Very interesting Mike for a beginner like me. Keep the good work coming.

@WatchWithMike

Ай бұрын

Thanks Kevin! Sharing my experiences as I learn them!

This is a very good geiger counter, and I know from experience that it goes up to a little over 1 million counts per minute. Very good for $55! That being said though, spending an extra $100 on the gmc-500 plus is worth it! (Edit: It works well for finding fiestaware in antique stores! :)

@WatchWithMike

24 күн бұрын

I will keep that in mind when it is time to upgrade! 😁

@Liminaut0

24 күн бұрын

@@WatchWithMike awesome! Another radiation measuring tool (scintillator, not geiger counter) is the radiacode 103, it's very sensitive and can show you what radioisotope you're measuring!

@WatchWithMike

21 күн бұрын

@@Liminaut0 I just learned that bananas are radioactive. No, say it's not so! Not bananas! We need to protect ourselves! 😁

@Liminaut0

21 күн бұрын

@@WatchWithMike XD They're not measurably radioactive, luckily! :) So you can enjoy banana mostly radiation free! :)

Mike, you’ve hit on another coincidence. I also recently picked up a Geiger counter and found my Dad’s 1954 Bulova is radioactive. A couple of other watches in my collection turned out to be radioactive, so to keep this hobby safe for me and the rest of the house, I will be looking for lume-free or post-1960’s watches to restore. Cheers

@WatchWithMike

10 ай бұрын

@Mars-zgblbl Wow! (But not surprised...) I guess we were both thinking the same thing. 😉 I'm going to research the best way to handle radium watches now... I know some of the basics (wear a mask, de-lume the hands under a liquid) but I also want to know how to dispose of waste safely, etc. In the meantime, I'm glad to know which of my watches DON'T have dangerous lume. I think I'll practice on them first!

@Mars-zgblbl

10 ай бұрын

@@WatchWithMike Here in Canada, a license is required to open and service radium devices. But I believe the government will dispose of radium devices for free. Plenty of info available online, but of course stick with reputable sources where your health is concerned.

@WatchWithMike

10 ай бұрын

@@Mars-zgblbl wow, that's good info! Here in Pennsylvania, you are not supposed to shoot large caliber fireworks, but that doesn't stop my neighbors in every direction. What I am thinking is that even though there are rules, it would be hard to enforce, and I am sure there are still lots of hobbyist watchmakers popping old watches open!

Great video!

@WatchWithMike

9 күн бұрын

Thanks. And you have an awesome screen name! 👏🏼

Thanks for the informative demonstration! Just bought the same model as I have about 10 possible radium watches.

@WatchWithMike

8 ай бұрын

Wow! Good thing you got it! 😎

@jordanrich4850

8 ай бұрын

@@WatchWithMike Turned out only 2 contained Radium, but one of the pocket watches read nearly 11,000 CPM!

@WatchWithMike

8 ай бұрын

@@jordanrich4850 oh wow, that's incredibly high! Now you know and you can take precautions. 👍🏻

Thanks. I bought the same Geiger counter. I’ve actively avoided radium watches. Generally, I won’t buy a watch if it doesn’t have an incabloc. If a watch is a bit older, then I’ll look for solid hands. So far my strategy has worked, luckily.

@WatchWithMike

10 ай бұрын

That sounds like a good starting point! Any watch with Lume that was made before shock protection became standard will probably be radium! Now that we have geiger counters, we can know for sure. The nice thing about this geiger counter is that it is small enough to take with you when you go watch shopping. We might be able to use that as bargaining leverage… "hey, this watch is radioactive! Let me take it off your hands for you." 😁

@MrGrentch

6 ай бұрын

​@@WatchWithMike Bit late to the party... 🙂The solid hands idea is a good one alright, incabloc less so. Breguet had developed a shock protection system for his pocketwatches, but shock protection as we know it has been around since 1930(various patents) and incabloc came along in 1934. By the late 30's it was quite common particularly in military or military 'style' watches and the majority of them had radium lume.

