Due to its weak luminosity, the initially used Super-LumiNova C1 has been replaced by Super-LumiNova C3, which is characterised by a slightly yellowish glow during the day and an intense green glow at night. Watches with Super-LumiNova C3 are now the standard, as this is currently the brightest version of this luminescent substance. The use of Super-LumiNova The possible uses of this luminescent colour are extremely versatile and some manufacturers make full use of it. For some years now, the watch manufacturer Roger Dubuis has been demonstrating with great ingenuity the unusual ways in which Super-LumiNova can be used in watches.
In the Roger Dubuis Excalibur Twofold , for example, not only the visible parts of the skeletonised dial and the indices glow, but also the contours of the rubber strap. In this model, the luminescent material is applied under the top layer of the rubber using a special technique so that the revolutionary luminescent material, which Roger Dubuis calls LumiSuperBiwiNova , does not wear off even when the watch is worn frequently. Along with some elements of the dial , the diamonds glow in different colour shades and give the timepiece a futuristic look.
Apart from such extraordinary models with elaborate luminous decorations, Super-LumiNova is mainly used for functional purposes. Watches with luminous hands and indices are particularly common. However, you can also find luminescent logos placed on the crown or bracelet, or fully illuminated dials , for example.
The colour spectrum of Super-LumiNova has a lot to offer — but green is particularly popular, as the human eye can absorb this colour very well.
Orange is also frequently used for similar reasons, while blue Super-LumiNova is often used for diving watches. ROLEX DEEPSEA Advantages and disadvantages of the different luminous materials Luminous material Potentially hazardous Advantages Disadvantages Radium Yes radium watches have vintage character and historical value no external light source required for charging and light emission permanently luminescent harmful to health carcinogenic wearing radium watches is not recommended collecting, storing and repairing radium watches requires authorisation no disposal through conventional disposal channels Tritium Yes only slightly radioactive radiation usually cannot permeate the metal case and glass of watches material is easy to work with no external light source needed for charging and light emission permanently luminescent "Cream Dials" lack luminosity after half-life period, but are still very popular among collectors harmless to the wearer, but still radioactive due to a half-life period of The rapidly diminishing brightness of Luminova coatings is a major criticism for many watch enthusiasts, in addition to the material's susceptibility to moisture.
In addition, there are still no measured values as to whether the pigments of the coating change over time. In contrast, tritium has a long half-life, which ensures a consistently high level of continuous light over this time. This is one of the reasons why tritium luminous materials are versatile and still preferred by the military, security services or for outdoor activities.
As with the vintage Rolex dials , where radium often bled out and left prominent dots on the dial, watches from the "tritium era" also had a special look. The application of patina and the colour change of the indices were established here as an ideal of beauty. This look is still appreciated by collectors nowadays.
With the decision of the major watch manufacturers to no longer manufacture watches with tritium , models from this period also acquire a rarity value. The Sinn Ref. This model is limited to pieces and powered by the ETA calibre With its date display, it has the essential functionality that characterises Sinn watches. The highlight of this model, however, is the cream-white dial, which is completely covered with Super-LumiNova, making it easy to read even in the dark.
Due to the moderate case size, this Super-LumiNova watch is suitable for both men and women. The Rolex Daytona is a classic in the watch world and quite a bit sportier. Rolesor models like the Daytona Ref. The luminescent material Super-LumiNova is also used in this luxury watch.
Unlike the previous model from the brand Sinn, this Daytona only has luminous hands and indices. This glowing watch is also eminently suitable for any gender and, despite its existence as a cosmograph , presents itself quite modestly and unobtrusively. The Breitling Superocean 44 Special Ref.
With a 44 mm case made of black-coated stainless steel and a resistant rubber strap, this luminous men's watch with Super-LumiNova is water-resistant to 1, metres and, thanks to its strong luminosity, will not let you down even in the darkest of seas.
It comes with brightly glowing hands and indices and also features a useful date display at 3 o'clock. Learn how your comment data is processed. Table of Contents.
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The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". It does not store any personal data. Functional Functional. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Tritium, however, with its low beta emission and a Tritium was also used by Panerai in their new patented luminescent substance called Luminor, after which their famed Luminor collection is named.
The tritium-based Luminor was patented by them in , and its development inspired the now iconic Luminor case design and collection. However, they discontinued the use of tritium itself eventually. In the late 90s, tritium was in fact banned. And tritium-based substances ceased to be used by Omega in , and Rolex in As with the Radiomir, the Luminor too originally had radioactive lume, as was the case with this early Luminor watch from This modern-day Luminor retains the now-iconic crown protector and cushion-shaped case.
It features Panerai's most recognisable silhouette, and thankfully isn't radioactive anymore. Today, tritium is used again by a few manufacturers, however, not as a paint or paste. A radioactive form of hydrogen, tritium gas is filled into borosilicate glass capsules, internally coated with a layer of phosphor.
As the gas undergoes beta decay, the electrons released cause the phosphor to glow. The gas is still radioactive, but is apparently less of a hazard than tritium-based paints, because of being in tubes. Luminox and Ball are among the watch manufacturers known to use tritium gas tubes quite prominently on their dials. The advantage is that unlike Super-LumiNova, which will most certainly stop glowing after a few hours of exposure to light, tritium tubes will continue to luminesce, even if the glow becomes dull over the years, and lead to them needing replacement.
Ball watches use tritium for their luminescence, but only in the form of tritium gas tubes, which minimises the risk of exposure.
The tubes are seen here as hour markers and on the hands. Even Luminox are among the manufacturers that are known to use tritium gas tubes for luminescent parts today. Here too, it's the hour markers and hands that feature the tubes. Finally after decades of taking chances with substances that were literally radioactive, there seemed to be some hope that a watch could glow and actually be safe even—imagine that! Strontium aluminate used in LumiNova—along with europium, a safe chemical that aids its phosphorescence—proved to be far more effective than its regressive predecessor, being able to glow several times brighter and longer than zinc sulphide, without causing any harm.
The only disadvantage was that the perpetual glow was gone along with the radioactive lumes of the past, but who needs the baggage that came with them anyway! Over time, there have been customisations to this super pigment by various brands, as they are known to do, creating proprietary versions of existing materials to enhance performance and durability. While Rolex began to use Super-LumiNova in , they introduced their proprietary version of the pigment, called Chromalight in , with the launch of the Oyster Perpetual Sea-Dweller Deepsea.
Eventually the maison began to use Chromalight in their other professional watches as well. It's seen here on the dial of a Seiko Prospex. LumiBrite forms a part of the dial on this Prospex chronograph as well.
It is rather prominently featured on the large hour markers and hands. A blue glow is, however, not restricted to Chromalight. In fact, Super-LumiNova itself is available in different hues, including blue, but is probably not as bright as Chromalight. Green is generally the preferred choice by many watchmakers, owing to the human eye being most sensitive to green emission when shifting from brightness—or photopic vision—into darkness. However, with a half-life of just 12 years, after about 24 years only a quarter of the radioactive material is left; thus, tritium gas tubes glow dull enough to require replacement.
Pictured above: The Timex Weekender. Electroluminescence is the production of light as a result of an electrical current passing through a phosphor. In a watch, a glass or plastic panel is coated with an electric conductor and a phosphor, then is mounted behind the dial. At the press of a button, an electric current is delivered, causing the phosphor to react, acting as a backlight.
The company patented the technology in , making Timex one of the few producers of analog watches with this type of lume, though other affordable quartz timepieces from Bertucci and Casio have used it as well.
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