Wearing one right now. Purchased in 2002. Glow is very weak now. Has a 7 jewel quartz movement. Changed battery 2 or 3 times. Looks new even with every day wear.
I asked an official Luminox agent about potential replacement of the tubes if you own the watch for over 15 years and the glow dims. The short answer was to buy another as the cost per tube was $$$! I owned the Atacama Field and it was great until the lume started to die so I sold it off before it got too bad. They are essentially disposable - and therefore there are better choices if you want Swiss quartz with permanent luminescence albeit charged by daylight.
Very interesting and in general I agree... and my collection has just this one tritium watch - the rest are all traditional lume paint. I enjoy having a tritium option in my box and buying grey market keeps it at a price where if it lasts ten years that's decent enough value for me, but still at the RRP again - considering these points youve made it's truly eye watering for a disposable item 😆
I have a 44mm Pacific Diver from them, with the red rubber strap. It's a nice, solid watch... but yeah, the price for a quartz watch using a low end Ronda movement, is high. I waited till it went on sale on Amazon and got it for just under $400, and am happy with it... But I would never pay retail for one...
What's is so bad about Luminox?.....Over priced and poor quality. I have one that fogs up if you say the word water. The one I have has a horrible case back design and can''t seal properly against water intrusion.
Apparently they’ve resolved this issue now but who knows. A few lawsuits against them over recent years so perhaps they’ve sorted it? I managed to get a sea turtle for 150$ and I’m happy with it currently
The glasp dug into your skin very evenly. Wouldn't that mean that the shape is pretty spot on? Also, did the strap intself leave a very legible imprint on your skin, altogether suggesting you seem to wear the watch rather tight.🤔
It was loose enough for two fingers underneath - I have a lot of watches and a lot of experience with sizing / fitment as such...feel free to browse the channel for many samples 😆
Bought an Atacama last month. Its bulky but most beautiful to me. But I got it for 585€ instead of 1k. Wouldn‘t have payed the original price. Any experience with that model concerning waterresistance ? It promises 20bar.
Nope haven't done any hardcore testing but Luminox are adament they test every single watch they produce so that should be reassuring. The atacama is a nice looking watch 🙂👍
Have to agree here with the pricing issues. Back when I started in this, the tritium was a cool novelty, but knowing it will have no lume at some point is another knock, I think. I feel their autos are way overpriced, just for what else one's money can buy. I bought a few, quartz, years back, on GM sales. Still run fine, but do feel cheap comparatively. Great review!
Thanks appreciate the comments and definitely there is an element of counting down to zero light with tritium 😆 that said lume paint also deteriorates, but I think more like 30-40 years? 🤔🤔
Lol, that sent me down a research rabbit hole and, according to Fratello "Luminova and (Swiss) Super-LumiNova are not prone to discoloration or ageing over time. They don’t fade, nor will interact with moisture. White will be white forever." Others posit that, because it is a chemical reaction, the process is finite, but can't find anyone putting a number on it, other than saying that the lume will last the life of the watch. My oldest lumed pieces are decades old, and no complaints about the lume losing potency. Would make for an interesting (watch nerd) study though! 👍
yeah definitely very interesting, I'm only judging it on the vintage watches that often need a re-lume where the old lume flakes off and gets all crusty. Interesting if that problem has been overcome in it's entirety 🙂👍
I have a Luminox watch, not sure which model exactly, which I bought in 2014. It has never had a problem, keeps excellent time and glows like A Ukraine nuclear plant. I keep it on my bedside as it is so clear to see in the dark. The lume is Tritium. All in all for about 170 euros it was a steal and would definitely have another.
What's so bad? That their main selling point are the tritium tubes. There's nothing special about these watches otherwise. There are loads of better alternatives out there if the tubes aren't a "must" for one.
Hopefully the video answers your first question in a fair and honest way with consideration for the pros and cons. I like to think it's a balanced explanation of my own personal views, some stats and facts and a value discussion at different price points.... If tritium tubes are essential and I really wanted to pay the Luminox website price ... then I'd just get a Marathon at similar RRP or a Ball on the grey market 😅
Hmmm I get where you're going - but I would say personally having had multiple Glycine watches and Tissot watches - Luminox definitely lag behind in fit and finish.
Had one since 98, its survived everything, all over the world, doesn't glow so bright these days but its more than out lasted the alleged twenty years tritium tubes, honestly I probably wouldn't buy another one despite the impressive survival of mine, i paid just under £200 twenty six years ago, theres probably much better options out there now, good review though. Thanks.
