Luminox watches

Buffalohump

Buffalohump

Joined
Sep 7, 2006
Messages
6,159
Hey all,

Are Luminox watches still worth a damn? Looking to get one as a 'workout'/beater watch.

There are so many options out there its exhausting. Basically want something waterproof, legible, that will take a nylon strap and -- most importantly -- not too expensive!

Saw the Luminox Sea Bass 'Carbonox' range and thought it looked OK. Its 44mm, quartz, 100m waterproof and they go for around $180.

TIA
 
At that price range there are a few options. Have you considered a Citizen eco-drive with a polyurethane strap? I’d recommend “the weekender” series for working out/beating on it. Their dive watches are also excellent. Eco-drives never need battery replacement. I have one I bought in 2012 still running like a champ.
 
Paratrooper06 said:
At that price range there are a few options. Have you considered a Citizen eco-drive with a polyurethane strap? I’d recommend “the weekender” series for working out/beating on it. Their dive watches are also excellent. Eco-drives never need battery replacement. I have one I bought in 2012 still running like a champ.
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Good call, I forgot about the Citizen Eco-Drive. Will see what they have available, although its likely to cost more where I am.
 
I have the 3180 and the Carbon V. Been wearing the 3180 for about 5 years now. Other than some small chips on the edge of the crystal, I would recommend it with one disclaimer/exception. I did receive a letter in the mail that there was a decision on a class action lawsuit for certain models, you may want to research this before buying. After re-reading the lawsuit, I now do recall certain times where I noticed the fogging.

canadianjeweller.com

Luminox Watch extended warranty or replacement benefit from the class action settlement - Canadian Jeweller Magazine

Lumondi vigorously denies these allegations and asserts that: (i) the Watches are not defective in any respect; (ii) the Watches were tested and qualified to
canadianjeweller.com canadianjeweller.com
 
Buffalohump said:
Hey all,

Are Luminox watches still worth a damn? Looking to get one as a 'workout'/beater watch.

There are so many options out there its exhausting. Basically want something waterproof, legible, that will take a nylon strap and -- most importantly -- not too expensive!

Saw the Luminox Sea Bass 'Carbonox' range and thought it looked OK. Its 44mm, quartz, 100m waterproof and they go for around $180.
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I have a Luminox Surefire 2211 wristlight wristwatch (comes with very bright rechargeable tactical light). But it's not waterproof and it's very bulky. Have you considered a Deep Blue tritium dial divers watch (starting at $199)? https://www.deepbluewatches.com/watches.html
 
Go with a Helm Vanuatu. $400-$500 automatic, USA made diver, great lume, great design, I really like mine!!!!!!!!
 
Buffalohump said:
Hey all,

Are Luminox watches still worth a damn? Looking to get one as a 'workout'/beater watch.

There are so many options out there its exhausting. Basically want something waterproof, legible, that will take a nylon strap and -- most importantly -- not too expensive!

Saw the Luminox Sea Bass 'Carbonox' range and thought it looked OK. Its 44mm, quartz, 100m waterproof and they go for around $180.

TIA
Click to expand...
I had a Luminox Atacama Field 1949 many years ago. It was a decent watch, but it was at an awkward price point. IIRC, I paid 600 for it. Based on my experience, I could gain an equal watch for a couple hundred less and a far better watch for several hundred more. Granted, the Atacama was not as rugged as the seal watches from them. Seiko has 10% off now online and is huge bank for the buck on the below 400-500 area (after discount). Look as well at Citizen and Marathon. Best of luck!
 
Luminox are good watches but new they can be expensive for what you get. I bought a very well used one some years back and I wear it for a true beater watch. It was already pretty beat up when I got it so I couldn't hurt it anymore. I found that I really liked the tritium tubes. Lume gets a lot of attention in dive watches and in good dive watches it can be very bright right after being charged but it doesn't last very long. The tritium is never very bright but is the same brightness all night- if I wake up at 4:00 in the morning and want to see what time it is I know that I can read the watch. I now have 2 of the beater Luminox watches and I wear one every night, even though I probably wore a different watch during the day.

