Lume - talk to me
Discussion
I have to admit, I have a bit of a fetish when it comes to watches with excellent lume. I used to spend ages just staring at my Seiko Samurai as the lume was superb on that. However, I have very little else in my collection with any lume at all. I have a few divers and the lume is crap. A few other watches with supposed "Luminous hands" which are about as luminious as a piece of (cold)coal in the dark.
Can I have some of my current watches sent away to be "lumed to the max"? Is it pricey? Are there any reasonably priced watches out there with good lume, Especially Tritium tubed watches? I WILL be adding a Ball to my collection at somepoint this year.
Can I have some of my current watches sent away to be "lumed to the max"? Is it pricey? Are there any reasonably priced watches out there with good lume, Especially Tritium tubed watches? I WILL be adding a Ball to my collection at somepoint this year.
Seikos do tend to have a great rep for lume, my three (SKX009, modded SKXA053 'Bullet' and an SKX779 Monster) are all fantastic. Tritium tubed watches, AFAIK, aren't as bright but the pay off is that they glow of their own accord so don't need to be charged.
Bry at Satintime does re-luming, perhaps he'll be along soon!
Bry at Satintime does re-luming, perhaps he'll be along soon!
Edited by CardShark on Sunday 27th March 21:07
CardShark said:
Seikos do tend to have a great rep for lume, my three (SKX009, modded SKXA053 'Bullet' and an SKX779 Monster) are all fantastic. Tritium tubed watches, AFAIK, aren't as bright but the pay off is that they glow of their own accord so don't need to be charged.
Bry at Satintime does re-luming, perhaps he'll be along soon!
What's the script with "charging" them then? I just don't get along with Seiko's for some reason so am looking for alternatives, but it would seem that Seikos seem to be the cheapest with best lume. Bry at Satintime does re-luming, perhaps he'll be along soon!
Basically just leave them in good sunlight for a while, though TBH I'm not sure if there's an optimum time period for this in order to get maximum brightness along with maximum burn time. I do know that with just a few minutes of direct sunlight my Monster gows so bright you can see it when you get into shade 
I think that different Seikos use different luminous materials (though I may be wrong), though they'll all respond well to either sunlight or being left by a table lamp or suchlike.
I think that different Seikos use different luminous materials (though I may be wrong), though they'll all respond well to either sunlight or being left by a table lamp or suchlike.
Edited by CardShark on Sunday 27th March 21:42
al1991 said:
I had a Traser H3.
Tritium tubes on them, but mine didn't seem that bright? Certainly far less bright than any of my Seikos.
Thats true but the seiko lume needs to be charged so after a few minutes in the dark you can't see it. Where as the tritium tubes didnt impress me to start with. yeah I could read them but seemed puny to a UV charged normal lume.Tritium tubes on them, but mine didn't seem that bright? Certainly far less bright than any of my Seikos.
I tried an experiment I left two watches on my bedside. I have thick curtains because I like it dark, couldnt read the normal watch but the tracer was readable at any time.
In fact I had to stop putting it there becuase when I couldnt sleep and my eyes were adjusted to teh dark the damn thing was too bright it annoyed the hell out me.
The point of those tubes is not that they are brighter but that they last for 25 years. If you need to rely on lume, the tubes are the only way forward. I've since gone off superlume and my "night watches" when I need to know the time in the dark have those tubes.
ps I'll give you £15, no, £5, no, £20, no, 50p, that's my final offer.
ps I'll give you £15, no, £5, no, £20, no, 50p, that's my final offer.
RemainAllHoof said:
The point of those tubes is not that they are brighter but that they last for 25 years. If you need to rely on lume, the tubes are the only way forward. I've since gone off superlume and my "night watches" when I need to know the time in the dark have those tubes.
Absolutely, and granted regular lume fades badly relative soon after light exposure and the material itself can age. Will get a tubed watch in my collection at some point, though seeing as the days are getting longer I'm going to have to be more creative than normal regarding reasoning with myself as to why I need one
CardShark said:
Absolutely, and granted regular lume fades badly relative soon after light exposure and the material itself can age.
Will get a tubed watch in my collection at some point, though seeing as the days are getting longer I'm going to have to be more creative than normal regarding reasoning with myself as to why I need one
Do you have a cupboard under the stairs? Spend more time in there and keep asking, "I wonder what the time is?" Will get a tubed watch in my collection at some point, though seeing as the days are getting longer I'm going to have to be more creative than normal regarding reasoning with myself as to why I need one
RemainAllHoof said:
CardShark said:
Absolutely, and granted regular lume fades badly relative soon after light exposure and the material itself can age.
Will get a tubed watch in my collection at some point, though seeing as the days are getting longer I'm going to have to be more creative than normal regarding reasoning with myself as to why I need one
Do you have a cupboard under the stairs? Spend more time in there and keep asking, "I wonder what the time is?" Will get a tubed watch in my collection at some point, though seeing as the days are getting longer I'm going to have to be more creative than normal regarding reasoning with myself as to why I need one
Hang on a minute lads, I think I've got an idea...
Edit to say that the shed at the bottom of the garden is pretty dark, and that's where I'll probably end up if I get another watch without passing one on if the GF had her way...
Edited by CardShark on Monday 28th March 13:20
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