The Three Kings Of Lume! Do You Know What They Are? 

Yah this was an unplanned fun one.

Glad I could help. Sorry to hear about your MS. I've heard it can be tough.

@@RelativeTime yeah it’s a journey. 🤝

I agree with every word regarding the Orient Star. AND, it's a true diver.

Good to know. I came close to reviewing the Pearl Diver protoype a while ago. There were some delays, and schedule shifts, in the end just couldn't make it work. But maybe I should reach out to them again.

A new version is coming, but it's gonna be a little different.

I'll have to check one out sometime. I know multiple people have told me that Seiko's at that price are on a different level with lume. Although I recently got one of the new 42mm MM, and lume is actually a bit disapointing with it.

Came to say the same I thought my zelos was king of my box The LumiCast is something else its not even fair

Glad you enjoyed it

@@RelativeTime That Phoibos Great Wall looks so good on camera. It makes me want one, though I am not sure it's my style, and of course they are pretty scarce. How does it wear, compared to the Nebula? I bought the Nebula and it's one of my favorites.

@@bonnland It's a little chunkier, so it wears a little more top-heavy. But otherwise, it's pretty comfortable.

I sent them an email. I was actually supposed to check out the prototype some time last year. But scheduling issues ultimately prevented it.

@@RelativeTime Based on the email updates and 13 months it took to get mine, I think they had their hands full!

@@crvols yah sounds like.

Thanks!

That's a great idea.

Thanks... might take you up on that... I have to go back and see which prototype they sent me. I remember testing that one, and it was pretty impressive.

I have the brown Bunker and it is does have amazing lume which lasts all night. Another one to consider is Lume-Tec. I have their B44 Chronograph and it's lume is outstanding.

Haven't tried the Khuraburi, but the Komodo was almost as good as these. I also reviewed the Singum Fully lumed.. it's great. It's definitely a King of Lume. Not necessarily better than any of these, but just as good.

I dont respect people buying watches from Ali Express

Yah it is. The prototype was really impressive.

Mine is amazing

I have not, but I'll look into it.

They were kind enough to let me barrow a couple to check out last fall. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-p4ALzT1chYo.html Really cool design, and looks amazing when all lit up.

watch is rotated to the camera, its 2:02, not 5:17 😉

@@neilp6496 Ha! Thanks. I'm so stupid!

Yah the Watch is on it's side. 😉

This is the first one I've seen. I'm pretty impressed with it.

Signum is great. I checked it out last year a few months after I did this video. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-giuxoyGLNzM.html Then this year I finally found one that outright beat it. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-xFYf8VbAvjg.html

Thanks. No I haven't. I'll have to look into it.

Helm Vanuatu lume is most defiantly "BEAST MODE"

Any idea how it compares to the Komodo?

I own a white dial Komodo also, like the one you reviewed. I would say the Vanuatu is stronger, that being said I have never test them. Now you have got me interested to find out! I know what I will be doing at some point this weekend…… I will post my findings here.

@@RelativeTime I don't have a definitive answer but I've posted the question over on the Helm Owner's Facebook page just to see what type of response I get to that question.

@@RelativeTime I made a mistake with the model I own. It is the khuraburi not the Vanuatu! I test the khuraburi lume against the Komodo and the khuraburi came out on top in my test. I’m on the waiting list for the titanium Vanuatu that’s where my Freudian slip occurred.

Suposedly Wicked was going to send me something, but haven't heard from them in a while. I'll look into signum.

Well tritium is it's own sort of beast, and it really depends on the level of tritium in the tube. T25, T50, T100. From what I've seen most tritium watches will actually be dimmer than something like the great wall at first. Then after about 30-40min tritium will be brighter and just stay that way. Now tritium can be great, but it's important to note that it has a much shorter lifespan. One where every day it will be a little less brighter than the day before. So if you're actually using it it's great, but otherwise doesn't do much good if it's in a watch box most nights.

It's been a while since I looked at Vaer. I probably should again soon.

I'll have to recheck my footage, but I think I tried the Chronos against the great. If not I'll have to try it. As for wicked, I was actually set to check out the prototype a while ago. Unfortunatley there was a delay, then scheduling issues, and ultimately I just couldnt do it. Although since so many people have mentioned it, I might have to reach back out to them.

