Blue Lume vs. Green Lume

[Tools]

It seems that we get more and more threads and posts about folks who seem to think that the blue lume (Chromalight) is something desirable and a potential deal breaker if a watch doesn't have it..

I'm baffled. Lume is hardly ever seen, and even when it is, the color shouldn't make any difference in it's intended purpose. I will admit that the blue is pleasing to the eye, but that isn't why it's there. ..

My view is that Rolex only went to the blue so they could give it their own name, Chromalight, and market it along with their other proprietary names so people would think that it was somehow superior to anything else.. Or at least everybody else would still be using Luminova but Rolex uses Chromalight as if there was something different about them besides coloring.

It's likely the last thing that I would ever think about when I was looking at a potential purchase..

Maybe you feel differently ? What say you ?

Blue Lume by LarryDPhotography, on Flickr

[Ancestral Star]

I concur. Out of curiosity, are there any other notable differences between Luminova and Chromalight (e.g. duration of luminescence) other than color?

[Alfredo.]

Agree 100%! Just like the Everose Gold!

[b06tmm]

I believe I read somewhere that the wavelength of the blue lume is seen better under water, and that's why Rolex uses it.

[mtrunner]

Not a deal breaker at all for me either. I must say I do prefer the look of the blue lume but as you mention you rarely see the lume so it really isn't that big of a deal.

[The Libertine]

Truth be told, I am a bit smitten by the blue lume on my Explorer, and perhaps like it a bit more than the green - but did not, and would not, base a purchase on the color alone.

[Annan]

Lume is lume but admit I prefer the blue. Regardless, would not be a deal breaker for me.

[Kyu]

Well my subC g serial is blue but looks green to me
I honestly was excited to see it green, was hoping I'd have the last generation green in subC models lol

The lumen doesn't affect my purchase decisions

Both pixs are the same watch

[And]

I don't care about the colour but I wish there was more of it on the hands of my sub.

[alanc]

My two Rolex watches each have the green and so I can't comment as to whether blue is better; I will say that the green does not seem to glow very much except when coming inside from a sunny day, which is arguably not the time you need it most.

[bdex75]

I prefer both at once.


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[Kyu]

Originally Posted by bdex75

I prefer both at once.


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Jesus..that's just stunning !

[bdex75]

Thanks. That is decorated silver dial on a DJ. I believe the silver Arabic on a DJII is the same lume. It along with the fact that I have never seen another one sold me a couple years ago.


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[Cru Jones]

Depending on the nature of the charge, the lume can be blue or green. I don't really know what all the fuss is about, other than wanting to have the latest for the sake of having the newest.

[eggplanty]

I've just seen so much green lume that it's nice to have that little change.

[Psmith]

I prefer the blue colour to green, but then there are many colours of lume available - see below.
I don't believe that the Rolex blue lume has any particular special qualities. As a fan of bright lume I like to see C3 being used on a watch.

[Johny]

Originally Posted by Psmith

I prefer the blue colour to green, but then there are many colours of lume available - see below.
I don't believe that the Rolex blue lume has any particular special qualities. As a fan of bright lume I like to see C3 being used on a watch.

great post.

[iazrollie]

Here here. I too always wonder why this topic garners so much attention on TRF.

[sierra11b]

Between blue and green in terms of Rolex I prefer Blue even though most my watches lack that color.

I will say, however, that thickly applied super luminova (as used by higher-end Seikos i.e. SBDX001, etc.) blows Rolex out of the water. It's torch-like. Never seen the Pelagos lume in the flesh but heard it's similar. Then again, thickly applied any luminescence would probably give a similar effect.

Not trying to stir the nest... just stating as a lover of both. Rolex does lack in the lume department but I think it's intentional as a torch-like lume can almost be obnoxious in daylight and I don't think Rolex wanted that. Then again, Rolex blows some brands and models out of the water... Sinn U1 is pitiful in this department despite it being a future classic for the price.

[Evo6]

The chromalight lume on my BLNR is much more visable after hours in the dark. It's possible to read time on the wrist long after my other superluminova watches have gone too dim to see without bringing them up to my face.

[ExplorerChris]

I like the green lune on my Exp II
Every time I see the blue lime I think of Timex Indiglo

[thomaspp]

Thanks for the post my friend. I wasn't happy when I discovered my 718 had the "old lume" but then realized it was a silly concern.

[T. Ferguson]

I have never asked the color of the lume on any watch I've ever bought. About the only thing I can think of is if buying used, blue lume may indicate a newer model but hell, my 116713 has green lume and is still under plenty of warranty.

What Tools said is true, it's much ado about nothing. Some say the blue lume goes better with the color of SS. But how often are you ever seeing both the lume and the stainless at the same time? If it's light enough to appreciate the sheen of Rolex 904L then it's probably too bright for the lume to pop - and vice versa.

And if you're buying a Rolex for the lume well, good luck with that. It's not exactly the biggest selling feature of a Rolex. I find Rolex lume to be good for about two hours or so whether it's green or blue. If I need longer than that (like in a long crappy movie) I just give it a quick hit with the light from my cell phone, but by then I already got the time off the phone anyway.

[Psmith]

Six layers of Super-LumiNova results in quite a good effect...

[14060m]

I like green no blue no green no blue
Either way I love my subc date
Oh yeah it's blue

[Nidal]

When you pay that much money on a watch. Every small detail matters IMO

[Mystro]

As long as it glows bright I don't care the color.

[lamnyc]

I preferred green lume with my 116710LN. It kinda match the green arrow.

[GB-man]

Don't care. Does the hulk have blue? I haven't noticed.

[JD521]

I like the blue lume...but only because it suits the BLNR than a green lume would in my opinion :)
But again, would never be a deciding factor.