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yshia · 28 March 2014, 06:05 PM

Chromalight is Rolex's patented lume which they love to taut as being the best in the industry. But did you know that the dirty secret behind Chromalight is that it's actually just superluminova!

Now, the confusing part is whether it is literally just a stock version of SL or if it's a proprietary blend.

Omega uses BG-W9, a stock mixture of SL and there's suspicion that Rolex is literally using the exact same or VERY slightly modified mixture but just calling it a different name (one they trademarked).

Could owners of both watches chime in and even better, provide a side-by-side photo?

Remember for the photo:
-both watches should be in the same photo since photographic variations can distort an accurate comparison

-Exposure time should be kept modest to prevent color blooming (it doesn't need to be super bright, just needs to show off the color accurately)
+ if you have an dSLR, ideally you could take images with multiple exposure times?

-Charge time in both watches should be relatively equal.

Please help me/the community solve this, heroes of RF!

capote · 28 March 2014, 06:10 PM

You should post this in the Rolex forum. The Omega subforum is so slow you won't get another reply before summer

yshia · 28 March 2014, 06:36 PM

Noted

ecsub44 · 29 March 2014, 01:46 AM

It's called "marketing".

Both Rolex and Omega make up fancy-sounding works for innocuous materials and components to try to woo people to buy their watches.

Sorry, I can't help with your experiment...I don't own a watch with either of those materials for lume.

Friar · 29 March 2014, 08:32 AM

Just got an Explorer 1 yesterday and noted to my surprise that the blue lume appeared to be identical with that in my SMPc. Will get to pictures later, but they looked the same to my eyes last night and seemed to be of comparable brightness this morning.

Friar · 30 March 2014, 01:50 AM

Here is a quick iPhone shot of the Explorer on the left and an SMPc on the right. The color of the lume seems the same to me, but I imagine that is a matter of design choice rather than indicative of a "dirty little secret." But I could be wrong. It happened once before

Lume2.jpg

28 March 2014, 06:05 PM	#1
yshia "TRF" Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Canada Posts: 15	Chromalight suspicions. (Do you own both a omega and Rolex w/ blue lume?) Chromalight is Rolex's patented lume which they love to taut as being the best in the industry. But did you know that the dirty secret behind Chromalight is that it's actually just superluminova! Now, the confusing part is whether it is literally just a stock version of SL or if it's a proprietary blend. Omega uses BG-W9, a stock mixture of SL and there's suspicion that Rolex is literally using the exact same or VERY slightly modified mixture but just calling it a different name (one they trademarked). Could owners of both watches chime in and even better, provide a side-by-side photo? Remember for the photo: -both watches should be in the same photo since photographic variations can distort an accurate comparison -Exposure time should be kept modest to prevent color blooming (it doesn't need to be super bright, just needs to show off the color accurately) + if you have an dSLR, ideally you could take images with multiple exposure times? -Charge time in both watches should be relatively equal. Please help me/the community solve this, heroes of RF!

29 March 2014, 01:46 AM	#4
ecsub44 "TRF" Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: US Watch: Sub Posts: 3,175	It's called "marketing". Both Rolex and Omega make up fancy-sounding works for innocuous materials and components to try to woo people to buy their watches. Sorry, I can't help with your experiment...I don't own a watch with either of those materials for lume. __________________ *侘寂 -- wabi-sabi --* acceptance of transience and imperfection by finding beauty in that which is imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete Commissioner of WEIRD POLICE , Badge # ecsub44

28 March 2014, 06:10 PM	#2
capote "TRF" Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Real Name: Daniel Location: Sweden Watch: 16570 Posts: 7,315	You should post this in the Rolex forum. The Omega subforum is so slow you won't get another reply before summer

28 March 2014, 06:36 PM	#3
yshia "TRF" Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Canada Posts: 15	Noted

29 March 2014, 08:32 AM	#5
Friar "TRF" Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Real Name: Gary Location: Oregon Watch: 214270 216570 Posts: 707	Just got an Explorer 1 yesterday and noted to my surprise that the blue lume appeared to be identical with that in my SMPc. Will get to pictures later, but they looked the same to my eyes last night and seemed to be of comparable brightness this morning.

30 March 2014, 01:50 AM	#6
Friar "TRF" Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Real Name: Gary Location: Oregon Watch: 214270 216570 Posts: 707	Here is a quick iPhone shot of the Explorer on the left and an SMPc on the right. The color of the lume seems the same to me, but I imagine that is a matter of design choice rather than indicative of a "dirty little secret." But I could be wrong. It happened once before Lume2.jpg

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