Why I think lume is pretty worthless

[Jonny8]

Rolex lume may not be the brightest but it is long lasting. I can comfortably read the time in the dark after 8 hours without charging it before I go in the dark (sub, SD and Exp II).

It is not designed to be a homing beacon or torch, so if that’s what you are expecting you’ll be disappointed.

[Daveh777]

I also agree with the premise of the original statement. Lume is a good feature on Field watch, Sports watch or Diver’s watch.
However, in my experience it’s not something that can be relied upon with any degree of certainty especially as you get older and begin to need reading glasses. I say this with a reasonably active and outdoors lifestyle including off-roading, hiking and camping.
Even with reasonable lume I find myself scrambling to find my reading glasses to read the time. Alternately I take my G-Shock with illumination and problem solved.

[MrGoat]

Originally Posted by Me4u2night

I’m with you on this. All this talk about lume and it being lit throughout the night seems like rubbish to me. All mine are no longer lit within an hour.

This is going to sound silly but if your eyes are adjusted to the darkness the lume (at least the luminova on my sub) is visible for quite some time.

Lights out for 8+ hours. Pic doesn’t do it justice.



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[rootbeer7]

My Panerai 210 surprised me at 6.30am when it was still legible having last seen light the previous evening at 11pm.

[waterman1]

Happened to wake up at 4am last night and glanced over at my DSSD on nightstand. It did not see any sunlight yesterday. It was clearly legible without any effort.

[Gab27]

Originally Posted by amphora001

I wouldn't want to wear it everyday but definitely would consider one in the collection. But for something that should last a life time, aka a Rolex, it doesn't seem like it'd be long lasting enough.

IMHO, it could be integrated into the standard service interval where it was changed prior to reaching its half life, although it would likely increase service costs and the logistics on the operational side of things.

The theoretical service interval on current Rolex models is 10 years IIRC. Tritium tubes are still generally very bright at this point. This compares a 11 year old watch with TGLS to a new one, and there is not a huge difference. Further, if you get more than an hour into the dark, tritium is just superior to Luminova/SL/Chromalight.
https://www.watchuseek.com/threads/t...e-test.535726/

That said, I do not think models like the Submariner could retain their current lume plot, and the dial would need to be redesigned, which I can't see Rolex doing for strongly established models.

An OP with tritium tubes would, IMHO, be awesome...

[Oystersteel92]

Originally Posted by MrGoat

The Timex indiglo was the envy of every kid I knew in the early 90’s.


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Indiglo was possibly the best thing Timex ever did. Far superior to the little micro lamps common on other brands at the time.

As for Lume, it's better than nothing, and in pitch dark with adjusted eyes it works well. In low light, the high polish of Rolex gold hands and indices is what gets it done.

Agree with several others, Seiko has good lume, even on their cheaper watches.

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by Gab27

IMHO, it could be integrated into the standard service interval where it was changed prior to reaching its half life, although it would likely increase service costs and the logistics on the operational side of things.

The theoretical service interval on current Rolex models is 10 years IIRC. Tritium tubes are still generally very bright at this point. This compares a 11 year old watch with TGLS to a new one, and there is not a huge difference. Further, if you get more than an hour into the dark, tritium is just superior to Luminova/SL/Chromalight.
https://www.watchuseek.com/threads/t...e-test.535726/

That said, I do not think models like the Submariner could retain their current lume plot, and the dial would need to be redesigned, which I can't see Rolex doing for strongly established models.

An OP with tritium tubes would, IMHO, be awesome...

A couple of folks in the vintage section have mentioned that Rolex used to relume dials and hands up to around the 1970s, and showed itemised RSC receipts to prove it. Not sure why they stopped.

[Gab27]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

A couple of folks in the vintage section have mentioned that Rolex used to relume dials and hands up to around the 1970s, and showed itemised RSC receipts to prove it. Not sure why they stopped.

It would be really neat if they still offered this option.

How bright were the Rolex tritium lume dots when they were newer? I assume they were likely not as bright as the tritium gas tubes? (and probably degraded a bit faster?)

[Rollieo]

Lume is charged by UV. There isn’t much UV in LED lights or the lights in the office.

Put the lume in the sun for 10 seconds and walk into a dark room. Or get a UV flashlight and hit it for 10 seconds and it will glow for hours.

Personally, lume is useful for me. My kids are the age they still need to be put to bed and with any lights on they can’t fall asleep. It’s nice to know how long it’s been. 10 minutes in the dark can feel like 2 minutes or 20 minutes.

[Rollieo]

Lume comparison vid

Rolex | Omega | Grand Seiko | Tudor - Lume, What’s the Difference?
https://youtu.be/2CbvVERRkvQ

[csaltphoto]

Originally Posted by Gab27

How bright were the Rolex tritium lume dots when they were newer? I assume they were likely not as bright as the tritium gas tubes? (and probably degraded a bit faster?)

I've always wondered this too. My guess is not that bright. Enclosing the tritium and phosphor in paint and binder is a lot less efficient than tritium gas in a phosphor coated tube.

[Henrimontgomery]

I miss tritium. Infinite lume.

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by csaltphoto

I've always wondered this too. My guess is not that bright. Enclosing the tritium and phosphor in paint and binder is a lot less efficient than tritium gas in a phosphor coated tube.

If I recall correctly from memory, they were fairly bright but curiously the Seiko stuff always seemed to be held in higher esteem. I doubt by now that there is much glow from the Tritium painted dials as none of the later ones from that era had much going for them at all after a few short years.
The Tritium gas tubes also degrade over time but they are reputed to be capable of fulfilling the half life expectation.

I do know that my only Chromalite dial is going strong over 11 years on and is on a par with the younger one that I have with not aparent decline in performance

[SLWoodster]

If you "dive" too deep into it, you'll realize the whole watch is worthless...

[OG1982]

The lume on my Sub 124060 is great. I go to bed not havign 'charged' the loom any more than it being on my wrist in a room with a light on before I go to bed. I wake up at 6am and it's still dark at that time at the moment in the UK, the lume is still working and clearly displays the time well enough for me to see.

[~Ocho1~]

I got up this morning at 3:30 to pee. Walking back to the bed this thread came to mind & I looked over at my night table where I had 3 watches sitting on my caddy: Batman, Speedmaster & BB58.

I could clearly see all 3 of them in the darkness.

[minute_man]

Originally Posted by ~Ocho1~

I got up this morning at 3:30 to pee. Walking back to the bed this thread came to mind & I looked over at my night table where I had 3 watches sitting on my caddy: Batman, Speedmaster & BB58.

I could clearly see all 3 of them in the darkness.

Hey, brother

[Mystro]

I read my watches a lot under their own lume. On vacation its especially useful.

[Cooper33]

I have lume on all my modern watches but to me its a useless thing to have...never really cared for it

[RyanJ]

Originally Posted by SLWoodster

If you "dive" too deep into it, you'll realize the whole watch is worthless...

Never worthless. Other divers will see you are wearing a Rolex and instantly envy you. I mean that is why people would wear a Rolex diving anyway isn't it.

[GONZO2LR]

my sub lume still bright in the morning....

i use it....

[Badger82]

Marathon GSAR has excellent lume.

[rgwarden]

I agree. Lume is an overused term. ‘Dim glow’ would be a more honest description.

[dtwer]

From a utility standpoint, the only lume that I find useful is the tritium lume.

[garyk]

2006 Panerai, still going strong…




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[tjs1295]

I use it frequently on my Rolex and Omega watches. They all fade quickly, but in the middle of the night when I wake up, I'm able to see what time it is. That's all that matters to me. My eyes aren't the best either. I need lume on my watches.