![]() ![]() This historical litigation opened the way for improved legal protection for workers in the United States as well as tighter industrial safety rules In 1927, Grace Fryer and a group of other dial painting women, dubbed the "Radium Girls", filed a lawsuit against the United States Radium Corporation, their employer. The story of Radium Girls are truly a tragic one. When those women began to develop anemia, bone fractures, jaw necrosis, and eventually death, it became evident that these ladies had been neglected and deceived. The substance in question was radium, which generated a bright glow when combined with zinc sulfide (a phosphor).ĭespite the fact that plant owners and scientists took precautions while handling bigger quantities of radium, the working women were persuaded there would be no adverse effects from the close exposure to the chemical. Today, nobody would even go near something glowing like this until they know for sure that it's not radioactive. It is also known that workers even played around by painting their fingernails with the phosphorescent material as well. The lume material was applied with a precision-brush, which was usually pointed with the tongue to keep the bristles sharp. ![]() ![]() The novel lume technology was cutting-edge at the time, and employees got satisfaction in contributing to the First World War effort by making legible watch dials for soldiers. It became an appealing job that demanded artistic ability. Ladies unknowingly working with dangerous materials.Ī working-class lady could make a fair living painting luminous material onto watch dials in the 1910s and 1920s. Radium was utilized to make the original lume, which was hazardous to the wearer of the watch but even more so to watchmakers who painted the substance into the dials. When Lume came with a side of RadioactivityĪt the beginning of its development, glowing watches were dangerous. Since then, the efficiency of watch luminescence has varied over the decades with the constant innovation of improved glow-in-the-dark materials and techniques. Watch luminescence became necessary when soldiers needed to tell the time without having to light a match or use a flashlight on the combat front. With this development, the global demand for high-quality wristwatches increased. Now, pocket watches have become a fashion item.įollowing the First World War soldiers began wearing wristwatches so that they could read the time quickly when needed instead of having to take a watch out of their pocket. On the first few years since its invention, these timepieces were only seen on wrists of wealthy high-class ladies (gentlemen favored the pocketwatch), and pilots who used them to keep both hands free while in midflight. The modern wristwatch appeared towards the end of the nineteenth century. Humans have been looking for new and improved ways to see objects in the dark since the discovery of fire. Some History: The Journey of Luminescence in Watchmaking Some watchmakers apply a single layer of lume to a watch, while others apply many layers to ensure that the watch not only shines brighter but also lasts longer. The duration of the lume effect depends on the type of lume employed, as well as the amount of it that is used. ![]() The watch industry has experimented with several types of lume solutions – some of which were very dangerous! The lume effect in a watch can be obtained by using a variety of materials. Lume can help make your watch visible at night - or make it look extraterrestrial. Let's dive into some history that will allow you to better understand how these glow-in-the-dark hands, dials, numerals, hour markers and other parts have been made. A range of materials have been employed by watchmakers over the years to make parts of a watch glow, increasing functionality in the night time. We are going to tell you all about luminescent paint – or lume. Have you ever wondered how some watches glow in the dark? South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands (GBP £). ![]()
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