Scared of losing the lume on my DSSD.

[RolexDivers]

Hi folks,

Manytimes when I am driving in the daytime, I get full sun on the dial of my DSSD. As an instinct, I take my arm out of the sun, all in the hopes that if I do so, the lume on my watch will last longer. Is that correct thinking?

Am I being paranoid here? Will the lume last longer the less it is exposed to bright light?

thanks,

[chris_nor_cal]

Paranoid :)

[RolexDivers]

Originally Posted by chris_nor_cal

Paranoid :)

So what you are saying is that the lume sources on the dial are losing their lumeness at a constant rate, whether night or day, it doesnt matter. Is that correct?

[padi56]

Originally Posted by RolexDivers

Hi folks,

Manytimes when I am driving in the daytime, I get full sun on the dial of my DSSD. As an instinct, I take my arm out of the sun, all in the hopes that if I do so, the lume on my watch will last longer. Is that correct thinking?

Am I being paranoid here? Will the lume last longer the less it is exposed to bright light?

thanks,

Afraid you are being very very over paranoid with your watch, there has been no reports of any luminover watches loosing its lume since introduction in 1998.And luminover gets most of its luminescence from being charged with bright light natural or artifical.Myself worked for many years as a dive give around the middle and far east in very bright sun shine.And many days temps got up to around 38c- 45c and watch was in full sun for hours and no problems.Afraid today most of you guys pamper your watches when there is really no need.

[al_bongo]

Have you thought about moving to Scotland? Considerably less sun and what there is of it is much less intense than southern California. Not much fading here.

[Rashid.bk]

so no data on chromalight's lifespan for efficiently absorbing light, just observations and relocating advice. got it.
guess I'll google it.

[Tony-GB]

Just don't shower with your Rolex on. It'll melt like a bar of soap.

[capote]

Don't worry, besides, don't you have a spare DSSD?

[vette boy 52]

Charge it up with the sun!

[rolexperfect]

I'd listen Peter and be cool about it... if he says he's never seen any reports of Luminova watches losing luminescence then that's kind of the answer.

[Rashid.bk]

Originally Posted by rolexperfect

I'd listen Peter and be cool about it... if he says he's never seen any reports of Luminova watches losing luminescence then that's kind of the answer.

No it's not the answer or even kind of the answer. While I respect and highly appreciate Peter's contributions on TRF, his post was just a personal observation and not fact.
First, luminova and chromalight are two separate lumination paint or whatever. Rolex says it glows three times brighter/longer than luminova, how this is attained only Rolex knows.
Chromalight appears to be an improved version of luminova and seems to be a mixture of the same compound but a proprietary formula exclusive to Rolex....and we all know how forthcoming they are with information.

I just spent about 10-15 minutes googling luminova and chromalight and one thing is clear. They are not the same thing just rebranded blue. They are similar and have a very similar compound mixture but not the same. Now just like the parachrom blu and everything else Rolex, it isn't an earth shattering innovation but something exclusive.
So the op's question is essentially, whether prolonged exposure to sunlight will degrade the chromalight paint. The simple answer is yes, sunlight degrades everything to an extent. But to what that extent is and how it effects the chromalight and how fast, has not been evaluated.
So should he change his life to keep his watch out of sunlight, probably not. Would it hurt if he we're a little cautious, probably not.

Most of you serial flippers don't care about the longevity of a watch since you'll flip it anyway. Then some of you don't care if your watch gets all scratched and beat up, adds character right. Then some have a bunch of watches that you rotate and wear as you like decreasing wear and tear on just one.
Well there's another group, the guys that baby it, and worry if they wound it too much or whether it looses three seconds a day....
Yes, this is another group. It gets kind of old that whenever some one is a little worried or seeks info members here more and more take this carefree attitude and sometimes ridicule the poster because they are more cautious than them about their purchase.
There's groups, accept it.

[gwozhog]

Yes I would be terrified! Sun on lume all day overcharges it. I would also worry about the extra radiation emitting from the super lume since it is so bright.

[Frogman4me]

Originally Posted by padi56

.afraid today most of you guys pamper your watches when there is really no need.

+1

[Cru Jones]

Originally Posted by padi56

there has been no reports of any luminover watches loosing its lume since introduction in 1998.

Originally Posted by Rashid.bk

Well there's another group, the guys that baby it, and worry if they wound it too much or whether it looses three seconds a day....

there's also a group of people here (well, at least a group of one?) who have a real pet peeve with adding an extra "o" to the word "lose".....

[tfduff723]

My Exp II lost some of it's lume so now I only go spelunking during the day.

No worries

[masterserg]

The dial can always be replaced 20 or 30 years from now ...

[kilyung]

Originally Posted by RolexDivers

Hi folks,

Manytimes when I am driving in the daytime, I get full sun on the dial of my DSSD. As an instinct, I take my arm out of the sun, all in the hopes that if I do so, the lume on my watch will last longer. Is that correct thinking?

Am I being paranoid here? Will the lume last longer the less it is exposed to bright light?

thanks,

It's just paint. If it fades in the future, you can just get a new dial. Enjoy your dives!

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Rashid.bk

No it's not the answer or even kind of the answer. While I respect and highly appreciate Peter's contributions on TRF, his post was just a personal observation and not fact.
First, luminova and chromalight are two separate lumination paint or whatever. Rolex says it glows three times brighter/longer than luminova, how this is attained only Rolex knows.
Chromalight appears to be an improved version of luminova and seems to be a mixture of the same compound but a proprietary formula exclusive to Rolex....and we all know how forthcoming they are with information.