As other people have said, if you aren't looking for tritium tubes you can find good beater watches for a lot less. In particular Casio makes some good beaters for just over $50, I understand that Bill Gates wears one. And actually before I got the Luminox I had a used Casio that I wore as a true beater for things like working on my car.
 
You can find used or old ones that never sold for under $300 depending on the series. Ones that were made between 2010-15 should be $200-$300. I got a 3050 for $250 but it was made in 2012.... You have to be careful because it seems a lot of the knock offs are around this price range so find a reputable place online.
 
JLTX said:
I had a Luminox Atacama Field 1949 many years ago. It was a decent watch, but it was at an awkward price point. IIRC, I paid 600 for it. Based on my experience, I could gain an equal watch for a couple hundred less and a far better watch for several hundred more. Granted, the Atacama was not as rugged as the seal watches from them. Seiko has 10% off now online and is huge bank for the buck on the below 400-500 area (after discount). Look as well at Citizen and Marathon. Best of luck!
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I'm looking at a much lower price point than that. This is a very specific buy. I like Seikos a lot but too pricey for this purpose. I think the Luminox will do the job given it ticks all the boxes and the price is right.
 
bdmicarta said:
Luminox are good watches but new they can be expensive for what you get. I bought a very well used one some years back and I wear it for a true beater watch. It was already pretty beat up when I got it so I couldn't hurt it anymore. I found that I really liked the tritium tubes. Lume gets a lot of attention in dive watches and in good dive watches it can be very bright right after being charged but it doesn't last very long. The tritium is never very bright but is the same brightness all night- if I wake up at 4:00 in the morning and want to see what time it is I know that I can read the watch. I now have 2 of the beater Luminox watches and I wear one every night, even though I probably wore a different watch during the day.

As other people have said, if you aren't looking for tritium tubes you can find good beater watches for a lot less. In particular Casio makes some good beaters for just over $50, I understand that Bill Gates wears one. And actually before I got the Luminox I had a used Casio that I wore as a true beater for things like working on my car.
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I am actually looking to replace a Casio. My issue is their straps always break and because of the design you have to replace it with another Casio strap, which are ridiculously expensive for a plastic strap. And I know its just gonna break again. So I wanted something that will take aftermarket straps, which I already have in abundance.
 
Buffalohump said:
I am actually looking to replace a Casio. My issue is their straps always break and because of the design you have to replace it with another Casio strap, which are ridiculously expensive for a plastic strap. And I know its just gonna break again. So I wanted something that will take aftermarket straps, which I already have in abundance.
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The ones I'm talking about are real watches and use any strap that any other normal watch would use. Look up online the Casio Marlin or Casio Duro. They will come on a plastic strap but you can use them on a NATO or even an aftermarket bracelet. I have 3 Luminox watches- 2 are on aftermarket NATO straps, 1 is on an aftermarket rubber dive strap but I've also worn it quite a bit on an aftermarket steel oyster bracelet.
 
I have one Luminox. I found the tritium to be disappointing compared to super luminova.

If I was looking for a quartz watch in that range I would look at Gshock or that Nixon one.
 
Danke42 said:
I have one Luminox. I found the tritium to be disappointing compared to super luminova.

