I had a previous post regarding the loom on an AT vs. Diver 300. I receive some good answers on that but I would like to go deeper .......no pun intended into the subject. I recently look at a planet ocean and the new diver 300. I like them both very much. I was previously disappointed in my Omega Apollo special edition Speedmaster and the
Lume that it has at night. I can barely see it here and I know that the other two will be much brighter. The question is will the loom last all night long like my tritium Marathon GSR?. it is so bright and easy for me to see when I wake up during the night. If I can get the same lume and length of lume...... it will be a done deal. If not what are my alternatives? Would a sub do it?

 

The lume on my PO can't compete with tritium tubes, but it's not bad.

 

I never had a problem reading my PO in the night. It won’t be as bright as the pic towards the end of the night, but it was easily good enough for me. Unfortunately the speedy I replaced it with can’t compare. Also, I’ve heard the PO has better lume than the sub. I can’t confirm, but I believe it.

 

Here are some lume comparison shots I've taken of a few of my watches. All are quite legible in the dark for a decent amount of time.

First up is the modern Rolex Sub: The lume fades quicker than on my other divers and is the weakest of the ones I'm posting.


This is the PO Deep Black: It tends to stay bright and legible all night as well as stronger than the Rolex.



Here is the Pam 615 Sub: I love Panerai and they know how to do lume like nobody else!

 

GSR is tritium gas tubes. No charging but need to be replaced eventually.

Different beasts.

 

If you want strong lume. And I mean really strong seek out a sword hands SMP. Those models, such as the 2254 and 2255 have the strongest lume of any watch I have owned. And I have owned a few including a PO and a Bond SMP, whose lume implementation was pretty poor in comparison.

 

+1
i could not agree more!
2254 it probably the only watch i had, that i dont have to hold unter a lamp before going to bed, and i have no problems reading time during the night.
of course if you hold it under a lamp before then it lights up like a torch

 

PO 2500 was pretty decent, and still is. The PO 8500 is a big disappointment in comparison.
Am not clued up on the Mk 3 though.

 

A 2255.80 today


And just for comparison - the lume on my Magrette Dual Time