Illuminated Watches

[s3londonuk]

Hello All.

This is my first post in this forum, as, prior to September, I hadn't bought or worn a watch for 15 years!

Two months ago, I bought a black Fossil Decker Chronograph for £105.00, which I really like.

It has an illuminated dials but they fade quickly and I can't read them when I wake up frequently at night.

Now realise I want a watch that is illuminated so I can read the time at night without pressing a button on it first.

I'd like a Traser or Luminox but can't justify paying £100+ on a similar looking watch.

I'm happy to buy a watch I wear only at night and I've seen a Casio Auto Illuminator for £20.00.

Does anyone have one or suggest any other options for someone on a super tight budget!!

[nixyp]

I've got a Tag and unless I go out of the light and into a dark cupboard i can't see the luminous hands on mine either!

[s3londonuk]

Yep, that's what the Fossil is like!

[GenePoolReject13]

I'm currently looking at either a seiko monster or frankenmonster, these both have really good lume but £100-£150 so not really budget sensetive.

[nixyp]

just downloaded a torch app for my iphone, maybe that will help me see my watch! :0)

[RemainAllHoof]

Forget anything with normal lume. It won't last the night. I've had a Monster, an SKX007 and an Omega SMP300. They have the best lume but it still fades over time. You need something with tritium gas tubes. I have one that I use instead of a clock - it sits propped up via its bracelet by my bed and is so easy to see whatever time of the night.

Otherwise, a cheap digital with a light is your next best option and swap the battery every 2-3 years.

http://forums.watchuseek.com/f2/tritium-tubes-tgls...

[RemainAllHoof]

The biggest problem with normal lume is that the watch is probably under your sleeve the entire time and, unless you remember to charge it up right in front of a lamp, will be so weak that you can't see it from the charge gained in the few minutes it takes between taking your top off and turning off the light.

[FlybyWyre]

Casio Edifice lume is great.
Not as good as my CYMA miltary when it was newish but far safer!

[randomwalk]

my tissot lasts the night ok, never had a problem reading it.

[jwo]

My omega sea master is (from 2001) still is bright enough to tell the time all night through...

[Ikemi]

RemainAllHoof said:

Forget anything with normal lume. It won't last the night. I've had a Monster, an SKX007 and an Omega SMP300. They have the best lume but it still fades over time. You need something with tritium gas tubes. I have one that I use instead of a clock - it sits propped up via its bracelet by my bed and is so easy to see whatever time of the night.

Otherwise, a cheap digital with a light is your next best option and swap the battery every 2-3 years.

http://forums.watchuseek.com/f2/tritium-tubes-tgls...

This!

Aside from the fact that tritium is radioactive, and therefore a rather cool, the gas tubes glow at a constant brightness for approximately 20 years. The brightness of tritium is a little overplayed, in that some PR shots look as though the watch is ablaze with light! In reality, tritium tubes cannot complete with fully charged Super-Luminova. However, in a real world situation, it's unlikely that your SL watch will go from an environment where it is fully charged to complete darkness.

This is where the benefit of tritium tubes can be seen (pun intended)! As tritium glows at a constant brightness, whenever you view your watch at night or in low level light conditions, you'll be able to read the time easily

Ball create some unique designs with tritium tubes, with some models that 'spell out' the numerals with tubes. Prices start from around £500, so a little over budget. However Uzi do some tritium-equipped watches for around £120. How about this?

http://www.outdoorgb.com/p/uzi_defender_watch_uzi_... (£119.21, but can be found for around ~£60-70)
http://www.traserwatches.co.uk/index.php?option=wa... (£83.50)

Here is my Ball Hydrocarbon Classic I:



... and here is a Ball Hydrocarbon Spacemaster Glow (not mine unfortunately)!

Edited by Ikemi on Sunday 27th November 11:44

[Parsnip]

Ikemi said:

In reality, tritium tubes cannot complete with fully charged Super-Luminova. However, in a real world situation, it's unlikely that your SL watch will go from an environment where it is fully charged to complete darkness.

Would need to agree. Have a Ball Engineer Master DLC that is nowhere near as bright as my fully charged Tag Aquaracer. It is enough to really annoy people in the cinema though