If I was looking for a quartz watch in that range I would look at Gshock or that Nixon one.
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All tritium will be this way except for the big flat tubes that Deep Blue uses. But Luminova loses most of its brightness in a matter of minutes- at night charge on up with an LED flashlight then put it in a drawer for 30 minutes. Come back and check it and see what it looks like, then check it another 30 minutes later. When I want to use my Luminox it might be 6 hours after I've done to bed, no traditional lume will last that long. Lume is good for its first intent and this is for diving, it's a cinch that most divers won't be underwater for hours at a time, they need the lume to be bright but not last all that long. My oldest Luminox diver is well over 10 years old and its brightness has probably dropped quite a bit due to decay of the radioactive tritium, but at 5:00 in the morning it is still easy for me to read.
Gshock is one of the best as a pure beater but the OP objected to plastic straps. Some Gshock models can be adapted to use standard NATO strap, I'm not sure if all of them can be. For quartz beater watches there are a lot of reasonable brands out there. Try shopping on Amazon and your eyes will glaze over at the choices. People have mixed feelings about Invicta but Amazon has quartz versions of Invicta in the submariner style that actually look pretty good. The thing about quartz watches is that brand doesn't seem to provide an indication of quality- I've changed batteries in a lot of watches that my wife buys online and the expensive ones seem to have the same cheap quartz movements that are in the really cheap ones.
 
bdmicarta said:
All tritium will be this way except for the big flat tubes that Deep Blue uses. But Luminova loses most of its brightness in a matter of minutes- at night charge on up with an LED flashlight then put it in a drawer for 30 minutes. Come back and check it and see what it looks like, then check it another 30 minutes later. When I want to use my Luminox it might be 6 hours after I've done to bed, no traditional lume will last that long. Lume is good for its first intent and this is for diving, it's a cinch that most divers won't be underwater for hours at a time, they need the lume to be bright but not last all that long. My oldest Luminox diver is well over 10 years old and its brightness has probably dropped quite a bit due to decay of the radioactive tritium, but at 5:00 in the morning it is still easy for me to read.
Gshock is one of the best as a pure beater but the OP objected to plastic straps. Some Gshock models can be adapted to use standard NATO strap, I'm not sure if all of them can be. For quartz beater watches there are a lot of reasonable brands out there. Try shopping on Amazon and your eyes will glaze over at the choices. People have mixed feelings about Invicta but Amazon has quartz versions of Invicta in the submariner style that actually look pretty good. The thing about quartz watches is that brand doesn't seem to provide an indication of quality- I've changed batteries in a lot of watches that my wife buys online and the expensive ones seem to have the same cheap quartz movements that are in the really cheap ones.
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I can still read a superlum watch at 4am. Bulova and Maratac.

I will see if I can get a photo tonight.
 
Danke42 said:
I can still read a superlum watch at 4am. Bulova and Maratac.

I will see if I can get a photo tonight.
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I did a quickie test this afternoon. I have a Seiko Sea Urchin and an Orient Kano, those are the best I own with respect to lume. I set them both out in the bright sun for an hour then brought them inside, they were both really bright. I put them both in a dark closet and came back an hour later. The Seiko and the Luminox were about equal in brightness, the Kano was brighter. After 2 hours the Seiko was barely visible, the Orient was about equal to the Luminox. The Orient will keep going down from there. There are some Seikos with more lume such as the contemporary versions of the older SKX, and the MarineMaster that should last longer.
I also discovered that what I thought was my older Luminox (at least 12 years old I think) is brighter than what I thought was the newer one.

Update- I just checked after 3.5 hours. The Seiko is almost completely gone, just barely a hint that there was some lume. The hands of the Orient are still visible, not quite as bright as the faint Luminox. The hour markers for the Orient are gone.
 
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If you want tritium you want tritium, and no glow-in-the-dark lume is gonna cut it. I'm right there with you... the only real options are Luminox and Reactor at the low end, Deep Blue in the middle and Ball at the high end. I currently wear a Deep Blue 24/7 and absolutely love it.

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Regular lens
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Night lens
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Seiko LCD, Maratac, Maratac, Bulova, Panzera, 80s Tag Heure, Luminox (and my keys to help frame the shot).
 
People have told me that they used to be awesome, but I have been disappointed with all the Luminox's I have owned/handled. I kind of suspect they road the Navy SEAL marketing and didn't bother keeping it up. Other than the lack of tritium, I'll be another that suggests Citizen Eco Drive: lots of options around your price point. Antidotally: 13 years and mine still keeps fantastic time (if I don't leave it in a drawer). I have heard good things about Hamilton as well.
 
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