Tritium vs. Luminova

I just bought an Aquatimer 2000. I absolutely love the watch, except for one major shortcoming - it seems to be lumed with Luminova only, not tritium. In my book, continuous self-lumination is essential in a dive watch (and desirable in any other kind of watch).

I had been informed by an authorized dealer (not the one I bought the watch from) that the lume was a mix of tritium and Superluminova, and bought the watch in that expectation. Despite my major disappointment I will be keeping the watch as I love it on every other score.

Why did IWC stop using tritium paint? I understand US import restrictions have made its use difficult, but other manufacturers still use it, and there doesn't seem to be a problem with tritium vials (which would be a superior solution anyway).

I don't know the exact date, but...

It was roughly 3 years ago that the phase-in began to gradually occur. Also, with respect I believe that your dealer was incorrect about the mixture of tritium and luminova on this model. There is technically no need nor desire for such a mixture, and I'm not even sure if it's chemically possible to blend.

While you are entitled to your opinion, I personally find tritium an inappropriate material because it eventually stops luminating entirely, and each year its brightness declines. This produces a watch of limited uitlity in a decade or so, and also causes the need for constant redials.

In addition, tritum is a hazardous subatnce in quantity and really is being phased out throughout the industry. I think a few companies are continuing to use it probably out of cost consciousness and a desire to exhaust supplies. To my offhand recollection, both Richemont and the Swatch Group --which probably have a large majority of the fine watchmarket--- have changed for all their product lines. I seriously doubt you will find a newly-made tritium watch, except new old stock and then with some decreased luminescence, in a few years.

That said, my personal (and not commonly shared) view is that I wouldn't want to really use a multi-thousand dollar watch for diving --too many chances of scratching, and a plastic quartz watch works just fine in that context (and with more functions). ;)

Regards,
Michael

Hi Lenny! In Tritium vs. Luminova >

All the points raised by MF, are right on the money. You aren't correct that SuperLuminova doesn't provide a continous light. The length and brightness of the light produced are functions of the grade of SuperLuminova used, and the length/brightness of the light source used to charge the SuperLuminova. I find that 20 minutes under a 75 W flood lamp held 10-15 cm from the watch gives 1 hour + of good light. A charge period, with the same lamp for 1 hour will give light all night. Does the intensity fade some against time-sure! But the high grade SuperLuminova used by IWC, with a good light charge works well.

Here's a link to the manufacturers site of SuperLuminova.

Cheers from Isobars.

www.nemoto.co.jp/product_e.html

Lenny, I find my GST...

Chrono auto glows really well at night. I also love the white colouring of the super luminova. I agree with MF regarding the use of tritium in watches, and I applaud IWC for taking the stand and looking for innovative ways to illuminate their watches. As far as I know Super Luminova does not decay as much as tritium and is a heck of a lot safer.

Tritium valve watches usually only guarantee their lighting system for 10 years, so you still have the decay that occurs, and in my opinion the vials would be a lot more dangerous.

You cannot go wrong with the quality of IWC's sports line.

Just my 2 cents.

Cheers Peter

Interesting link. Thanks Isobars ! (nt)

Tritium vs. Luminova

I have found that other luminous substances are very effectivly charged by exposing them to an electronic flash. I don't know if this works for Luminova, and I don't know if such a charging can cause decay in the material, but if there is no time for a longer charging it might be useful to know.

I have an IWC from 1952 which at one time glowed nicely in the dark. There is nothing left of the glow, but long ago I put the watch in front of a geiger counter and the counter went wild. The signal was much stronger than the signal from the test substances that were used to demonstrate radioactivity to the students.

The substance used in the 50's is probably radium and not tritium, but I would prefer a non-radioactive dial!

Regards,

Henrik

Tritium vs. Luminova

Thanks to all for the replies. With regard to Tritium losing its glow after a while, yes, that is an issue, but in my view not a major one - I own a 1990 tritium lumed watch which still glows brightly enough to read by (after well more than one half-life). In any event, a mechanical watch will require servicing several times in a tritium half-life, which would present the opportunity for a re-lume. For me, this is a small price to pay for continuous self-lumination.

With regard to safety, from what I understand, tritium vials emit no discernable radiation, as the radiation is just about all absorbed by the phosphors lining the vials and is converted into visible light. Tritium paint is a different matter, but the vials are superior in any event. Of course, radium is another matter entirely and that is justifiably banned.

I don't believe that its true that all Swiss watch makers have switched to luminova and the like - the company that makes the vials is Swiss, and watches made under current US and UK military supply contracts are made using those vials, in Switzerland (and a few are still made there using the paint too).

From what I understand, watches now have to get NRC approval for importation into the US if they use radioactive materials. Perhaps this is too much trouble for IWC (and some of its competitors), but it is not impossible, and for a luxury product, it should be worth the trouble. For a dive watch, just speaking from a philosophical / aesthetic point of view, self-lumination is essential in my book.

I don't know the exact date, but...

Lenny may not be referring to a mix of Tritium and Superluminova in each location, but to a mix across the different parts of the watch. My AT 2000 has Superluminova on the hour markers, but Tritium on the hands, the 12 hour 'double stripe' and on the bezel dot. This is obvious both from the colour in daylight, and from the glow in the early hours, when the Superluminova has faded.

Radium vs Tritium vs. Luminova

I had a Favre Leuba diver in the late '60s, which had a Ra