I've had illuminox for 20 years. The luminescence is all gone, and I'm not going to buy another. It was a good watch, and still is, but the main feature of it is no longer applicable. I will never buy another luminox or tritium watch again.
The problem with Luminox is longevity. The reason you want one is because of the GTLS tubes which are supposed to last 20 years, Not true, at 10 years the tubes have already lost more than 50% of their glow. Is that bad, not necessarily but it's no longer what it's portrayed to be. Up until 10 years Luminox can replace the tubes, at your expense of course but is that cost of $250 worth it to you?. If you wait longer than 10 years Luminox tells you that the tubes for your watch are no longer available! 25 years of glowing is a lie so buyer beware!
I agree longevity is a definite discussion point. I did state in the video a half life of 12 years which seems to generally be accepted for T25 tritium, but that's from tube manufacture. Granted that can be a lot lower as you don't know how long it has sat in a warehouse, on a shelf or at a distribution centre or even on a bench before assembly. Certainly buying grey market I don't expect 20-25 years as it's likely old stock and definitely not paying for a re-application of tritium. When it's dead, for me, it's dead 😆...I guess its important to enjoy the watch daytime as well to come to terms with the lifespan. Appreciate the comments and thanks for watching 😎🍻
@@nextonthewrist Yep, suppliers may have changed since but in the 90's Luminox were sold by Richard Barry Group. The GTLS tubes were supplied by mb microtec in Switzerland / which had their own watch line "Traser" watches. Active Military were able to get the original mb microtec version about a year before they were released to the general public. At that time mb microtec was the only facility licensed to produce the GTLS tubes.
Wearing one right now. Purchased in 2002. Glow is very weak now. Has a 7 jewel quartz movement. Changed battery 2 or 3 times. Looks new even with every day wear.
I asked an official Luminox agent about potential replacement of the tubes if you own the watch for over 15 years and the glow dims. The short answer was to buy another as the cost per tube was $$$! I owned the Atacama Field and it was great until the lume started to die so I sold it off before it got too bad. They are essentially disposable - and therefore there are better choices if you want Swiss quartz with permanent luminescence albeit charged by daylight.
Very interesting and in general I agree... and my collection has just this one tritium watch - the rest are all traditional lume paint. I enjoy having a tritium option in my box and buying grey market keeps it at a price where if it lasts ten years that's decent enough value for me, but still at the RRP again - considering these points youve made it's truly eye watering for a disposable item 😆
there is a guy in the luminox group who replaces tritium tubes
Well done buddy. Nice straight-up review. Warts and all ! 😊
Cheers mate 😎🍻
I have a 44mm Pacific Diver from them, with the red rubber strap. It's a nice, solid watch... but yeah, the price for a quartz watch using a low end Ronda movement, is high. I waited till it went on sale on Amazon and got it for just under $400, and am happy with it... But I would never pay retail for one...
What's is so bad about Luminox?.....Over priced and poor quality. I have one that fogs up if you say the word water. The one I have has a horrible case back design and can''t seal properly against water intrusion.
Apparently they’ve resolved this issue now but who knows. A few lawsuits against them over recent years so perhaps they’ve sorted it?
I managed to get a sea turtle for 150$ and I’m happy with it currently
I’ve had two, on both the the Ronda 515 quit (and it’s not the battery)
Interesting. Will see how this one holds out. Ronda pitch it as a repairable movement but for around $20 new I can't see many people repairing one 😆
The glasp dug into your skin very evenly. Wouldn't that mean that the shape is pretty spot on? Also, did the strap intself leave a very legible imprint on your skin, altogether suggesting you seem to wear the watch rather tight.🤔
It was loose enough for two fingers underneath - I have a lot of watches and a lot of experience with sizing / fitment as such...feel free to browse the channel for many samples 😆
Bought an Atacama last month. Its bulky but most beautiful to me. But I got it for 585€ instead of 1k. Wouldn‘t have payed the original price. Any experience with that model concerning waterresistance ? It promises 20bar.
Nope haven't done any hardcore testing but Luminox are adament they test every single watch they produce so that should be reassuring. The atacama is a nice looking watch 🙂👍
@@nextonthewrist Thanks for the reply. Yes, tbh it was the only one that I liked of the Luminox catalog.
nice review, well done
Thanks much appreciated 😎🍻
❤not bad❤. Yes it definitely reminds me a bit of the Tag Heuer formula one
Have to agree here with the pricing issues. Back when I started in this, the tritium was a cool novelty, but knowing it will have no lume at some point is another knock, I think. I feel their autos are way overpriced, just for what else one's money can buy. I bought a few, quartz, years back, on GM sales. Still run fine, but do feel cheap comparatively. Great review!
