Radium Dial Clocks and Watches

Radium dial painting began in 1917. It was used on watches and clocks for many years until it was banned in the 1960's. The widest use for radium paint could be found in the luminous dial industry. World War I promoted both a new kind of timepiece and the need for luminous instrument faces. Soldiers needed to be able to synchronize movements in the dark. The military used radium paint on instrument dials in tanks, ships, planes, and other machines while those at home found domestic uses for luminous paint, such as glow-in-the-dark numbers for houses or theater seats and luminous lamp pulls.

Over 2000 young women ranging from mid-teens to their 20's were employed as dial painters. The dial painters were taught the tasks of preparing and applying the paint. They were shown how to mix a small quantity of fine yellow powder, which contained the radium. They frequently stirred the material to keep it in suspension and applied the paint to the numerals and the hour and minute hands of watches using the tip of a very fine small brush. Workers were required to place the tip of the brush between their lips to bring the paint brushes to a point. This was called "lip-pointing". It was the best way to accomplish this very precise work. In 1925 radium was discovered to be deadly for the dial painters. Sometime around 1926 & 1927 the technique of pointing the paint brush between the lips ended. Most of the dial painters died of early deaths due to radium poisoning.

If you would like to know more about this topic you can read the books, Radium Girls by Claudia Clark or Deadly Glow by Ross Mullner.