I have lots of watch hands, some say Radium on the envelopes and some that look like they have luminous paint.
Is there an easy way to tell which is which? And to verify what they are?
Does either type need sunlight (rather than light bulbs) to make them glow?
Most of these apply to wrist watch hands, but I guess it would apply to both types of watches.

Melvin,

The best way to tell if your spare hands are radioactive or not is with a geiger counter. In the absence of such a tool, another reliable indicator is that the old radium hands will surely have turned brown as toast by now. The word "radium" printed on the envelope might also suggest danger. By all means, handle this old material with care.

Radium hands did not need sunlight to make them glow.....they had their own nuclear energy built right in!

William