Thanks appreciate the comments and definitely there is an element of counting down to zero light with tritium 😆 that said lume paint also deteriorates, but I think more like 30-40 years? 🤔🤔
Lol, that sent me down a research rabbit hole and, according to Fratello "Luminova and (Swiss) Super-LumiNova are not prone to discoloration or ageing over time. They don’t fade, nor will interact with moisture. White will be white forever." Others posit that, because it is a chemical reaction, the process is finite, but can't find anyone putting a number on it, other than saying that the lume will last the life of the watch. My oldest lumed pieces are decades old, and no complaints about the lume losing potency. Would make for an interesting (watch nerd) study though! 👍
yeah definitely very interesting, I'm only judging it on the vintage watches that often need a re-lume where the old lume flakes off and gets all crusty. Interesting if that problem has been overcome in it's entirety 🙂👍
I have a Luminox watch, not sure which model exactly, which I bought in 2014. It has never had a problem, keeps excellent time and glows like A Ukraine nuclear plant. I keep it on my bedside as it is so clear to see in the dark. The lume is Tritium. All in all for about 170 euros it was a steal and would definitely have another.
What's so bad? That their main selling point are the tritium tubes. There's nothing special about these watches otherwise. There are loads of better alternatives out there if the tubes aren't a "must" for one.
Hopefully the video answers your first question in a fair and honest way with consideration for the pros and cons. I like to think it's a balanced explanation of my own personal views, some stats and facts and a value discussion at different price points....
If tritium tubes are essential and I really wanted to pay the Luminox website price ... then I'd just get a Marathon at similar RRP or a Ball on the grey market 😅
Nice video. I’ve wondered about this brand, thanks for covering it.
its the same as glycine and tissot. the lower end of swiss manufacturing
Hmmm I get where you're going - but I would say personally having had multiple Glycine watches and Tissot watches - Luminox definitely lag behind in fit and finish.
@nextonthewrist I don't believe the SEALS use then. there is so much better out there
Haha who knows, not sure how focused government agencies are on value for money 😆
Had one since 98, its survived everything, all over the world, doesn't glow so bright these days but its more than out lasted the alleged twenty years tritium tubes, honestly I probably wouldn't buy another one despite the impressive survival of mine, i paid just under £200 twenty six years ago, theres probably much better options out there now, good review though. Thanks.
I like to crap in the woods but its better in the streets 🥴
That's good going for £200 👍
I've had illuminox for 20 years. The luminescence is all gone, and I'm not going to buy another. It was a good watch, and still is, but the main feature of it is no longer applicable. I will never buy another luminox or tritium watch again.
The problem with Luminox is longevity. The reason you want one is because of the GTLS tubes which are supposed to last 20 years, Not true, at 10 years the tubes have already lost more than 50% of their glow. Is that bad, not necessarily but it's no longer what it's portrayed to be. Up until 10 years Luminox can replace the tubes, at your expense of course but is that cost of $250 worth it to you?. If you wait longer than 10 years Luminox tells you that the tubes for your watch are no longer available! 25 years of glowing is a lie so buyer beware!
I agree longevity is a definite discussion point. I did state in the video a half life of 12 years which seems to generally be accepted for T25 tritium, but that's from tube manufacture. Granted that can be a lot lower as you don't know how long it has sat in a warehouse, on a shelf or at a distribution centre or even on a bench before assembly. Certainly buying grey market I don't expect 20-25 years as it's likely old stock and definitely not paying for a re-application of tritium. When it's dead, for me, it's dead 😆...I guess its important to enjoy the watch daytime as well to come to terms with the lifespan. Appreciate the comments and thanks for watching 😎🍻
@@nextonthewrist Yep, suppliers may have changed since but in the 90's Luminox were sold by Richard Barry Group. The GTLS tubes were supplied by mb microtec in Switzerland / which had their own watch line "Traser" watches. Active Military were able to get the original mb microtec version about a year before they were released to the general public. At that time mb microtec was the only facility licensed to produce the GTLS tubes.
Ha ha 1000$? Casio Duro still boss of quarts!
because they are unreliable sometimes
In what way?
@@nextonthewrist their movements