Information on Super Luminova, how it works, and what it is...

[RWG Technical]

Super Luminova – What it is … and what it isn’t…

I have relumed dozens and dozens of watches, all types, all models, and all sorts of finishes, satin, glossy, vintage, etc. I use genuine Super Luminova from RC Tritec in Switzerland, the same stuff the Genuine watch manufacture’s use.

I think it’s a good product, and given what most watches are delivered with, a huge improvement over what is already there.

When it comes to options on Re-Luming a watch, you have only one – use Super Lume. Other lume products are not available or illegal (Tritium, and Radium being two examples of impossible products to buy (in Canada at least)).

Super lume works by absorbing photons from a light source, storing them, and releasing them over time. The lume is actually transparent to some degree (otherwise only the surface would absorb light). There is however some misunderstanding about what Super Lume does, or how it works, and under what conditions it should be visible. I thought I would clear up some of these misunderstandings.

What Super Lume is - not

Super Lume does not create it’s own light, it needs to be charged, 30 seconds under a bright light (incandescent or halogen or sunlight is best) is enough for about 8 hours of visibility. For it to work, you have to charge it up, if your watch is sitting in a dark drawer, don’t expect it to glow…the lume absorbs light, and then re-emits it over a number of hours so you can read it…

So without a charge from a strong light, you wont’ see the Super Lume glow.

Super lume is designed to work in the dark if you can see the watch with ambient light, then the lume is not going to be visible. I have had comments that the Super lume was not glowing bright green in direct sunlight…it’s for reading the watch in the dark, not during the day…during the day you can see the watch and there is no reason for the lume…

If your expecting to have the lume glow bright green for longer than a few minutes, you will be disappointed. It glows really bright for a few minutes, and bright for 30 minutes or so, but after that it only glows if your in a really dark room…which is normal and to be expected.

What Super Lume is

Super lume performs based on two factors:

1. Amount of lume applied…the more lume you have, the more it will glow, less lume = less glow…

2. Light charge is proportional to the amount of glow you will have, bright light for 30 seconds will produce a good charge, dim or some fluorescent light will not charge the lume…

So a 196 PAM with small markers and thin index marks, will have less glow and visible life than a sandwich dial PAM with lots of lume applied.

Because Super Lume is designed to work in the dark, if you charge it before bed, and sleep in a dark room, 8 hours after a charge, it will still be visible. If there is light in the room, you will not be able to see the glow, it only works properly in the dark.

The Super Lume from RC Tritec is expensive and does a good job, as good or better than some genuine ones with SL (at least from the feedback and comments I have received).

If your expecting a green nuclear glow from your SL watch at all times, even in sunlight, your going to be very disappointed. If you want to be able to stand near a window, and then walk to a darker part of the room and see a nice glow, or if you charge your watch and go to bed in a dark room and expect to be able to read the time till you wake up, then you will be happy with the work and the product.

I only apply the lume, I don’t make it or control how it works.

The picture comparisons I have done were all with charges under a special fluorescent light I use for watch repair, you can easily see the differences between the original and the Super Lume…

Hopefully this will clarify what you should and shouldn’t expect if you get your watch relumed at some point. If you are expecting something the SL can’t deliver, then don’t waste your money on getting it done…but if you know what and how SL works, then you will be pleased.

Personally I have relumed all my watches, and I like the product and think it performs very well and does what it is supposed to do.

Thanks for reading.

RG

[luminor]

thanks for supplying yet another well written, informative ... well ... piece of information!

i visited the local planetarium yesterday. it was cloudy outside and my re-lumed fiddy (c/o palpatine) was under my sleeve. but once the lights where dimmed to almost complete darkness, everyone in the facility knew/saw where i was sitting due to the glow of my sandwich dial. and i did not purposely charge the thing before going there.

so, i can definately confirm what The Zigmeister has written above.

[rbj69]

very nice explanation of lume , The Zigmeister

[8o8]

Thanks The Zigmeister, as always your posts are very interesting read.

I really love to get my watch re-lumed but dont want to part with it for too long... so i'm just sitting here with lume envy

Have you had a chance to see davidsenjpn's dials and pins? He uses Tritec Newlite on them. I was wondering if you have seen it, if you can teel me what you thought the difference were (visually).

cheers

[V]

SUperb explanation The Zigmeister..