# What does T, T25, T100 etc stand for?



## AFBLUE

I have been looking more and more closely at my watch and other Ball timepieces and I have noticed this T, or T25 or T100. My black dial Aviator GMT says T SWISS MADE, where I have seen a creme dial Aviator GMT on here that says T100, and other ball watches that say either T25 or T100. 

What does it mean? Why is mine just T with no number?:think:


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## scottw44

The T100 dials are a misprint. What the #'s refer to is the amount of gas in each tube (called millicures).

T25 watches have 25 millicures of gas in the tubes. T rated tubes are higher, in the case of the NT and some other Ball models, I believe around 65 millicures of gas.

The Aviator series has just under 100 millicures of gas.

Hope this helps.


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## iceheller

T and T25 are more or less the same thing. It is just that watch company do not want to state the amount use or to fit in to their dial design so they use T only.


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## Timewaster

I don't believe T and T25 are the same. T25 means up to 25 mCi of tritium in the tubes, while T means more than T25 mCi of tritium. I think T means basically the same thing as T100, which means more than 25 mCi, but less than 100 mCi.

Regards,
-Jeff


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## iceheller

iceheller said:


> T and T25 are more or less the same thing. It is just that watch company do not want to state the amount use or to fit in to their dial design so they use T only.





Timewaster said:


> I don't believe T and T25 are the same. T25 means up to 25 mCi of tritium in the tubes, while T means more than T25 mCi of tritium. I think T means basically the same thing as T100, which means more than 25 mCi, but less than 100 mCi.
> 
> Regards,
> -Jeff


Well my memory may be not as good as before...But this is what i recall reading years back from FHS website.

<The indication "T Swiss made T" means that the watch is Swiss and contains a certain quantity of tritium that emits less than 227 MBq (7,5 mCi).The indication "Swiss T<25" means that the watch is Swiss and contains a certain quantity of tritium that emits less than 925 MBq (25 mCi).>

Not sure where you get the info that T is more than T25 and T is as good as T100. I only briefly mention T and T25 are "MORE or LESS" the same thing and not 'exactly the same thing" as they are not that great difference in amount of tritium use. Maybe I should elaborate more which one is higher and which one is lesser even though the fold increase in amount of tritium used in T and T25 is not more than 5. 
But be careful what you buy dude if you think T is more than T25 or matter of fact T is same as T100. The amount of tritium use in T is deffinitely way much less compare to T100. Different watch maker like to print different things on the dial but they sure must follow the FHS rules and sometime watch maker just deliberately make the slight mistake so to make their watch looks nicer. Cheers.


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## roberev

I've gotten the sense that "T" vs "T25" vs "T100" actually means something to Ball that it doesn't mean to any other watch manufacturer.

T25 Ball watches have 25mCi or less of tritium.
T Ball watches have over 25mCi of tritium.
T100 Ball watches approach 100mCi of tritium.

I know that Ball has said that T100 is a misprint. I'm not buying it. You don't have a misprint on at least 3 different models (Aviator, Aviator GMT, and Trieste).

Other brands (example: the new Doxa 800Ti) have less than 25mCi, yet their dials say simply "T" to designate tritium. (Doxa says its to designate it as "taucher," which really doesn't make sense since none of my non-tritium Doxas say "T")

Rob


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## iceheller

I think you should check my earlier post and then refer back to FHS website dude. Cheers.


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## iceheller

But no offense to Mr roberev and Timewaster. We are all supporter and fans of BALL watch. Just here to share info. My info from FHs website maybe out-dated. Who knows. But as i last check on MB-microtec website-

>The mb-microtec ag trigalight is available as raw light source, as well as built into the watch hands and watch dials provided by you.
The activity per watch should not exceed 0.925 GBq / 25 mCi.
(Max. 0.555 GBq / 15 mCi for the lights on dial and bezel,
or max.0.370 GBq / 10 mCi for the hand lights).

Do watches with mb-microtec ag trigalight® require special markings?
Yes, the marking “T” for tritium is required on the face. mb-microtec ag reserves the right to insist on certain identification marks on the back of the watch. > 

So T25 should ideally means less than 25mCi so T and T25 are more or less the same thing.


