stainlessb
Member
qaStaHvIS yIn 'ej chep
Posts: 4,642
What I collect: currently focused on most of western Europe, much of which is spent on France, Belgium, Germany and Great Britain Queen Victoria
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Post by stainlessb on Mar 4, 2023 18:12:21 GMT
On some covers (or stamps on piece) if you hold it up againsta strong backlight, you may be able to see the watermark, however this doesn't work with everything (a postcard), and some stamps , the watermarks are dificult to see off cover
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rex
Member
Posts: 1,150
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Post by rex on Mar 4, 2023 21:07:11 GMT
Morley Bright Roll-A-Tector" might help to see watermarks on covers. I don't know if it's still in production.
Strong backlight is also a good suggestion.
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Post by octavius on Mar 15, 2023 1:47:34 GMT
Remember those glass slides made for microscopes. I wonder if they would do the the trick. Sandwich a stamp with a drop or two of water, and shine a light on it. Cheers
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Mar 28, 2023 22:05:36 GMT
Hi folks, After receiving a bottle of Clarity watermark detector and a black tray, I tried to see the watermark on my collection of QEII Wildings definitive stamps. Not impressed. It took 4 stamps before I could see a watermark and the fluid dried up too quickly to photograph it. (Maybe these stamps are not the best choice?) I'm thinking of getting the SG Watermark detector ($180) but it is a chunk of change and would I expecting too much from it? Has anyone an image of a watermark using the SG detector? Cheers! The Wildings are definitely not the best choice. The Tudor Crown and St Edward's Crown watermarks are distinctive enough, and so is the Multiple Crowns watermark on "cream" paper, but more than half the Wildings in any random selection will have the Multiple Crowns watermark on "whiter" paper. In my experience, the translucency of the "whiter" paper often makes it impossible to work out whether the watermark is upright, inverted or sideways.
I have a Stanley Gibbons UV lamp which enables me to distinguish the different "colours" of phosphor bands on 100% of mint Wildings and 90% of used Wildings. If I thought the SG "Detectamark" had a similar success rate for watermarks, I'd buy it, but there seem to be no online reviews. I'm beginning to wonder if anybody has ever actually bought one!
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djcmh
Member
Posts: 772
What I collect: Worldwide
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Post by djcmh on Nov 6, 2023 11:09:29 GMT
I recently discovered that the EU earlier this year fully banned the transport of the chemicals that were used to produce watermark fluids such as Prinz, and as a result Watermark Fluid has dried up (pun intended) for collectors there as Prinz are no longer producing it. For anyone in the EU, what are you now using for watermark detection other than the expensive gadgets? I get the question about hoe to detect watermarks a lot from novice collectors on Colnect, and now I have no idea what to recommend other than something very expensive.
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philatelia
Member
Captain Jack - my best kiloware find ever!
Posts: 3,404
What I collect: Ireland, Japan, Scandy, USA, Venezuela, Vatican, Bermuda, Austria
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Post by philatelia on Nov 6, 2023 11:27:17 GMT
Oh no! Prinz is my go to watermark fluid. I better stock up while I can.
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djcmh
Member
Posts: 772
What I collect: Worldwide
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Post by djcmh on Nov 6, 2023 13:22:38 GMT
Has anyone tried the Clarity brand. It's made in the USA and is sold by Amos Advantage among others.
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Post by PostmasterGS on Nov 6, 2023 13:31:58 GMT
I use Clarity. I know a lot of people use lighter fluid as it's cheaper, but I can't stand the smell.
With German watermarks, which tend to be very prominent, I can also see them using my scanner in photo negative mode.
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mberry
Member
Posts: 987
What I collect: USA, USA Revenues, Beer Related Stamps and Revenues, US State Revenues, Stamp Show Stamps
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Post by mberry on Nov 6, 2023 21:26:34 GMT
I just purchased Clarity as i ran out of my old (very old) Harco fluid. The Clarity has worked well for me so far, no complaints. I thought it was a bit expensive but I haven't purchased any watermark fluid in decades so it probably isn't that expensive.
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