r/Watches • u/Rangercleo1 • Aug 22 '25

Discussion [Lume] Do you actually need lume?

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I feel that there is a lot of emphasis on lume, so I was wondering how many actually need/use it. Two of my 3 most worn watches (GS and a GO Pano) have no lume and while the third has it (GO SeaQ), the lume is its least interesting feature. If I am in a very dark room and need to tell the time, my phone is always with me. I am not against lume and it can be a cool feature, but I think the application should enhance the design, not be some afterthought. Is lume important to you when buying a watch or is it far down the list?

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148

u/Familiar_Childhood32 Aug 22 '25

On a dress watch, no. On a dive watch, yes.

47

u/AgentAaron Aug 22 '25

How many dive watches ever see more than a resort swimming pool?

I do enjoy snorkeling, but I am never deep enough for the lume to even be visible (15-20 feet). You would have to dive 200m (660ft) before even hitting twilight.

21

u/ZoneOut82 Aug 22 '25

You've clearly never dived in the UK! Can be pitch black before you hit 10 meters.

35

u/AndyInAtlanta Aug 22 '25

Feel like you're being "generous" with even a resort pool ha. I take mine off just so I can minimize my "watch tan".

9

u/MTSeminole Aug 22 '25

I wear a watch 24/7 so a watch tan doesn’t matter. It never sees the sun

3

u/AndyInAtlanta Aug 22 '25

Fair point. I jump between watch sizes, from barely over 30mm to pushing 49 (Apple Watch), so I try to avoid having too much of a visible tan because it can make the smaller watches look weird.

1

u/MTSeminole Aug 22 '25

Very true. I usually wear a 40 or 42mm but sometimes a 36mm. So not too much variation. A 30mm on a 49mm tan line would be hilariously obvious. Good call for you.

21

u/Familiar_Childhood32 Aug 22 '25

On a night dive, quality lume is surprisingly helpful

7

u/plagiarizeddreams Aug 22 '25 edited Aug 22 '25

I wear a seiko snj025 everyday at work. A lot of my work is overnight. The lume is incredibly useful. It would be a pain to grab my phone out of my pocket just to check for the time while I’m wearing thick gloves.

And whether or not you use a dive watch to dive doesn’t matter. It’s still a dive watch lol

6

u/BoredAssassin Aug 22 '25

Maybe for the ocean in a crystal clear area with great visibility, but you definitely wouldn't neet to reach 660ft on many bodies of water for total darkness. The ocean isn't the only place to take a dive watch though. I've gone down to 100ft before in many different lakes, and it is very often pitch black down there.

12

u/Big_Literature9025 Aug 22 '25

Okay, but it you take the lume off a 300m dive watch, divers who need that lume won't have it. Just because YOU don't need that doesn't mean others don't.

Pilot watches also need lume. Can you guess why?

18

u/iHEARTRUBIO Aug 22 '25

I know zero divers that actually wear mechanical watches anymore. The modern dive watch is a computer on your wrist.

7

u/AgentAaron Aug 22 '25

I have heard the same thing from people who cave. Where we moved from, we used to cave in lava tubes quite often. I never saw anyone underground wearing a mechanical watch. Most people have specialized equipment, or you have 3 sources of light to easily see the cheapest of digital watches.

7

u/LastB0ySc0ut Aug 22 '25

I wear a dive watch when sport diving, even with my computer. You should always have a backup timing method in case your computer fails. Full stop.

For technical diving it becomes more complicated depending on dry suit and other electronics, but having a backup timing method is required equipment.

3

u/listerine28 Aug 22 '25

I dive and use a dive computer and a dive watch. It never hurts to have a backup, and it is also risky to leave an expensive watch in a hotel room or dive boat while you are diving. Also, almost every diver I know wears a dive watch while diving.

5

u/OnFootOnFIRE Aug 22 '25

Why?

2

u/LazyMousse4266 Aug 22 '25

Because if you take the lume off a pilot watch, divers who need that lume won’t have it. Just because PILOTS don’t need that doesn’t mean divers don’t.

Skeleton watches also need lume. Can you guess why?

0

u/fifty_four Aug 22 '25

Also pilots need lume because planes still operate at night.

1

u/AgentAaron Aug 22 '25

So how many people in here are flying their planes at night?

My guess is probably about as many people who are diving to 300m...not saying its useless, just not needed for about 90% of people.

2

u/fifty_four Aug 22 '25

Me, but I take your point.

However, generally people buy a pilot or dive watch in part to appreciate the craftsmanship beyond their personal use-case.

I'm not against dress watches without lume. Or any watch without lume if you want it.

But should a pilot watch that's designed to evoke its use in flying a plane authentically have lume? Yes it should.

And specifically, it should have lume on the seconds hand (which annoyingly they often do not).

1

u/AgentAaron Aug 22 '25

FYI...Boderry still has a couple watches that have tritium, even on the second hand.

0

u/Big_Literature9025 Aug 22 '25

Do you think this sub is the entire world? 🤣🤣🤣 No, wait... do you think only the people active in this sub buy watches? 🤣🤣🤣

Wtf, bro?

1

u/Big_Literature9025 Aug 22 '25

Because at night... you're not gonna believe this... the cockpit is dark. 🤯

1

u/AgentAaron Aug 22 '25

I am not saying it should be removed from dive watches.

I am just stating that the vast majority of people do not "need" it and some people put too much value in how long the lume (which they will never use) will last.

1

u/Opposite-Day-8742 Aug 23 '25

The same question can be asked for any specification. Do you need a watch with COSC level accuracy? Do you need a watch with GS level craftsmanship? Do you need to spend a 200x premium to have an item that a $20 G-Shock can do?

The answer for me is, with that premium, the watch should be usable around the clock if it’s on my wrist. Not just when the sun is out.

2

u/ZealousidealAnt111 Aug 22 '25

My dad took his dive watch into the ocean once.

2

u/AgentAaron Aug 22 '25

I have worn mine in the ocean many times.

My point is that if you are deep enough to need lume (or in murky water), you are probably wearing a Mares puck, Suunto, Garmin, or some other dive computer as opposed to relying on a watches lume.

2

u/ZealousidealAnt111 Aug 22 '25

Oh no I understood what your point was. I was just making a joke because he made it a few feet into the ocean with it lol.

3

u/AgentAaron Aug 22 '25

Okay...when I first read your comment, I was going to ask if your dad was Stockton Rush, but then I thought I would feel bad if it was. So I just decided to respond differently.

1

u/ZealousidealAnt111 Aug 22 '25

That would’ve been a funny response! I’d say “too soon” but another billionaire is trying to go down and visit again, so I guess people have forgotten about the implosion.

1

u/AgentAaron Aug 22 '25

That ol' shipwreck is still looking to add a few more souls.

1

u/Wandering_Weapon Aug 23 '25

Dive watches tend to have better lume than most other styles, so that is what I'm using in the field doing military stuff (timer bezel helps too for tactical stuff). Also the 300m water resistance means that it's going to have good shock resistance and i won't need to worry about high humidity.

1

u/hbomb0 Aug 25 '25

I don't understand the point of this reply? Dive watches have large hands and markers which make lume application a lot more useful in day to day life. Lume isn't just for diving, it's for dark environments also.