@MrGrentch

6 ай бұрын

PS that Seamaster is a beaut. 🙂 And I really like your dad's Bulova. Tritium has a half life of 12 years, so any vintage like your Omega is going to be 'cold' by now. Plus it's a low energy beta emitter(stopped by the case, crystal and skin), doesn't fire out gamma and doesn't break down into nasties like radon so is a LOT safer even when new. Radium has a half life of 1600 years and is an alpha, beta and gamma emitter with more energy behind it. For a time in the 50's strontium was briefly considered as a source but quickly abandoned because of safety concerns(a small number of 50's Rolex Explorers have a tiny horizontal line - above the 6 to denote no strontium, but they do have lots of radium). Promethium came along as a possible alternative, but only has a half life of around two years, so hardly practical. Only really ever showed up in military issued watches where swapping out whole dials/hands at servicing wasn't seen as an issue. Funny enough adverts in WW1 for 'trench watches' and their new fangled radium lume only guarantee the glow for 2-3 years. I suspect the mix was so strong back then(and they laid it on thick) it simply burnt out the phosphors pretty quickly. Of all the radium watches I've had trench watches with original lume were by far the most radioactive.

@SkyBlue-le7cd

6 ай бұрын

@@MrGrentchThanks for the education. Really appreciate.

@WatchWithMike

6 ай бұрын

I just found a watch that breaks all the rules...and made a short video 😁: kzread.info/dash/bejne/lqSlzK6ik8Tdg84.htmlsi=fdxAwg2WYY_93tQ2

You should put the watches on the back of the geiger. At the center, there you will have the direct reading from the sensor. But nice video, thank you very much! 🎉🎉 Also nice to keep in zip bags, these watches spelled radon gas and can acumulate over time. Be careful guys. 😊

@WatchWithMike

5 ай бұрын

Yes! I've been keeping all of my project watches in little Ziploc bags, and then in an airtight container. On my Geiger counter, the sensor is at the edge, and there are little slot cutouts that you can see the sensor through. That's why I always have the watch at the edge of the meter. I appreciate you watching and joining the conversation! 😁

@Miraflores1990

5 ай бұрын

@@WatchWithMike this is a nice point! Thanks!

Traditionally, all crystal glass was leaded glass and many of it still is. It's not dangerous as a glass because wine is not exposed to the glassware long enough to leach lead. So, if those watch crystals are made the same way it will affect your readings.

@WatchWithMike

10 ай бұрын

Hi Tom! Interestingly leaded glass STOPS radiation from passing through. But it is not radioactive. Another fun fact: If you expose leaded glass to radiation, it can turn dark - to the point where you can no longer see through it. I used to collect Austrian crystal glass - and when the glass had lead, it made the most vibrant refractive rainbows. But research says that the lead DOES leach into foods (wine and alcoholic beverages are specifically mentioned) so I've stopped using crystal as a bowl or decanter for consumables. I still put out wrapped candy in a crystal bowl for the holidays, but other than that it is purely ornamental.

@mokumholland5640

10 ай бұрын

Yes, it does stop it. 😀 I worked with Nuclear Gauges during my working years. We had crystal wine glasses growing up so that might explain a lot about my mental state…🤣

@WatchWithMike

10 ай бұрын

@@mokumholland5640 Tom, that's really cool! Your work history sounds fascinating!

@mokumholland5640

10 ай бұрын

@@WatchWithMike thank you!

Great video. I bought a watch new 15 years ago and the lume no longer works . Probably tritium so I wasn’t surprised the seamaster was zero reading.

@WatchWithMike

10 ай бұрын

@colinbenfield326 - Tritium was used in the late 1950s through the 1990s. The 2000s saw 'Luminova and Superluminova' luminous pigments, which I'd guess is what a 15 year old watch would have. I've also experienced that these new lumes don't hold their 'charge' for very long. That's OK, most of us have phones with flashlights on them now! 😁

@colinbenfield326

10 ай бұрын

@@WatchWithMike thing is they were blacked out hands that turned green in the light and it looked amazing . Unusual design that probably can’t be fixed.