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## roberev

This is a great discussion, that demonstrates that we all still don't have the precise answer to the question posed by AFBLUE.

The Ball Engineer Master II Classic and Ball Night Train have approximately 65mCi tritium, yet they have "T" printed on the dial, not "T25". This means that, as far as Ball watches are concerned, "T25" cannot mean 25mCi or less.

Again, the "T" and "T25" designations on Ball watches apparently are not consistent with other brands that use mb-microtec GTLS tubes. 

I surmise that there are two possible reasons: 1) Ball has specially contracted with mb-microtec to make high mCi tubes to be used exclusively on Ball watches and specifically identifies the millicurie range on its dials; and/or 2) Ball is following the letter of U.S. NRC regulations or the specific requirements of Ball's importation permit, which govern identification of tritium content on the dial.

In sum, the answer appears to be:

1) If it's a Ball watch, "T" means more than 25mCi (like the EMII Classic and Night Train). Ball already has made this clear in prior posts.

2) If it's not a Ball watch, "T" means 25mCi or less, as Iceheller states. Of course, this must be the case as no one sells watches with greater than 25mCi . . . no one, that is, except Ball. :-!

Rob


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## jhess

Hi,

I am the License holder of the NRC permit for Ball Watch USA that allows importation of Tritium dials. Dan Hall, VP of Ball Watch USA, myself CEO of Ball Watch USA and my wife Katrina Hess (she is person of record), all had to take classes to become what they call "Radiation Safety Officers" to facilitate importation.

It is the NRC that makes the rules. Not us.

T25 means "up to 25 MC", "T" means "up to" 100 MC.

A T25 watch could have 24.9 mC and a T watch could have 25.1 MC. Most "T" watches of course have much more than 25 MC. There are no licensing provisions for more that 100 MC. 

This is the information provided to us by the NRC. This is what we have been told. Dan Hall, our VP who is kind of an expert on this will expound on this tomorrow time permitting.

Jeff Hess


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## roberev

Great! Thanks Jeff.

Rob


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## iceheller

Well it would be weird that NRC would want any watch that has more than more than 25mCi to be label at "T" on the dial as Tritium paint was widely used before Tritium tube was mass produces and the standrad was to use "T" for tritium paint as found in many vintage watch...


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## iceheller

But then again, everyone depend on US. So people follow what the US authority says.


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## Lilhoody

jhess said:


> Hi,
> 
> I am the License holder of the NRC permit for Ball Watch USA that allows importation of Tritium dials. Dan Hall, VP of Ball Watch USA, myself CEO of Ball Watch USA and my wife Katrina Hess (she is person of record), all had to take classes to become what they call "Radiation Safety Officers" to facilitate importation.
> 
> It is the NRC that makes the rules. Not us.
> 
> T25 means "up to 25 MC", "T" means "up to" 100 MC.
> 
> A T25 watch could have 24.9 mC and a T watch could have 25.1 MC. Most "T" watches of course have much more than 25 MC. There are no licensing provisions for more that 100 MC.
> 
> This is the information provided to us by the NRC. This is what we have been told. Dan Hall, our VP who is kind of an expert on this will expound on this tomorrow time permitting.
> 
> Jeff Hess


Gentleman,
Pardon my hijack of this thread. It seems the appropriate place to ask a follow up question. If it has been addressed please point me to the thread. If it hasn't and you would prefer I post this question on a new thread, let me know.
I am looking to get an Aviator GMT, the amount of tritium concerns me. I have heard that tritium is a fairly weak isotope? From my knowledge of radioactive materials I am certain the case would shield my wrist. How about exposure from the face? Is it so weak that distance it self is shielding enough (say a foot to inches)? Or is it so weak that it is not a concern at all.
If you wore such a watch night and day, how much exposure would you get?


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## roberev

Lilhoody said:


> Gentleman,
> Pardon my hijack of this thread. It seems the appropriate place to ask a follow up question. If it has been addressed please point me to the thread. If it hasn't and you would prefer I post this question on a new thread, let me know.
> I am looking to get an Aviator GMT, the amount of tritium concerns me. I have heard that tritium is a fairly weak isotope? From my knowledge of radioactive materials I am certain the case would shield my wrist. How about exposure from the face? Is it so weak that distance it self is shielding enough (say a foot to inches)? Or is it so weak that it is not a concern at all.
> If you wore such a watch night and day, how much exposure would you get?