@@RelativeTime the Cronos is the lume champ in my 30-ish watch collection and the new Wicked goes toes to toes with it🤩

I've heard it's great. I've was talking to them about this right after I made this, but haven't heard back in a while. I guess I should check up on that.

Any particular model you would recomend?

@@RelativeTime Yes ! Shark Diver 500, any model, whether aluminum insert/applied markers, sapphire -ceramic insert/raised markers. Steel, forged carbon or titanium. 38mm to 45mm. Anyone, but the same applies to all their models. Given I've been collecting watches for over 45 years, a long journey that was blessed to own exceptional pieces, I've found that Helson makes great watches. I am in no way affiliated with Helson, and in all honesty, at first I bought one and within the next 6 months bought another 8. Especially the Shark Diver wears a bit large. I've got an 8" wrist and the 42mm has a lot of wrist presence, wears like a chunky 44mm. The Rolex sub, 5 digit series, the first ceramic and the 41mm wear small (on me) the Helson 40mm looks great, the 38mm in titanium while it has wrist appearance, it's so easy to wear, so comfortable that at times I need to check my wrist whether I've got a watch on me or not. The 45mm are quite chunky, titanium, is more or less fine for me but the steel is heavy. The bronze, and always on strap, is really a work of art. In short, you can't go wrong with Helson. Miyota is a workhorse but also the ETA they use, yes smoother, and yes another workhorse, easy and cheap to service. Something that I forgot to mention earlier, apologies for that, thank you for one more honest and we'll worded review. I truly enjoy the content, there is clarity an unbiased content, something that watch enthousiasts appreciate. Looking forward to the next, enjoy watches in good health.

I've seen a few videos on that. Basicly re-doing or adding lume. I might try it sometime, but I'm not sure I have the skills or hand eye coridnation to do it right.

Thanks and welcome!

Need is a strong word. More like want, and there are a couple reasons people obsess over it. Although there are a few exceptions, those that work at night, or really want to feel either watch when they wake up in the middle of the night. For some it's more the idea of the better the lume the more they are getting for their money. While for others they are just fascinated by it and think it's cool. I know for me, because I have a science background, I love lume as it's the perfect real world application for the theory of phosphorescence.

It's close but not quite as good. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-LBeJC-Pcsd4.html There is a lume comparison later in that video.

On the left is a Swiss Watch Company Bunker. Not sure what you mean about 5:20. It is an accelerated time lapse.

@@RelativeTime thanks. The lume goes dull over time is that normal? How long was the time lapse ? Not good if it needs to be charged with a light everyday

Zelos are usually pretty great. Which swordfish so you have?

@@RelativeTime I have three, midnight blue SS version 2, teal Titanium and blue swirl in titanium.

Not sure about the GMT but I checked out the regular ones later. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-giuxoyGLNzM.html They are on par with these. So kings of lume as well.

Are these them: nfwonline.com/collections/shumate "We use 50 layers of SuperLuminova for outstanding viewing in darkness." ..... yah... I have to see one of these.

@@RelativeTime Yup. My Brother has one and when we went scuba diving at night off the West Maui Pali cliffs. His watch charged by a dive light for ten seconds lit our way down the path to the water.

Just put out the review yesterday ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-giuxoyGLNzM.html

The original one has been discontinued for a while, so only option is used. However they did do a version 2 which has a slightly different style.

Haven't had the chance to test it, but id love to.

@@RelativeTime if an when you do I’d like to see it keep up the good work can’t imagine it be to much better than the standard seiko but you never know

I definitely have an interest in Ball, But I believe most of their watches are tritium based. Which is a whole other ball game

Well, there are a few reasons I don't do it that way, but what it really comes down to is I'm not sure how consistent a test like that can be, and therefore how accurate and applicable. I'm probably way overthinking this, but my background is as an Analytical Chemist. So I have years of doing quantitative and qualitative assays. So when I think about how just doing a straight-time analysis, there are a lot of questions I have on how reproducible it is. You would have to be very consistent on what light source you use, as well temperature could vary the results as well. It seems silly, but lume is a real-world example of phosphorescence, and the science behind it is within the realm of quantum physics. As well as the fact that not everyone's eyes are the same. Just because I can still see it at say 1.5 hrs, doesn't mean you would be able to ... Or vice versa. Or if I'm just using the camera... does that really translate into can my eyes actually being able to see it at a certain point? Hard to say... as your eyes to get more sensitive the longer you are in the dark. Long story short, I just question the accuracy of doing that. Whereas with the tests I run, I always have the same Vostok on the left, and the same turtle on the right. They are the standards I use to judge how good other things are. It's more qualitative than quantitative, but it's simple and you can definitely say one is better than the other after one test. Probably more of an answer then you wanted, but thats why I do it this way.