I just spent about 10-15 minutes googling luminova and chromalight and one thing is clear. They are not the same thing just rebranded blue. They are similar and have a very similar compound mixture but not the same. Now just like the parachrom blu and everything else Rolex, it isn't an earth shattering innovation but something exclusive.
So the op's question is essentially, whether prolonged exposure to sunlight will degrade the chromalight paint. The simple answer is yes, sunlight degrades everything to an extent. But to what that extent is and how it effects the chromalight and how fast, has not been evaluated.
So should he change his life to keep his watch out of sunlight, probably not. Would it hurt if he we're a little cautious, probably not.

Most of you serial flippers don't care about the longevity of a watch since you'll flip it anyway. Then some of you don't care if your watch gets all scratched and beat up, adds character right. Then some have a bunch of watches that you rotate and wear as you like decreasing wear and tear on just one.
Well there's another group, the guys that baby it, and worry if they wound it too much or whether it looses three seconds a day....
Yes, this is another group. It gets kind of old that whenever some one is a little worried or seeks info members here more and more take this carefree attitude and sometimes ridicule the poster because they are more cautious than them about their purchase.
There's groups, accept it.

Perhaps Rolex does state the fancy new name for there lume glows three time longer.But Rolex did state at one time it take 12 months to make a Rolex oyster its called marketing which sometimes is the same as brain washing.Now I am 100% what the original poster stated about I quote many times when I am driving in the daytime, I get full sun on the dial of my DSSD As an instinct, I take my arm out of the sun, all in the hopes that if I do so, the lume on my watch will last longer. .I am sure this will have no effect on the luminescence to his watch if he done it while driving for the next 10-20 odd years.But like all things thats left out in direct sunlight 24/7 for days, weeks, months ,or years will fade or burn and age just like your own body, thats just common sense.

[Tools]

Luminova and Chromalite are both photoluminescent paints..

Such paints have been used for decades on exit signs, street signs and for emergency "light" throughout the world.. They stand, exposed to light or the sun every day, all day.. or inside exposed to light most of the time..

It's pretty unlikely that anybody will notice any loss of lume on their Luminova watch during their lifetime, and probably the lume will still work when it finally flakes off and falls to the bottom of the dial..

But, even if it did dim after 50 or 75 years.. what's the big deal..

[JP Chestnut]

Originally Posted by RolexDivers

Hi folks,

Manytimes when I am driving in the daytime, I get full sun on the dial of my DSSD. As an instinct, I take my arm out of the sun, all in the hopes that if I do so, the lume on my watch will last longer. Is that correct thinking?

Am I being paranoid here? Will the lume last longer the less it is exposed to bright light?

thanks,

You own the hardiest dive watch ever made... and you're worried about exposure to sun?

[Rashid.bk]

Originally Posted by Cru Jones

there's also a group of people here (well, at least a group of one?) who have a real pet peeve with adding an extra "o" to the word "lose".....

[scarab007]

Just put the watch in the box and don't wear it. To much to worry about it getting hurt.

[Stuxnet]

Don't worry about your watch. Worry about your arm. Skin cancer is far worse, and potentially lethal compared to a dial that may or may not fade. Your desire to protect your watch has probably saved your life. Talk about positive externalities.

[RolexDivers]

Originally Posted by capote

Don't worry, besides, don't you have a spare DSSD?

still waiting to get my spare!

[RolexDivers]

Originally Posted by JP Chestnut

You own the hardiest dive watch ever made... and you're worried about exposure to sun?

I get your point but with all due respect, th ability to withstand water pressure is very different from ability to withstand fading in the sun...toughness in one field does not translate into toughness in other areas....

[SaddleSC]

The bottom line is this...let's assume a worst case scenario, that the lume WILL be completely destroyed in 5 years through exposure to the sun. Then you replace the dial for $150 at service time and it is as good as new again. I am not really sure why people get so worked up about something so minor and something that is so easily fixed.

[RolexDivers]

Originally Posted by Tools

...It's pretty unlikely that anybody will notice any loss of lume on their Luminova watch during their lifetime, and probably the lume will still work when it finally flakes off and falls to the bottom of the dial..

But, even if it did dim after 50 or 75 years.. what's the big deal..

So you are saying my lume on the DSSD will stay bright for my lifetime?
I was comparing it to my X series sub, that I bought new in 1998. Today, that lume is nonexistant. I was thinking that 10-12 years from now, my DSSD will suffer the same fate...

[RolexDivers]

Originally Posted by SaddleSC

The bottom line is this...let's assume a worst case scenario, that the lume WILL be completely destroyed in 5 years through exposure to the sun. Then you replace the dial for $150 at service time and it is as good as new again. I am not really sure why people get so worked up about something so minor and something that is so easily fixed.

You are right ... it is this irrational fear I have ---- For some reason, I wanna keep my watches as new as possible ---- but I do not know why, just scared to wear them and enjoy them on a daily basis...

[Rashid.bk]

Originally Posted by scarab007

Just put the watch in the box and don't wear it. To much to worry about it getting hurt.

so then he shouldn't care for his property or educate himself on it's attributes. just wear it like whatever, wherever.....

[SaddleSC]

Originally Posted by RolexDivers

You are right ... it is this irrational fear I have ---- For some reason, I wanna keep my watches as new as possible ---- but I do not know why, just scared to wear them and enjoy them on a daily basis...

Don't worry, that is a fear that I am certain is shared by many on TRF, especially when you are new to this game. But take solace in the fact that the problem you are worried about can be easily and inexpensively corrected.

The good news is that this hobby offers much more pressing (and expensive) things to worry about...like dings in the case, damage to the lugs and broken ceramic bezel inserts:)