I don't get it... What's the big deal on lume?

[T-MAN]

Ok.. so I know that we are here to try to get reps as close as possible to their gen counterparts... but so much focus is placed on luming a watch (sometimes to make it even better than the gen), I just don't understand the attraction. What am I missing?

Do we really use the lume in real life? Do people sleep with their prized watches at night? Or do we suddenly just have the urge to walk into a dark room to see how my pretty watch glows. I am sure friends interested in your watch will never call you out on its lume... They will never say 'OK give me your watch and lets go to the dark room to check'. Yet everyone says that AR and lume mods are essential mods. I understand the AR.. I really do... But it's that %$$# lume!

So what is it? I'm sure I'm missing something...

Someone please 'illuminate' me (pardon the pun)

[ubiquitous]

Gee... I dunno.

[By-Tor]

Different priorities. I never cared much about the lume, either.

For me, sloppily applied lume dots are much bigger annoyance than lousy luminous abilities.

[T-MAN]

There's no doubt they're pretty in pitch black dark... of that I'm sure. But really how often in real life does that situation arise enough to make it an 'essential mod'. I am asking genuinely because I read it everywhere here. I am not trying to stir up trouble!

[ubiquitous]

Is it an essential mod? I dunno... I think maybe for some applications, like a Panerai... Perhaps. Even in moderately lit rooms, the luminous can be quite visible on gens, especially if you've just come inside from a sunny afternoon.

For other models, like IWC and the sort, it's probably a lesser priority as the luminous material they use isn't very strong.

If you like vintage watches, it's a non-issue since most tritium dials and hands have already gone dim due to most applications approaching or passing the tritium's half life.

And... Some people just like to have it for sake of having it done. Since super luminova doesn't deteriorate over time, it's a long lasting mod. Or, in the case of the gen Omega dial in my first post, it's a nifty bonus when you add such a dial into a rep case

[Irontomkidd]

Do you have a watch with amazing lume? If not you need to see it for yourself, something about walking outside at night and having this torch light up on your wrist… its beautiful.

[nomad89]

It also helps if you take a 10 second exposure.

[Nanuq]

I'm with Ubi on this one. None of my watches (other than my one remaining rep) are newer than 1971 so they're each completely dead in the lume department. As they should be.

[maxman]

Different strokes T-Man,some really care about lume,others not so much. I probably fall somewhere In between. Lets say you have a Pam or Omega rep,the gens are known for there excellent lume. Rep lume is for the most part [censored],although some of the newer reps are using superluminova. If your out at night and your high end swiss timepiece Is not glowing,well thats a problem for some. It Is nice to charge your watch before you go out,brite lume just brings your watch to life.It's a personal thing. It does bring that gen look to your rep,unless of course the gen Is not known for it's lume,say a dress watch for example. I like diver watches and divers should have good lume

[kingkaiser]

For me, lume has less to do with comparison to gen (although for a Pam, I'd need it), and more to do with how much I love the way lume looks. It's one of those small pleasures of this hobby for me, like a smooth sweep, or perfect AR. I would imagine that there are more people out there like me who would love bright lume on their reps regardless of how the gens look.

[panerai153]

In my vintage watches, both rep and genuine, it is a total non-issue. they are all dead, or at least dying. in fact to me lume on a repped vintage., like a 1680 or 1665 is a sure "tell" that something isn't right, however on a modern watch like my WM9/BK 16610. lack of good lume would also be a "tell". So It depends on the watch and what your watche's genuine counterpart looks like in the dark.

[TeeJay]

Do we really use the lume in real life? Do people sleep with their prized watches at night?

'Yes' to both those questions When I help my father in law host paranormal investigations, there're times when a room will be in near total darkness, and using a phone/torch to check the time, would be a disturbance for the folks attending, so I need to be able to read the time in the dark. Same goes for the fact I wear a watch 24/7, and like to be able to tell the time should I wake during the night

[FxrAndy]

Yep to both, i wear a watch 24/7 and i need to know the time in the dark, some times for work as well, lume for me is aboyt the fuctionality of the watch, for me if i cant read it in the dark then it is only 50% functional.

