BALL WATCH & TRITIUM

[jaytaras]

Just out of curiosity... When did Ball begin using tritium in their watches?

And does anybody know the first watchmaker to use tritium? Luminox?

Thanks!

-J

[morelite]

T-SAR from Marathon I believe was the first Tritium vial watch.

[Memphis1]

the military

marathon mil-w46374f

[jaytaras]

Ahhhh. I had a feeling it was them. On my list actually. They look to be a solid design and very rare.

[Drop of a Hat]

There's tritium paint, then there's tritium tubes. Paint has been around for decades. Tubes were first used by the military maybe around Gulf one?

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[Popoki Nui]

Tritium tubes have been used since the mid-1970's:


THis is my Sensor TriLite, also sold under the name Laser 220. The watch ad underneath is in an Air Canada "Enroute" magazine dated July/August 1976. These watches used sealed tritium-phosphor tubes for the LCD backlight.

~Sherry.

[samanator]

Just to add Ball was the first to license watches with over 25mci and less than 100mci.

[Gary123]

Ball tritium watches were first introduced into the US in 2005. In 2015 the tubes would likely need replacing, but some have said that a new illumination technology is likely to be available by then.