@WatchWithMike

10 ай бұрын

Oh, that sounds really cool! It reminds me of the tattoo ink that you can't see unless you shine a UV light on it. 😎

@R.M.F.-jh5bi

9 ай бұрын

Seamaster is definitely Tritium - look closely at the lettering on the dial below the 6: "T - Swiss Made - T" The "T" on the dial signifies presence of Tritium.

@WatchWithMike

9 ай бұрын

@@R.M.F.-jh5bi I see it!

very nice unit and i think it very impotant to know where you working with if you work on older watches ..

@WatchWithMike

10 ай бұрын

Definitely agree! ⚡️

@IShootWatches

10 ай бұрын

Elder !!? First you're here, then you're in HB's car on the ride down to France! Are you on some kind of victory tour after finishing up your Omega De Ville?

@ElderPinto254

10 ай бұрын

@@IShootWatches sry you got me there my friend, busted !!! uhm yes but no but yes i think i am hahaha

@ElderPinto254

10 ай бұрын

@@IShootWatches its maybe time to start my own channel ... i am thinking about it ....

@IShootWatches

10 ай бұрын

@@ElderPinto254 Yes! Let me know if you need any advice!

Is it possible to easily replace the flash memory?

@WatchWithMike

6 ай бұрын

Yes, there is a USB3 port on the side of the unit that lets you access memory data on a computer. They also offer optional software that lets you graph the downloaded data. Hope that helps!

Why is this video only appearing on my subscribed KZread feed now? Nevertheless, it really is interesting. The only watch of mine that poses a "radioactive risk" (I think) would be my 1964 Omega Speedmaster.

@WatchWithMike

8 ай бұрын

Wow, maybe I've angered the algorithm! Glad you got it now. Feel free to check my channel home page if there's other videos that didn't make it to your feed. @watchwithmike. As far as your 64 Speedmaster, I think Omega switched to Tritium by then, but not 100% sure. 😁

@Daud76

8 ай бұрын

@@WatchWithMike Angering algorithms of radioactive risks. This is too poetic. 😄 You are right. I just double checked and my Omega has "T SWISS MADE T" at six o'clock position. Those Ts are for Tritium. So less of a chance of me becoming a glow in the dark dude. 😄

@WatchWithMike

8 ай бұрын

@@Daud76 you have absolutely awesome alliteration! 😎

@Daud76

8 ай бұрын

@@WatchWithMike 😄 Thank you, Sir! Your uploads are always everything enthralling, educational and entertaining. 😉

I have an old Mortima that I think is radioactive. I am keeping it in the watch box at all times incase the acrylic goes pop. Radium is not your friend so it my least worn watch...😅 You should measure your phone... I bet you its a lot more radioactive than you might think.

@WatchWithMike

10 ай бұрын

I think you are OK unless you are actually touching or powdering the lume, like when you would be scraping it off to re-lume the hands. I tested my iPhone… No radiation! I even changed to a watch face with analog hands, and it is definitely safe. Not to worry! 😁

@johanvandersandt8904

10 ай бұрын

@@WatchWithMike That is good to hear! 😅

Hi wots the difference between the models please

@WatchWithMike

6 ай бұрын

Here is a link to the manufacturers webpage that provides all of the details! www.gqelectronicsllc.com/comersus/store/comersus_viewItem.asp?idProduct=5786

@aliwho

6 ай бұрын

Thank you

So, the next question is, what do you do if you have a radium lumed watch and want to clean and restore it? Is it possible to safely remove the radium? (And if so, what do you do with the contaminated materials, liquids, etc, when you're done?)

@WatchWithMike

9 ай бұрын

While I haven't tried it yes, the method I've heard recommended is to remove the lume under water, wear gloves and a respirator and use a disposable work surface in case you drop any contaminants. I don't know where to dispose of it... that's still a mystery I haven't gotten a good answer to. 😁

@scottparis6355

9 ай бұрын

@@WatchWithMike Fairly easy to clean the hands, since you can submerge them in soapy water (or other chemicals such a paint thinner or acetone). This won't create radioactive dust, and won't hurt metal hands. I have no clue how you would approach cleaning the radium numerals on a vintage dial, without damaging the dial.