[hiker01]

I'm not much for Lumes meself, but there are occasions and situations that it is nice to have in your watch, like.......

- I was out camping last Summer and happen to wear my Blue Ceramic sub. Having that Blue Lume in the middle of the night out in nature, inside your tent in total darkness was kinda nice, I was able to tell what time it was when I woke up to answer the call of nature.

- Friday/Sat. movie night in our Home Theater with the kids out, it's nice to check the time (if it's close to their curfew or not) without turning on the light.

[T-MAN]

'Yes' to both those questions When I help my father in law host paranormal investigations, there're times when a room will be in near total darkness, and using a phone/torch to check the time, would be a disturbance for the folks attending, so I need to be able to read the time in the dark. Same goes for the fact I wear a watch 24/7, and like to be able to tell the time should I wake during the night

OK... This response is nothing personal and please do not take offense to it because it is not meant to be...

But, seriously? I asked for 'real life' applications and of all the people in the world who could have responded, I get a 'real world' application of paranormal investigations... I mean even you Teejay must smile about this... I have every respect for what you and your father do, so it's not about that... It's just that this is the explanation I get for real life applications of lume...

OK... this is getting interesting

lol

[AllergyDoc]

I'm a lume addict. But I always wear a watch to bed. (Can't see the clock without my glasses.) A rep should lume like the gen, or close.

[TeeJay]

OK... This response is nothing personal and please do not take offense to it because it is not meant to be...

But, seriously? I asked for 'real life' applications and of all the people in the world who could have responded, I get a 'real world' application of paranormal investigations... I mean even you Teejay must smile about this... I have every respect for what you and your father do, so it's not about that... It's just that this is the explanation I get for real life applications of lume...

OK... this is getting interesting

lol

No offense taken, and I know what you mean, it's hardly the most conventional use, but, as in my other response, when you're in a nearly dark, or even pitch black room, there's not much more of a better time when lume is needed (well, outside of diving/military applications etc ) Everyone's 'real life' is different to everyone else's, but for me, that's when the lume really comes into play

[PeteM]

I agree with a lot of what has been said in respect of reps especially on PAMs, reluming is a must for me personally as the effect of gen PAM lume can be seen in daylight as well as night time in fact I would say more so. Indeed on a lot of watches rep lume is the wrong colour even when not charged.

But as for practicality of lume in general it really derives from and has improved for diving purposes as well as night use. So the practicalities of lume are based on specific user needs. But in the same way you might say I dont need or care about lume you can use the same logic to say why you dont like divers watches or stealth watches or chrono watches etc etc.

All watch design derives from practical specific use or need, this in turn means other people buy these watches who have no intention of using the watch for the original use it was designed for. So ultimately and despite a lot of guys saying they use lume for this or that in terms of their own needs the design aspects of a watch are mainly because thats what the owner likes not necessarily needs.

You could argue if you are constantly in possession of a mobile then why bother wearing a watch, these sorts of arguments can be taken in many directions.

I personally love the lume not for just its look but the different ways and methods it is made and applied in the same way I enjoy a movement for various reasons or the way a bezel looks in relation to a dial etc etc I appreciate what goes into making it and I also enjoy the result in daylight or night time.

But in terms of reps lume is and can be a tell charged or not, so it is a necessary part of any need to make reps look more gen like. In terms of gens, lume is just a part of the overall likeability of a watch for me.

If your happy to enjoy other design aspects of a gen watch, then that just highlights the differing views on watch collecting and only enhances what makes forums like these so diverse and such great communities.

If your happy to keep rep lume in the majority of cases then again you have a differing view of what your trying to achieve with your reps but again thats what makes this all so much more interesting.

[T-MAN]

Thanks for your input everyone. I think I see the importance of luming PAM watches now. Other than that, it is just a cool feature to have if you are into that kind of thing or happen to work in the dark. Bottom line, unless it's a PAM, people won't really call you out on rep lume (even that would be a rarity but it could happen).

[Martyd3]

Lume is like size, it does matter

[Guest]

I think its a must also, in fact I relumed my GEN Yatchmaster with C1 and love it...