One of Omega’s biggest flaws ever

I recently acquired an Omega AT 38 mm, love the size, the movement, the looks …

The polished center links have grown on me, but I still think a completely brushed bracelet will look better.

What has been hard to accept is how bad the lume is, not only it isn’t as bright as expected, but the minutes hand, since only have lume on the tip, it’s really hard to find, specifically when it’s on top of 5 minutes markers, a complete rookie mistake. They fixed it on the newer version.

It is not a deal breaker for me, I still enjoy the watch, I just replace it for a Seiko at night!!!

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I owned the 41 mm version a few years back and felt the same exact way. Not only is it hard to read it also faded quickly. But that was not the reason I parted with it. I sold it to make room for another I wanted more at the time. It is a great watch. Enjoy it!

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I don't have any experience with this watch, so take this with a grain of salt. Even though it's a sports watch, I think it's OK when companies don't try real hard with the lume. Yes, robust lume would be better, but I think it's fine if it's not great on this type of watch. To me it's like WR, something that people now expect to be amazing on every watch. I totally get why it bothers you and am not trying to say it shouldn't, but for me it's not that big a deal and wouldn't ruin a watch.

But if you want to let that thing go cheap...

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My unpopular hot take? Lume is the single most overrated aspect of a watch. The lume on this watch sucks, agreed. But it’s still easily the most worn watch in my collection and I love it.

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Got an AT as well, imho the biggest flaw is the bracelet.

Very stiff, polished center links scratch like crazy, no on the fly microadjust. Never in a million years would i wear this watch on the bracelet while sleeping. Therefor the lume is of no concern to me. ;)

Also i did swap the bracelet out for Hirsch Leaf Straps.

As a sleeping-watch i got a cheap Timex Expedition with Indiglo, and a singlepass Nato strap. No Rolex/Tudor whatever watch can beat it Lume wise!

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thekris

I don't have any experience with this watch, so take this with a grain of salt. Even though it's a sports watch, I think it's OK when companies don't try real hard with the lume. Yes, robust lume would be better, but I think it's fine if it's not great on this type of watch. To me it's like WR, something that people now expect to be amazing on every watch. I totally get why it bothers you and am not trying to say it shouldn't, but for me it's not that big a deal and wouldn't ruin a watch.

But if you want to let that thing go cheap...

Sorry, I still love the watch! My problem is not the lume brightness is the design of the minutes hand, it’s impossible to identify at night, that’s is why they changed the design in the newer version.

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I have the same watch and as a lume freak it IS a tad disappointing ...so the lume torch never goes near it. i just pretend it's a GS with no lume. 😂 You'll be happier thinking of it that way. I have to say I love it translates well to looks other than the OEM bracelet. I bought it on the leather, then got the bracelet, but it looks really cool on Watch Gecko mesh. I'll put up some pics...you decide!

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yankthemike

I have the same watch and as a lume freak it IS a tad disappointing ...so the lume torch never goes near it. i just pretend it's a GS with no lume. 😂 You'll be happier thinking of it that way. I have to say I love it translates well to looks other than the OEM bracelet. I bought it on the leather, then got the bracelet, but it looks really cool on Watch Gecko mesh. I'll put up some pics...you decide!

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Love my new GS!!! 😂

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My Swiss watches (Oris, Rado, Zodiac) are poor at lume compared to my Seikos. Bummer a high end watch like the AT would screw it up.

Like you said, switch to Seiko for nighttime. And as someone who occasionally works at all hours and needs to see time in the dark, quality lume I consider essential.

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GoingTopShelf

My unpopular hot take? Lume is the single most overrated aspect of a watch. The lume on this watch sucks, agreed. But it’s still easily the most worn watch in my collection and I love it.

Don’t think your hot take is all that unpopular, I’ve heard it from others. Cool that it’s super overrated - for you.

But OP, and myself,and others, find value in it, so it’s a legit criticism.

if he was made to believe a watch of the ATs fine quality was easy to read in the dark (I thought it was!) and it’s not, kudos to him for letting us know. 👍.

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Yup, lume on my old AT is shite too- doesn't bother me at all tho tbh , I do the same as the OP & wear a Seiko at night ( Seiko lume better than my SM300 by quite a big margin) 🤣