Short answers:

1) The case and crystal would shield you. The radiation level is so low that it cannot penetrate them. In fact, I recall reading that it won't even penetrate unbroken skin.

2) I remember Jeff or Jeremy mentioning that you'd have to consume something like 40,000 vials of tritium to get the same exposure as a day in the sun at the beach. Treatment: flush system by drinking a can of beer or a few glasses of water. 

I'll look for those prior posts.

Rob
________________________________________ 
*Update:*

*Check out these prior threads:*

https://www.watchuseek.com/showthread.php?p=543535#post543535

https://www.watchuseek.com/showthread.php?t=127549&highlight=beer


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## scottw44

Great detective work Rob! We always keep a cold beer or two here just in case 

Lilhoody, the Aviator GMT is my third Ball, and my wife has one also. I can't recommend the brand strongly enough, and the level of service and attention from HQ is the best I have ever seen.

Let us know if you "get on the Ball." Hope to have you join us as a Ball Owner!


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## stockae92

roberev said:


> Short answers:
> 
> 1) The case and crystal would shield you. The radiation level is so low that it cannot penetrate them. In fact, I recall reading that it won't even penetrate unbroken skin.
> 
> 2) I remember Jeff or Jeremy mentioning that you'd have to consume something like 40,000 vials of tritium to get the same exposure as a day in the sun at the beach. Treatment: flush system by drinking a can of beer or a few glasses of water.
> 
> I'll look for those prior posts.
> 
> Rob
> ________________________________________
> *Update:*
> 
> *Check out these prior threads:*
> 
> https://www.watchuseek.com/showthread.php?p=543535#post543535
> 
> https://www.watchuseek.com/showthread.php?t=127549&highlight=beer


from what i read, the level of radiation from small amount of tritium can't penetrate a sheet of paper or a layer of dead skin. so tritium tube should be mostly safe when its outside of our body without open wound.

Here are 2 pages for the properties of Tritium

http://www.epa.gov/radiation/radionuclides/tritium.html

http://www.physics.isu.edu/radinf/tritium.htm


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## Lilhoody

Thanks gents. Great info.


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## iceheller

Well i pluck this from XRC(X stand for another Alphabet). It under XRC: SECY-98-060

<
*(b) Health and Safety Effects*
Existing data indicate that the tritium leak rate for timepieces containing 25 mCi of tritium paint or 25 mCi of tritium gas vary considerably. These data suggest that the tritium leak rate from timepieces containing 25 mCi of tritium gas in GTLS is considerably lower than timepieces containing the same amount of tritium paint. In addition, these data suggest that the individual and collective doses from GTLS timepieces during the distribution, use, and disposal are significantly lower than from timepieces containing equal amounts of tritium paint. Finally, the data suggests that the health risk from the accidental breakage of the glass vials and the release of gaseous tritium from timepieces is not significant. The NRC has concluded that the manufacture and use of timepieces containing GTLS would result in insignificant exposures. By adopting this final rule, the cost savings would be maximized without any measurable adverse effect on public health and safety.
*5. Decision Rationale*
Based on the above analysis, the NRC believes that the proposed rule, if adopted, would provide both the manufacturers and initial distributors of products containing GTLS and the NRC significant savings. Also, it has been determined that the radiological risk from distribution of such devices is negligible and the radiation skin dose from timepieces containing GTLS is significantly less, per millicurie of tritium used, than that from timepieces containing tritium paint.>


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## Timewaster

roberev said:


> you'd have to consume something like 40,000 vials of tritium to get the same exposure as a day in the sun at the beach.


Just placed my order for 40,000 vials. I need a quick tan before the holiday get-togethers. :-d Ha!!!!

Regards,
-Jeff


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## Agusta02

just dont blame it on Ball when your dog grows a second tail:-d


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## stockae92

Agusta02 said:


> just dont blame it on Ball when your dog grows a second tail:-d


only after a few of your T100 Ball watches are missing for years ... LOL


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