@WatchWithMike

9 ай бұрын

@@scottparis6355 Yeah, I'm wondering about that, too. To some extent I imagine you can submerge a dial to clean and de-lume it. (I'm still freaked out over how much I handled my first watch project before finding out it's radioactive. ) 🤢

@scottparis6355

9 ай бұрын

@@WatchWithMike I wouldn't worry too much about it. The absolute amount of radioactive material in any given watch is tiny. Just don't make dust and inhale it. The "Radium Girls," the women who were killed by exposure to radium paint, worked on these watches for years, and actually put the paint brushes in their mouths to form a point. The dosages that they absorbed were huge. The danger of individual radium dial watches is a little exagerated.

@WatchWithMike

9 ай бұрын

@@scottparis6355 😁👍🏼

The radiation falls off in potency according to the inverse-square law. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverse-square_law) which means that it's not detectable radiation at a distance of a foot or so normally. I just wouldn't disturb the radioactive materials or wear them for extended periods but I think it is okay to own one as long as you are responsible with it. You can stick your radioactive watch in a film x-ray bag and that should stop the emission of radiation even at close range.

@WatchWithMike

9 ай бұрын

Definitely that would be 100% safe! I am not that concerned about a radioactive watch as long as the crystal and case are intact. The one I have without a crystal I will be very careful with! I appreciate you watching and joining the conversation!

@ValentechTime

9 ай бұрын

@@WatchWithMike Great video and a very important topic! Just wanted to add something here. The Radium half life is found to be 1600 years and while it decays, there is a sub product of it, known as a Radon gas. It lives a few days only, but get generated all the time. I do not think one, or a few watches could produce Radon in dangerous quantities, but still we need to remember, that Radium is not only thing there.

@WatchWithMike

9 ай бұрын

@@ValentechTime Yes! I think quantity of radiation or gas, and length of exposure is quite low for the average hobby watchmaker. But if you know the risks then you can make prudent decisions! Thanks for adding to the conversation!😁

Have you tried running this device on a cheap modern chinese watch ? To see if they are made of radioactive steel made of radioactive scrap?

@WatchWithMike

4 ай бұрын

@sylvain1111 - I have not, although I don't expect the metal in any modern watch to be radioactive. Have you heard that this is a thing?

@ParedCheese

2 ай бұрын

If you want radioactive Chinese things, they're all labelled as "scalar quantum", these days. 😁 I'm sure there are videos that "radioactive Chinese" will find.

@WatchWithMike

2 ай бұрын

@@ParedCheese Well that was a fun search! Now I have the imagine dragons song stuck in my head. 😂

Yea. Great, Mike. I hope you feel guilty now. You forced me to order this device immediately. :P Let’s see, how it works. :D 🎉🎂🕐⚙️⚙️

@WatchWithMike

10 ай бұрын

Lol! Can we ever have too many tools or gadgets? 😂 you will have to let us know if you find anything beyond watches that are radioactive. I keep walking around my house testing stuff…

@NaNByZero

10 ай бұрын

@@WatchWithMike yes. LOL. You can try fruits. Bananas are known as heavy beamers. I am not kidding. 🍏🍌🍉🥝

First! Finally! 😂

@WatchWithMike

10 ай бұрын

Congratulations! I owe you a chicken dinner. 🐥

@coyotecarguy2076

10 ай бұрын

Hahaha! you nailed it!

@WatchWithMike

10 ай бұрын

Al, I think I owe you a months worth of chicken dinners! 😂

@IShootWatches

10 ай бұрын

@@coyotecarguy2076 Yeah, sorry about that. Today was my day!

@coyotecarguy2076

10 ай бұрын

@@IShootWatches 👍👍