What is the point of lume if it doesn't stay active very long?

[stil]

Call me stupid but what's the point? No matter what I do or how much light I expose to my 16234 (or any of my other watches that have LumiNova) it doesn't stay active very long. If I wake up in middle of the night I can't see the time...

Why not keep using Tritium since it doesn't require an energy source?

[Rolex fan 61]

Keep a light next to the bed

[RRGHOST1]

Or get a Ball watch !

[stil]

Originally Posted by Rolex fan 61

Keep a light next to the bed

That would be too easy...but to be honest, if I need to see the time at night I just look at the cable box.

That still doesn't stop me from questioning the point...

[hsfrank]

or watch your wrist glow in the dark LOL

[PJ S]

Tritium is radioactive – we live in a H&S overload world now, so the only tritium you ever going to see on a watch dial, is in tube form, like what Deep Blue and Ball produce.
That said, the amount, the coarseness, and if a white base layer has been added, will affect the brightness and longevity.
Take a look at LumTec’s offerings, but as suggested above, a nightlight will be much cheaper and more useful, as will a $20 digital watch with backlight.

[stil]

Originally Posted by PJ S

Tritium is radioactive – we live in a H&S overload world now, so the only tritium you ever going to see on a watch dial, is in tube form, like what Deep Blue and Ball produce.
That said, the amount, the coarseness, and if a white base layer has been added, will affect the brightness and longevity.
Take a look at LumTec’s offerings, but as suggested above, a nightlight will be much cheaper and more useful, as will a $20 digital watch with backlight.

Thanks...both I have. Just to clear up the confusion I'm not really concerned with seeing the time on my watch at night.

I'm just questioning the purpose of the lume if it doesn't stay active that long on these types (Rolex) of watches...

[Danny83]

Well since it takes your eyes a few seconds to adjust from light to dark, the lume is there for you until that happens.

[WIS]

Do you think it's just a gimmick that hasn't fully run its course yet? Lume certainly has practical purposes even with its short term use ability (i.e. Checking the time in a movie theater) but in terms of a watch's long-term value, it doesn't add at all... Not sure it necessarily detracts much if it was tastefully applied... But I see your point


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[traf]

Not sure, mine glows and remains legible all night


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[cdmorenot]

Something may be up... I am able to see mine hours later in complete darkness

[padi56]

Originally Posted by stil

Call me stupid but what's the point? No matter what I do or how much light I expose to my 16234 (or any of my other watches that have LumiNova) it doesn't stay active very long. If I wake up in middle of the night I can't see the time...

Why not keep using Tritium since it doesn't require an energy source?

One of the main problems with watches in the DJ range is the lack of total surface area of the lume.The more total surface area the brighter the lume will seem,lume when charged is best viewed in a total darkness room.If I wake up in the middle of the night which I often do.It shows I am still alive which is far more important to me than any lume on any watch. Lume on any watch to me is not that important,but a good night sleep and waking up to see a new day is.And that everyday I beat my own previous record for number of consecutive days I've stayed alive that's far more important.So stop worrying over your lume and get a good nights sleep that will do you more good.

[~JJ]

My sport pieces stay lit all night if I wore all day.

[Limestonedan]

I've wondered that myself.. None of my Rolex's have been very good with Lume. My new DeepSea Blue is not much different. For many years, I've kept a Luminox (Tritium gas tubes) on my night stand to tell time at night..

[petereoin]

http://www.ballwatch.com/global/inde...=51&lang=en-GB

[stil]

Originally Posted by WIS

Do you think it's just a gimmick that hasn't fully run its course yet? Lume certainly has practical purposes even with its short term use ability (i.e. Checking the time in a movie theater) but in terms of a watch's long-term value, it doesn't add at all... Not sure it necessarily detracts much if it was tastefully applied... But I see your point


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I don't think it's a gimmick...I just don't think it has a very practical application on watch faces that have small amounts applied.