@@RelativeTime Fair enough, I guess it comes dow to how much lume should remain after a period of time. As an example when I am stargazing in pitch black for few hours I would rather have tritium tubes as they will glow all night but, if I am at home and need to glance at the time say during the night, this where a decent lume should last few hours though the night. I personally enjoy watches that can hold excellent lume when on a night flight regardless of the ambient light. Cheers

The Orient Star Diver, or the Orient Kamasu?

@@RelativeTime Orient star

I've had one. Don't get me wrong, it's really good, but these are even better.

You can always email me. shane@relative-time.com

I've reviewed one. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-MDynp5TEq60.html It might have been an off model, but wasn't impressed with its lume.

I've never had the chance. Any model in paticualr?

I have a Draken Tugela and it has amazing lume

My background is a scientist, so I w.ell aware of Tritum. It's just that it's a completely different beast, and doesn't have really mesh when you are talking about or comparing regular (phosphorescent) lume. My personal opinion is that Tritium is great and amazing for specific people and applications. Yet because of the cost, and shortened life span (relatively speaking). Most people would be better served with traditional lume. For the majority of collectors out there a tritum based watch isn't going to do much good sitting in a watch box all night long 25 days out of the month. Where as if you in the military or a police officer, or your job has you working overnight, that's a different story. Now I haven't compared these directly to Tritium based setup, but if you were to compare it to a good (and relatively new) T100 watch. I'm betting the kings of lume would be far brighter for about the first 20-30 min. After that, the tritium should stay consistent (again relatively speaking) all night long.

@@RelativeTime Fair enough! I spend a lot of time cruising and if I wake up in a completely dark cabin, I like to know what the time is, without having to risk the wrath of my beloved, by switching on a light. So for me, it's a matter of life or death, so it has to be Tritium lume.

@@stupitdog9686 that would be a great example too. I went on a cruise last fall, so I know exactly what you mean.

Maybe... I've only reviewed one of their watches, so maybe the others are better. But the one I got was a little disappointing for lume. I mean it was still Seiko good, but not more than that.

I doubt it, but a geiger counter would tell you for sure.

Good to know. I only got to see the prototype for the Ironclad, so maybe they improved it.

Supposedly the Tunas are the best, but I haven't seen one to say for sure... The reason I say that is because I've also had people constantly tell me the "real prospecs" (anything $800+) is so much better, and I've shown that not to be universally true. The newer MMR and Slim turtles are actually a bit disappointing when it comes to lume. Anyway, back to your real question, and it's something I have been asked and thought about a lot before. it basically boils down to availability and consistency. The tuna is a more expensive watch, one many collectors never buy. Whereas most have an entry-level seiko diver at some point. The Turltels, Monsters, Samurais, they all seem to have about the same good level and lume. So it's something I think more people can understand and relate to. They could be considered the average for a seiko diver. The key word there is also "good"... my background is actually in analytical chemistry, and whenever you set up a test you should be using consistent standards as a reference. So when I started doing this I wanted to have something for just OK lume (the vostok) and something for really good lume (the Turtle). They are what I had at the time. Which I've kept up with so that tests actually mean something over time. If you go watch an earlier video and see how one watch performs against that turtle, then watch a newer video with a newer watch... you have an idea how they may fare against each other. Over the years I've only changed things slightly, like if something does show to be a lot better than the turtle then I do another test where I put it up against one of my "Kings of Lume". And more recently I have started using a Monster instead of a Turtle, but only after I was sure it was on par with that Turtle. The main reason for that switch is because I'm thinking of selling the Turtle. I just haven't been wearing it, and didn't make sense to keep it around only for lume tests. Because at the same time, I'm still just an average collector. The channel helps, but it still doesn't make that much money.