To Lume or not to Lume.
That is the question….
Let me start by saying I like lume, nothing against it, I would rather have it than not and who cares really. I watch the odd YouTube watch reviewers, the look at the likes of Jodie and his Lume Wars and think...that's pretty cool. When buying a watch it is a consideration, or rather was, as I think it should be taken out of the equation, for me personally.
Let me explain. I never use it, for me its a gimmick. At night if I happen to wake in the early hours I try NOT to look at the time anyway, but if I have to its usually “Alexa” or I do what I have been doing all my adult life and switch on my bedside light that happens to be by my bedside alarm clock.
I recently did a review of the wonderful Casio Oceanus (please read!) and in the interest of journalistic integrity (joke) I charged the Oceanus up and left it by my bedside. Upon awakening in darkness I looked at the thing and low and behold shining brightly blue it was. As for the time, I didn’t have a Scooby Doo, but it was either ten past four-ish or maybe ten past five.
Lume does have the cool factor though. My friends comment on it sometimes. This is usually after going into a pub, from the pubs beer garden where I have been sampling the ales, to avoid the British weather. This can be anything from fog, rain, gales or even sunshine, often all in the same hour. A friend will often say “your watch is glowing” as I go to the bathroom to avoid the next round.
Of course there will be WC’ers that actually find lume useful. Perhaps some people have those professions where, from going from light to dark settings (train drivers in Switzerland perhaps?) where their lume helps. I would argue that for 98% of the people, for 98% of the time its pretty redundant. Its like my car, it has a button that when depressed the car parks itself. The only time I use it is when visiting friends etc., and when I pull up in my car, I press the button, open the window and with both hands out of the window I have a conversation with them as the car parks itself. They without fail usually call me a name that rhymes with Banker. Its handy to have and I like it, but its not really necessary and that's just like lume.
Now there are products where lume would be a godsend….
Hope you enjoyed the post and looking forward to your thoughts.
The usual disclaimer, if this has been covered before then sorry!
From the UK, I am a watch nut, from the age of 18 been putting £5ish aside each week to fund my watch passion and never stopped.
Where has this been all my life...
I'm not really that interested in lume, if I wake in the night I don't care what time it is.
But last night I had three watches on my stand and it was quite a show. I guess I should have taken a photo, if I'd foreseen this thread.
I find lume extremely useful, so much so that I wear a Marathon with tritium tubes when I travel, and usually when I go to bed.
We all live different lives, so we all have different needs. I've lived long enough to not assume that my life reflects the lives of the majority of other people.
My favourites are where a watch has decent lume but you don't notice it in the day. Like these two:
I just like the glow......🫠
But as you said to each their own. For me, it's actually really useful for anything I truly will actually want to wear in the field.
Have I worn stuff without it? Yup. Usually on a dare, or to just make a more snobbish coolector's eye twitch.
But for a watch I'm actually doing work with, it has to have lume. Whether digital or analog. If I'm worried about light sensitivity/discipline, I'll cover it up. But if I need to know the time at 0130 in the middle of nowhere, don't have my phone with me, and don't want to rummage around in my tent for my head lamp, the lume is nice. 🤙🏻🤘🏻
Always Tulum
I find lume extremely useful, so much so that I wear a Marathon with tritium tubes when I travel, and usually when I go to bed.
We all live different lives, so we all have different needs. I've lived long enough to not assume that my life reflects the lives of the majority of other people.
Marathon Tritium lume is awesome
I feel like lume is seen as something a good watch should have, especially a tool watch. This is further proven by the fancy names watchmakers use for the specific lume they apply on the dial. However, I agree. Lume is not necessary. I personally never sleep with a watch on and if I want to look at the time I look at my phone 🤣.
Marathon Tritium lume is awesome
Does the small amount of radioactive tritium set off alarms at the airport?
Does the small amount of radioactive tritium set off alarms at the airport?
Nope. Have a fellow nerd, who has worn his SAR auto since 2011. Never been stopped for that at the airport. (certain residues that might or might not be on hands from time to time tho, do occasionally show up, then it's always that awkward conversation while the rest of the line mean mugs you.....💩🤐🤫)
Even if tritium gets out of its sealed container, it's so relatively light molecularly, it'll dissipate at mach-oh-my-God speed.
I'd say my current position on this is pretty clear, given that I just bought this:
I find myself in dark places quite often, so lume becomes quite useful. Plus there's no denying that it's just cool.
I find lume extremely useful, so much so that I wear a Marathon with tritium tubes when I travel, and usually when I go to bed.
We all live different lives, so we all have different needs. I've lived long enough to not assume that my life reflects the lives of the majority of other people.
