Watch with tritium inserts help find

[jhc37013]

Hello been looking for a watch with tritium dials like the one I have linked below I literally know nothing about watch's so any help would be very appreciated. I am not sure any good site's for watch's like I am with lights so help their also. I like to keep under $150 if possible. I found this S&W watch at this site and don't know if its a good price or even a good watch but this is in general the features I am looking for. Thankyou for any help. http://www.policehq.com/ProductDetail.aspx?Catalog=Law Enforcement&Category=WAT_SW&Prod=SW-SWW357

 

[csshih]

huh, not too many with dials like that..
how about hands?

traser watches are very high quality, but also very pricey.
http://www.watchmann.com/proddetail.asp?prod=P5900
hmm....

 

[jhc37013]

huh, not too many with dials like that..
how about hands?

traser watches are very high quality, but also very pricey.
http://www.watchmann.com/proddetail.asp?prod=P5900
hmm....

Thanks csshih a friend has just also recommended that brand and of the models i like they are a little out of price range. Thanks though but I'm still looking

 

[Cuso]

Watch with tritium you say?? Here you go...

http://www.ballwatch.com/









:devil:

 

[jhc37013]

Watch with tritium you say?? Here you go...

http://www.ballwatch.com/









:devil:

wow those are really really nice I didn't see any prices but I'm sure way out of my league.

 

[darkzero]

I have the titanium version of that Smith & Wesson watch. I would not recommend it. There are various versions of this style H3 watch, Traser, Luminox, MB Microtech, etc.

This was my first tritium watch & I wore it for a while. Not until I started getting into tritium did I realize the tritiums in the S&W watch were very dim. I then purchased a milspec MB Microtec which cost more than the S&W titanium watch. The vials were way brighter than the S&W watch. I now where a government version of a Marathon TSAR which is just a tad brighter than my MB Microtec but the production date is recent which is 2008.

Not sure if it's true but I hear the S&W watches use second hand grade vials to help keep the costs down. I would highly recommend a Traser or MB Microtec over the S&W. Luminox is very popluar & you can easily find them in the stores.

In the pic below I couldn't even get the vials on the S&W to show up on camera. The only thing you see glowing is the luminous paint on the second hand that was charged by the light just before I turned them off. The vials are glowing but in person you can barely see them if you look very closely. Of course the watch is some years old but the MB Microtec is just as old & the vilas on them are still glowing good. The vials in the TSAR are larger than the MB Microtec so it's easier to see in the dark. The Traser & Luminox watches look the same as the MB Microtec. With watches you get what you pay for. I would save up a bit more & get something better than the S&W.

Here's the Traser version of my MB Microtec which is pretty much identical (comes with a Nato strap, I have a zulu strap on mine) which are about $225 now.
Traser H3 Green

They also have a blue version now. Traser H3 Blue.

You can also get them with the rubber dive straps as well as leather.

 

[kramer5150]

Ball and Marathon are my favs.

 

[TooManyGizmos]

I have a Luminox - large dial I have worn & liked for 5 years .

Still glows Strong . Trit watches are great for night time use . Once you have one - you'll love it .

Be careful before you buy - check the nite time aesthetics and design of the dial .
Some don't have trit markers that go all the way around the face .
Such as ones that have calendar windows - some have no marker there.
Decide if that's important to you . It does break the trit pattern .
Not sure if any are made with a trit second hand , but consider that too !

Also give close thought to the bezel ring color , housing metal & color and the band style.

And some styles show wear and scratches easily and don't look new for very long.
Pay close attention and get a saphire/crystal lens that wont chip-scratch-or break easily.
Analise the WARRANTY for what is covered and for how long & how easy are battery changes ?
Water-proof (not resistant) to how many meters - and the Guarantee , where is it serviced ?
How often does it have to be serviced - and what's the postal charges to send and receive ?
Fancy Tachometer styles are more costly and less water-proof and not that useful , IMO .
Is it approved for Diving and/or Salt water ?
And DON'T buy a FAKE !

Happy hunting !

 

[jhc37013]

I have a Luminox - large dial I have worn & liked for 5 years .

Still glows Strong . Trit watches are great for night time use . Once you have one - you'll love it .

Be careful before you buy - check the nite time aesthetics and design of the dial .
Some don't have trit markers that go all the way around the face .
Such as ones that have calendar windows - some have no marker there.
Decide if that's important to you . It does break the trit pattern .
Not sure if any are made with a trit second hand , but consider that too !

Also give close thought to the bezel ring color , housing metal & color and the band style.

And some styles show wear and scratches easily and don't look new for very long.
Pay close attention and get a saphire/crystal lens that wont chip-scratch-or break easily.
Analise the WARRANTY for what is covered and for how long & how easy are battery changes ?
Water-proof (not resistant) to how many meters - and the Guarantee , where is it serviced ?
How often does it have to be serviced - and what's the postal charges to send and receive ?
Fancy Tachometer styles are more costly and less water-proof and not that useful , IMO .
Is it approved for Diving and/or Salt water ?
And DON'T buy a FAKE !

Happy hunting !

So in other words not to much to worry about huh. Thanks very much for everyone's info.

 

[Echo63]

i would reccomend a Traser.
mine has been going strong for 6 years.
has trits on all 3 hands, all 12 numbers (orange for 12, green for everything else) and a dot on the rotating bezel too
mine has pretty much lived on my wrist 24/7 for the past 6 years, and has a few little dings, and some scratches on the glass, but is still ticking (it is on its second battery, the first lasted around 4 years

those Ball Watches look very nice though - maybe when i finally wear my Traser out

 

[stockae92]

I have had a Traser P6506 titanium with bracelet before I really liked it for the titanium and the 24 hr mil dial. The glass filled fiber bezel is also a great contrast to the watch. I stupidly sold it and missed it.

and now I have a Luminox 3202. its practically the same watch in full stainless steel and a different dial.

I REFUSE to buy an Luminox before because of the Navy Seal markings on the dial, and this 3203 doens't have it. Nice!

The full SS case + bracelet give it some nice weight, yet its not overly heavy. Mine is the latest version that has solid end links, though I didn't have any problem with the folded titanium I had before with the Traser P6506 (i.e. it didn't feel filmsy).

Also the Luminox 3202 has SS bezel, which is more wear resistant than the glass filled fiber bezel on the Traser P6506. I have never seen a broken glass filled fiber bezel before but with a lot use, you can see the bezel "wearing out".

3202 also has inside AR coated sapphire crystal, 10-yr battery life, metal screw down crown, mine also has a nicer engraved caseback (the older olds has laser eched (sp?) ones). its quite a complete package.

one complain about the watch is the clasp. while the whole bracelet is pretty solid, the folding part and the diver extension of the clasp is not up to the par of the rest of the watch. Both parts are stamped and they are make noises on occation. i would prefer them to be machined (but they would probably add to the cost of the watch)

another thing i do wished is that the two 12 o'clock tritium tubes to glow orange instead of green. but i guess i can't complain too much :p

 

[jhc37013]

Those are really nice watches you have their stockae92 thank you for the advise and pics.