My "new" Aquatimer - what would you do?

No, not the new white dial AT, which I still lust after. This one is "just" a titanium 3536, which is rapidly becoming a cult classic.

I was able to pick up a well pre-loved piece at a price that more than compensates for the service it will need. But where I'm tossed up and seeking your input is regarding the dial and hands.

This is an older tritium dial piece. The 12 marker, the "button" above the 12, and the hands (though harder to see in the photos) are toned from age, as tritium tends to do. Though in some brands this patina is highly prized, I can't say I particularly like the "mismatched" look on this 3536.

I will be sending it for service soon. The quote on replacing hands and dial with luminova pieces is acceptable. My question is, should I? or would I be "devaluing" a nice piece as one does when removing original finish on antique furniture?

Would you?

just do it!

I would get it done, it certainly not devaluing the watch. I had mine serviced and was worth every penny.
cheers
BAS

I would ask for the originals to be kept on,

but I'm not sure whether they (IWC) will agree

Keep it as is, but hope the ding in the bezel

can be corrected. My 3711 is a T Swiss T dial and hands too and I would not change it to Super Lumanova. Keep the patina and enjoy. This is IMHO.

Bill

Never!...No Way!.........

...You would be changing the Character & Soul of a Fine Watch.

...I would only go for a Mechanical Tune-Up...No Cosmetics.

...Choose Wisely!

• Joe

Tough question...

Personally, I really like lume on my watches but I understand your hesitation.

As for keeping the original hands: I believe that Breitling has a policy that hands are always changed on every full service, they state that otherwise they won't guarantee that they will fit correctly. In that case, keeping the original hands is not even an option and I have seen that watches come back with other types of hands as well. For a collector that wants to keep the watch as original as possible, this must be horrific. I remember the stories here on the Forum about a fish crown or a probus crown very well!

Kind regards,

Clemens

I would update the hands but...

request that you be given the old hands. That way you could always go back. or, if and when you sold it you could provide a buyer with an additional incentive to purchase.

Which is the "original" colour?

The GST AT was my first IWC. I bought it new some years ago and so, for me the original colour of the marks and hands is white. I have the Superluminova version and all decorations are still white. Almost all images of this watch that you find show white.

As a fan of IWC dive watches I always was interested in the Ocean 2000. Today you find that watch almost always with yellow marks and hands. With these toned details this watch to me always appears a bit tatty. But, refreshed in white an Ocean 2000 no longer looks like a real Ocean 2000. So, for an Ocean 2000 the tatty yellow has become the "original" colour.

If a watch looks old it may look pretty for a collector but, for anybody else it just looks old. If you are not going to store your "new" watch in a safe but wear it, make it look as beautiful as it was designed. This is probably the most beautiful dive watch ever built. And it is an incredibly cool sports watch. It deserves to be looking like an energentic tool instead of a decrepit souvenir.

Please, let IWC refresh it
Andreas

Nice Dino Whichwatch >>>

Yes, I refer to the 3536 as the Dino because it is so many Aquatimer generations back.

As watches are meant to be worn, I would most definitely go all SuperLuminova, and request that the Hands and dial in tritium be returned to you.

Enjoy your Dino,
--
Isobars.

If it were me...>

I would replace the dial and hands but keep the originals should you ever sell it and the new owner wants them.
I find the mixture of Tritium and SL irritating, preferring either one or the other. If it were all Tritium it would be OK.
Later 3536 were all SL (as mine is) so you are not "creating" anything that the factory did not produce.
Ross

I would go for esthetics...

... and would have everything replaced. I just like luminova better than the tritium. Of course this is a question of personal taste. If you are more into collecting watches the more original the better I think.

Nice watch Dick! If it bothers you, get if fixed..

... and try to keep the originals for future options.

Enjoy this great watch,

Bob

My "new" Aquatimer - what would you do?

What did you decide to do?

It's worth noting that the bezel insert is also tritium on yours.