Just been looking at tritium tube watches. I had heard of them but not really looked before. Amazing!
My favourites are where a watch has decent lume but you don't notice it in the day. Like these two:
Both lovely watches, but that Longines, my word!
One does not appreciate lume until you find it missing.
I won't win any friends with this one, but; for a night watch I wear a Timex. Indiglo is on demand and hands down better than the best lume.
Lume has cool factor but I don't even consider it in the slightest when making a purchase.
Fact.
Unless you aren't near or can't replace a battery or lost the stupid Ziploc you had them tucked away in.....🤐
But outside of a very niche application true.
Edit: Forgot to add, I love my Midget and Todd Snyder, but I also find Timex's to be as loud as a freaking Swatch, and while the outdoors is never 100% quiet, I still sometimes hear that ticking, especially in a personal tent or hammock.
Love lume!
Here's why:
A. Looks super cool in most cases and I feel something is "missing" where I wear a watch without it
B. I actually dive with my watches (typically using as a backup bottom timer) and a well charged lume means a quick glance is enough to confirm elapsed time.
C. I have a small child who is an AWFUL sleeper. Good once down, but takes forever to get to that point. If I'm with him in his darkened room singing a lullaby or holding his hand the lume is a Godsend to let me know time without alerting the little guy by lighting up the phone etc.
Honestly C. now matters most and I don't go in there to put him down without a lume-clad watch on my wrist.
Bonus! The little guy finds the lume fascinating when he notices it, and sometimes letting him play with the watch a bit settles him down.
I have exactly one use case that makes it worth it for me. My dog's last potty walk of the evening. Some spots on my street are dark and it's easy to spot check the time. Checking a lumed dial is a second faster than pushing a light button on a digital watch, which is a second faster than turning my flashlight on. Not to mention sometimes my flashlight is on "shine with the light of a dying star" mode, and it sucks to blind both of us.
Similar to @yarko_on_the_go, the only time I actually use the lume on any of my watches is when putting the baby to bed. Useful to see the time without lighting the entire room with a phone screen.
Oh, and for the #fridaynightlumebattle on Instagram...
I've slept wearing a watch for 30+ years, so decent lume is pretty critical for seeing how much longer I've got before the alarm wakes me up when I get up for a pee in the night.
Seiko is best in my experience, lumed indices and hands only, I dislike lumed bezel inserts as they're too blingy for my tastes
I bought my Zelos Swordfish TI Frost mainly because of the lume! 😄
I've never had a watch with that was very good. I don't think it would make a big difference for me, but I would like to get a watch with good lume so I can make an informed decision on whether I care about it or not.
I've never had a watch with that was very good. I don't think it would make a big difference for me, but I would like to get a watch with good lume so I can make an informed decision on whether I care about it or not.
Timex Indiglo. You will not find a better dollar per lumen output.
In a lot of the cool pictures you see with lume, the actual picture has been taken shortly after charging said lume with a UV or regular flashlight. Hence that very bright initial pop. When I post some of my own pictures I do this, it's fun and looks cool. Rule No. 1, always look cool! 😎
All manufacturers, regardless of price point, will fade shortly into a muted, soft, glow which is what they are supposed to do.
Except for tritium, which stays relatively constant, and while not the brightest initially, will appear brighter over time compared to trad lume.
I’m not a big lume fan- I have no need of it. I like how desiccated old radium/tritium looks on a vintage watch but a good amount of my watches have no lume at all.
Im a boring guy I suppose lol, I don’t do any night-time outdoor activities besides drinking (and I forego a watch in those situations lest I accidentally smash one of my babies) and I tend to be asleep when I’m in bed.
The problem with lume is that you have to charge them for them to work well. Even my best lume performers don’t look great unless they get a strong dose of light beforehand.
Mo lume mo better IMO
work nutty hours and sometimes take short naps in dark rooms in the middle of the night, quick glance at time without exposure to phone is perfect!
And of course for camping!
Great post here! Like you, I love lume a ton! It’s def a buying factor for me as I love to look at it and sometimes it does come in clutch. However, most days it is not needed really. The design is my favorite and when coming into a dark environment, I love that first little wrist check when it looks like a torch on wrist. My Pelagos is arguably my favorite watch to do this with as it’s fully lumed!
Where has this been all my life...
I definitely like the lume but it wouldn’t prevent me from getting an design I really like. It isn’t end all be all for me but it is icing on the cake 🎂 mmm cake! 🤣
I bought my Zelos Swordfish TI Frost mainly because of the lume! 😄
That looks freaking incredible