Chromalight vs Super-Luminova?

Slowpoker · Oct 4, 2019

Hi everyone!

So after concluding that I should buy the black dial OP 39mm over the Aqua Terra I walked into the Boutique and handed over my details so I could be guaranteed the next one to arrive. (Since they seem to be out of stock everywhere and I had excellent spending history with the store).

While I was there I was shown a DJ36, which I hated due to the cyclops window. The one thing however that did pique my interest was the lume, which the assistant called "Chromalight".

The OP 39mm doesn't have chromalight, just regular Super-Luminova. So my question to everyone is:

Is Chromalight any more superior to standard Super-Luminova in your experiences?
Specifically concerning the hours both can stay lit up if both were charged to full and how intense the light would be?

Thanks for your opinions everyone!

padders · Oct 4, 2019

Sounds like a branding exercise to me. Several manufacturers use a supposedly proprietary lume material, Rolex and Seiko included but AFAIK it is all based on doped Strontium Aluminate ie Superluminova.

S.H. · Oct 4, 2019

I read Seiko developed (or bought patents for) the luminova way back, sold it to Tritec (who supply everyone), then developed Lumibrite and kept it for themselves. Chromalight may be blue luminova, hard to know.

Slowpoker · Oct 4, 2019

padders
Sounds like a branding exercise to me. Several manufacturers use a supposedly proprietary lume material, Rolex and Seiko included but AFAIK it is all based on doped Strontium Aluminate ie Superluminova.

S.H.
I read Seiko developed (or bought patents for) the luminova way back, sold it to Tritec (who supply everyone), then developed Lumibrite and kept it for themselves. Chromalight may be blue luminova, hard to know.

Indeed I'm thinking that it's simply C7 or so Super-Luminova that Rolex have renamed and are selling as proprietary lume. Most likely to keep up its brand image as the best.

That's an interesting story about Seiko, I have seen Lumibright and it honestly did look brighter than the lume on my Seamaster at the time. But maybe I wasn't comparing it fairly in terms of the amount of lume on the indices.

Anyone actually tested it against regular super-luminova?

watch3s · Oct 5, 2019

it went from Tritium to Luminova to Superluminova and currently Chromalight for the rolex lume updates.

kelev_ra · Oct 6, 2019

Chromalight is blue. Superluminova is green.

Slowpoker · Oct 6, 2019

kelev_ra
Chromalight is blue. Superluminova is green.

C7-C9 Luminova can be blue too. In fact I think you can even get Super-Luminova in pink and orange if you wanted to.

The point is it comes in many different colours.

kelev_ra · Oct 6, 2019

Slowpoker
C7-C9 Luminova can be blue too. In fact I think you can even get Super-Luminova in pink and orange if you wanted to.

The point is it comes in many different colours.

We are in the Rolex Forum.
Rolex Superluminova is green. Rolex Chromalight is blue.
Thats pretty much the only difference.
Not longer lasting etc. At least my watches.

Togri v. 2.0 · Oct 8, 2019

I would also say that I don’t notice any difference between my Chromalight Datejust and my Superluminova Submariner except the colour. Both glow like a torch when exposed to strong light, then is slightly faded after a couple of minutes and then fades further in the next couple of hours. I have never had a lume last to the early morning as so many watch reviews claim. I might be able to see it but I would have to be in an almost entirely dark room looking very closely.

I quite like the blue chromalight colour though.

Mathlar · Oct 9, 2019

See posts by @Archer here:
https://omegaforums.net/threads/super-luminova-material.36485/

Colour makes a small difference in these colours we’re discussing. Amount/depth of lume applied does too - which explains to me why my 216570 can go all night long.

Chromalight vs Super-Luminova?

Slowpoker

padders

S.H.

Slowpoker

watch3s

kelev_ra

Slowpoker

kelev_ra

Togri v. 2.0

Mathlar

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