you are showing must be from the earlier releases

It would be interesting to deduce the logic behind such an arrangement - Early formulations of non-tritium lume probably were not as strong as the strontium aluminate super-luminova we see nowadays. In a diver's watch, the 12 marker is crucial as a reference point and the bezel pip is critical for elapsed time (oxygen remaining). So these were coated with tritium for a constant glow not dependent on any light source. But if this logic holds good, why was the minute hand spared and not given tritium lume as well? To my mind the minute hand, bezel pip and the 12 hour marker are the most important elements in a divers watch...

Is it possible that the hands of the watch shown were changed at a later date?

The current generation of non-tritium lume is strong enough to hold its own and discharge light for a considerable longer period of time. So tritium has been done away with completely (except some other watch manufacturers that use tritium gas micro-tubes)