Several posts claim the newer batch of a particular blue-dial model looks more purple than the earlier batch. Others say it's purely photography and white balance. Can we settle this with evidence instead of arguing from different photos?
Record format: question; proposed response; source or method; limitation. Use a dated correction only if the underlying wording or evidence changes. Record RWF-19124.
The difficulty is that phone cameras adjust white balance automatically, and blue dials are especially sensitive. Two photos of the same dial under different light can easily look like a 'batch difference'. Any comparison needs both dials in the same frame, under the same light, ideally next to a neutral grey or white reference card.
Clarifying question: does anyone in the thread have access to both versions at once? Without simultaneous comparison, every claim either way is weak evidence. If not, the next best option is photos with a grey card in frame and white balance locked or set manually, which at least makes separate photos roughly comparable.
Batch variation on coloured dials does happen in general. Plating, lacquer thickness and supplier changes can all shift tone, so the claim isn't implausible. Plausible isn't the same as confirmed, though. The thread should keep 'possible' and 'shown' as separate statuses rather than letting repetition turn a hypothesis into accepted fact.
Suggested protocol. 1) Both dials in one frame. 2) Diffuse daylight, no direct sun, plus a second shot under neutral indoor light. 3) Grey card visible. 4) No filters, no editing. 5) State camera settings if known. If both shots show the same direction of difference, the claim is supported. If the difference flips between lighting conditions, it's most likely lighting.
Status for now: unresolved. The claim is plausible, but no controlled comparison has been posted. Until one appears, describe it as 'reported, not verified'. When someone posts a same-frame, grey-card comparison under two lighting conditions, the thread can update the status with a date and a link to that post.
Something to keep apart: sunburst and gradient dials can look like different colours depending on viewing angle, even on the same piece. A shift that appears only at certain angles is a finish effect, not a batch difference. Include a straight-on shot and one tilted shot so readers can tell the two apart.
Clarification for “Disputed observation: is this dial colour shift real or just lighting?”: the point beginning “The difficulty is that phone cameras adjust white balance automatically,…” belongs to the question as written. It should not be read as a report that a new check, purchase or experiment has been completed. Review focus: scope. Keep the stated question separate from any broader claim.