I've really been intrigued by Luminox watches for some time, and I've been been looking for just the right one to add to my collection. With the new Luminox Blackbird 9000 series, and specifically the 9032 chronograph (pictured at right), I may have finally found just the right one.
What primarily makes Swiss-made Luminox watches unique is their illumination system. All Luminox watches contain tiny, gas-filled glass tubes installed in the hands, hour markers, and sometimes bezel which glow up to 100 times brighter than other watches with luminescent paint. Additionally, the Luminox illumination system does not require recharging (meaning you don't have to expose it to light before it will glow), and does not use batteries. The glass tubes will glow continuously for about 25 years, and are guaranteed for 10. So if you need a watch which must always be visible in low light without having to press a button, Luminox is a good bet.
The new Blackbird 9000s are really nice, tough, military-looking watches. They are all stainless steel with a black PVD (physical vapor deposition) coating which gives them a very cool, stealthy look (although in the dark, Luminox watches are anything but stealthy, so be sure to cover them up if you really need to be invisible). The one I like best -- the 9032 -- has a smaller 24-hour quartz module embedded in the 6 o'clock portion of the bracelet for tracking an additional time zone. I like this solution for a GMT watch because it allows the main dial to remain uncluttered and readable. I first saw this feature in the Breitling Chrono Avenger which I still drool over every time I come across one.
Features of the Luminox Blackbird 9032 include:
- Black PVD coated stainless steel case.
- Internal rotating bezel.
- 4-year lithium battery.
- Scratch-resistant domed sapphire crystal.
- Chronograph with three sub-dials.
- Auxiliary quartz module for tracking an additional time zone.
- Date function.
- Luminox 25-year tritium illumination system (guaranteed for 10).
- Shock and water-resistant (not sure of the depth).
The Luminox Blackbird 9032 is a high-end Luminox, and retails for about $1,500. If that's too rich for your blood, Luminox sells dozens of other very affordable watches with the same illumination system (check out the catalog linked below).
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