SERVICING - HANDS CHANGE ?

Hello,

A quick post to see if anyone may have some thoughts regarding servicing issues re dial and hands change.

I am of the understanding that IWC would only change hands during a service if it was necessary to do so - pretty obvious standards and with a value of keeping watch functionality correct.

So, if you are someone like me who prefers their "old" tritium hands, am I going to have to accept the inevitable, and run the risk during service that I am told my old hands (whilst fine in appearance) are no longer slotting into place and need to be changed to new luminova versions ?

I guess, 20 or 30 years ago, this may have also happened, however the replacement hands would have also been tritium, and then have aged into the appearance of the dial.

What I find strange, is the amount of watches only 15 years old with new hands. I am surprised the original hands have such a short shelf life...

And then you see a Mark XI with its original hands and wonder why they have survived...

Thanks !

I think some of it may have to do with taking hands off and then back on during servicing. I would think that sometimes an old hand may not fit as well. But that should be the exception, and I believe you can request that the original hands be put back on.

Thanks Michael - If that is the case, I guess the deal breaker is whether or not IWC would be able to release it with old hands, if they think that that the overall performance would be compromised - and thereby nullify the service.

Perhaps could be discussed at the "estimate" stage of the procedure.

Hi,
I am facing the same problem sooner or later with my 3711. I think, correct me if I 'm wrong, the problem is the tritium itself which is no longer used and/or not today's idea of a harmless material to work with. I have heard various theories about what will be exchanged, why, and if you can insist on having the T hands and dial untouched. The message always was, as soon as the service people have to work near, on and with the tritium coated items, hands and dial will be exchanged and replaced with SL. I don't know if this rule can be bypassed. Here's my 1993 "T" Diva:

Sinclair - your concern is exactly what I am worried will happen...that this may be a safety issue - which I guess is fair enough.

Not sure if the tritium would still be a risk now - I am not a nuclear physicist !

Hi guys,
When talking IWC after-sales service, there is no need for concerns/worries.

The production or supply of tritium components for watches has been tightly regulated by the law for a number of years.
The reuse or refitting of these items during after-sales service interventions is not regulated.

IWC will not change dial or hands for Superluminova versions unless it is necessary for the continued functioning of the watch or by client request.

Examples of necessary change are:
Extreme drying or cracking of tritium in hands from too much UV exposure as particles may enter movement.
Moisture damage to anti-magnetic models like Pilots and Ingenieur. Sometimes this may not be very obvious to the owner but the underside of the soft-iron dial can be very rusty.

Almost all hands, loosened by repeated removal, can be retightened by IWC watchmakers for secure fitting and reuse with a tool like the one pictured below:
[](s1152.photobucket.com/user/leosweeney/media/Handtighteningtool.jpg.html)

As Michael pointed out, IWC owners can always relay specific requests like, 'Please keep tritium dial/hands or fish crown', when sending their watch in for estimate whereupon all possible efforts will be made by the watchmaker to repair/reuse the components without compromising the continued functioning of the watch or the service warranty.

Leo

Thank you Leo for the valued input.

Bottom line is as I always understood - clear instructions to the service center!

I was told that replacement hands were necessary before my 3536 could be serviced. Apart from the expense, not a problem. I saw an original Cal 52 Big Pilot in a Bond Street arcade store with replacement luminor hands. Bad news.