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Old 28 February 2020, 08:03 AM   #28
SpicyMikey
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Join Date: Jan 2020
Real Name: Mike
Location: Orlando, FL, USA
Watch: SkyDweller 326933
Posts: 222
Quote:
Originally Posted by fsprow View Post
Luminova is primarily activated by UV light. Unless you use a special light source, the sun is the most effective source of UV.
Yes that's what I'm learning myself through trial-and-error now. I started this thread a few days ago just to ask tge question of others to see if maybe there was something wrong with my new rolex sky dweller. luminescence on the hands and sticks were just underwhelming compared to other older watches I have had. I have learned a lot now through others post.

- Rolex (and I assume most watch makers) have moved away from the older materials that glowed without light but were slightly radioactive . The reason might be obvious, even if the risk was theoretical rather than practical.

- This new material works by temporarily storing light energy and then emanating it back out over a period of 8~hours. Sounds good in theory but from my testing it's great at first but then rapidly drops (within 30mins~) to a level that is almost unusable unless you're in pitch blackness

- To make it worse, like others have mentioned, only light sources that provide UV rays, like the sun, UV flashlights. etc, can charge this "SuperLuminova" material. Artificial light in a house etc, does very little.

Based on all of this I have come to the conclusion that this new luminescence material is practically useless on any watch that uses it. The only scenario I think it would help is for a diver out on the ocean on a sunny day who then goes diving deep and needs the glow to read the time.

For all the rest of us, forget it and just enjoy your beautiful rolex knowing that in a dimly lit room you're going to need to reach into your pocket and pull out your phone, lol.

Mike
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