Tony is right..
All personnel at IWC is protected to handle any vintage watch of which they suspect that is has a radium painted dial and/or hands.
The watch is therefore tested for radioactive activity using a Geiger counter.upon arrival in Schaffhausen.
If the test indicates any radiation high or low; the watch remains untouched and the owner is warned about the steps to follow.
These are ;
1,The watch is sent to a company in Switzerland, certified to handle radioactive objects.
2. Here the dial and hands are removed and destroyed, the movement is as well desinfected, as crumbles of the paint may have landed in the movement.
3.The watch is returned to IWC without dial and hands.
4. IWC mounts a complete new dial and hands (new made) pai,ted with superluminova and a complete service is carried out.
5. Only if the owner agrees all former steps, an extract of the arcives is provided.
IWC does not alter the procedure for any customer but the result is that the original dial and hands are lost.
I am aware of a collector who had let remove the radium paint and relume the original dial with superluminova and hands in the UK, a procedure which by the way is forbidden by law.
This 'cleaned' watch was offered for an extract of the archives. Here still increased radiation was found, while the owner could not measure remaining radiation. However, IWC persisted to carry out the steps as indicated above. That collector was disappointed and the watch was returned to him untouched and without the extract.
Regards,
Adrian,
(alwaysiwc).