To the point of others, I can see where if you have larger amounts it might actually work better.

[stil]

Originally Posted by padi56

One of the main problems with watches in the DJ range is the lack of total surface area of the lume.The more total surface area the brighter the lume will seem,lume when charged is best viewed in a total darkness room.If I wake up in the middle of the night which I often do.It shows I am still alive which is far more important to me than any lume on any watch. Lume on any watch to me is not that important,but a good night sleep and waking up to see a new day is.And that everyday I beat my own previous record for number of consecutive days I've stayed alive that's far more important.So stop worrying over your lume and get a good nights sleep that will do you more good.

Thanks for the post but I'm not sure how this thread is related to worrying about being alive. This was just a simple question on the practical application of lume.

...and again, as I mentioned above...just questioning the purpose given that it doesn't work that well.

[subtona]

i miss my tritium sub … the dial would get brighter as the night went on.

[bridgs]

It is too bad they don't use tritium anymore. Rolex will probably never get it together with the tritium again. It seems they do not bring much back due to popular demand. They march to their own beat and their watches are awesome so we live with it.

Most tritium watches now seem to use the tritium tubes which is what I have in my nite watch that I wear only at night. It is too ugly to wear during the day which is for Rolex. If Rolex started to use these tritium tubes in their watches it would require rather large thick cases which would take away from the beauty of Rolex.

Nite watch also makes a very cool battery operated tritium bedside travel clock for about $60.00 I think. You may check that out sometime.

[JohnBaker3]

I posted this once before; see if it helps answer some of your questions...



http://www.rolexforums.com/showthrea...t=Tritium+Dial

[donq]

I don't remain active for very long these days. Does this mean I have no purpose?

I need to sit down and think about this...

[kirksingleton]

mine burns bright all night long but I can't read it without my glasses!

[Tools]

Originally Posted by stil

Thanks...both I have. Just to clear up the confusion I'm not really concerned with seeing the time on my watch at night.

I'm just questioning the purpose of the lume if it doesn't stay active that long on these types (Rolex) of watches...

Lume is still put on because it is what people expect, even if they never have an actual need. There is hardly anyplace where you can't find a bit of light if you need to see the time.

Most of us with dead tritium don't bother looking for lume dial replacements because it's not worth the bother..

[ernie2]

I guess technologically this is the best they can do without using electricity. A few hours of lume is better than nothing at all. for diving purpose, you will not be underwater for over an hour and the existing lume will work just fine. if you're going into a dark lab for 10 minutes, the lume works just fine too. I guess the lume is designed for activities when we are awake. Not really meant for sleeping purpose.

at night time I wear my Apple Watch. it Activates n tells time with the flick of my wrist if I need to tell time in the middle of the night. and I count on it's vibrating alarm function to wake me up in the morning to avoid waking up my wife and my baby

[ndsleep612]

Originally Posted by RRGHOST1

Or get a Ball watch !

Or a Seiko Monster, Seiko SKX...

[Aceldama]

Same here. My modern Luminova dials are not super bright, but remain legible during the night if worn all day.

[Lordofrolex]

I was thinking the same thing. For example diving watch if the lumes go out so fast how is a diver suppose to use there watch as a diving tool.

[Laszlo]

I really miss radioactive lume... When I was a toddler and sleeping in my mom's/dad's bed, I remember waking in the middle of the night and seeing my dad's watch humming beside and glowing so brightly. It was truly magical to me as a child.

[jrs146]

I see your point for sure. I've never been too concerned about lume because I've never owned a watch that had enough lume to get through an entire night. I have no problems buying a watch without lume nor do I really care how long it lasts.


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[anothernewphone]

I don't concern myself with lume - I've never had a watch that had any sort of lume left after a couple minutes inside the house, let alone the dark. It's neat to glance down when I walk inside after walking the dog and seeing it glow blue, but otherwise, there's no point.

If night sights can still be made from tritium, I don't see why a watch can't.