Best (classy) tritium watch?

[jrtf83]

Hey fellas,

WHEREAS, CPF is the repository of all the awesome gadget knowledge and

WHEREAS, I'm looking for a new watch,

let it be resolved that I'd like to ask what you guys think the best tritium watches are out there?

From my research so far, i'm looking at Trasers, a Smith & Wesson?, and the Navigators. My big criteria are waterproof, date, and tritum with a metal band.

Thanks in advance! :bow:

 

[Kraid]

Ball. Far and away. Bit pricey though.

 

[DimeRazorback]

The Trasers are nice watches.

When you say classy, what do you actually define as 'classy'?
What is your price range?

 

[f22shift]

ball?

 

[carrot]

It's funny, just a few hours ago I was looking for the same thing.

Came across Traser, Luminox, and Ball.

There's also the S&W and UZI ones.

Me, I've got my heart set on a Ball now...

 

[DimeRazorback]

Same, I'm aiming for the Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon Chronograph.



I love that thing!

The Mad Cow is up there also

 

[Isak Hawk]

Ball, no question.

There might be some custom options too, I don't know.

 

[smokelaw1]

I've had my eye on this Ball for a while. Have come close to pulling the trigger (through not from this site, this is just for example) a number of times.

http://www.worldlux.com/cgi-bin/nav...ter II Aviator GMT&dept=WATCH&collect=&filter=

 

[Mike75]

Ball, no doubt about it... I own the Engineer Hydrocarbon chronograph... Great watch.
Luminox made a couple of really nice looking timepieces too....

 

[gollum]

I was also browsing tritium watches

I like the Ball watches and the TaWaTec
www.watchalla.com/tawatec-c-10024974.html

I want a 3 colour titanium case & bracelet with 300m waterproof
or else I'll just keep wearing my Omega seamaster

another option is to get you favourite watch installed with tritium by a watch maker....some here mentioned it was possible.

 

[Launch Mini]

Not many "dressy" watches with T-Dials around anymore.
Vintage Rolex, but the T will be faded.
Go superluminova, IMO.
Gives you way more options on the watches.
Then you can use your lights to charge the dial. A fresh charged superlume is way more impressive than a T, IMO.

 

[jrtf83]

How did I know this would result in me spending WAY too much money? you guys... I go from being like, "Oh, maybe i'll get a new watch, spend a few hundred" to "OMG, have you seen the new Ball? and I've GOTTA HAVE a TaWaTec to wear as a beater... Oh AND I've GOTTA HAVE the... etc. etc."

Haha, anyways, I'm telling myself i'm not gonna spend more than $200. And classy basically means an analog watch I can wear with a dress shirt and slacks and not look like a giant nerd/tool.

And I REALLY want tritium because I don't want to have to grope for my light and then blind myself just to see my watch at night.

Right now i'm leaning towards Luminox or Traser (mainly a price constraint), but you've REALLY made me want to strike it rich and get a Ball. TaWaTec is also on the radar... hmm...

It seems to me that a watch is a purchase you have to touch and feel before you buy.

 

[Launch Mini]

On the Luminova dials, a decent one will hold it's charge throughout the longest of nights.
I have no problem seeing mine at 7 am in the winter.

Seiko Monster, if you can find one, might fit the bill.

 

[Isak Hawk]

Luminova is bright enough to see if you wake up in the middle of the night and your eyes are totally dark adapted.
However, if for example you're watching a movie in a pitch black room (like the cinema), your eyes won't be adapted to the dark and luminova will probably be too dim after an hour or so. Same thing if you're driving at night, when the headlights of the oncoming traffic will ruin your night vision (might not be a problem if your car has an illuminated clock on the dash).
I'm just saying tritium is better, as it's ALWAYS visible. As much as I love my Sinn, I think tritium gas tubes would have made it so much better...

 

[Launch Mini]

Luminova is bright enough to see if you wake up in the middle of the night and your eyes are totally dark adapted.
However, if for example you're watching a movie in a pitch black room (like the cinema), your eyes won't be adapted to the dark and luminova will probably be too dim after an hour or so. Same thing if you're driving at night, when the headlights of the oncoming traffic will ruin your night vision (might not be a problem if your car has an illuminated clock on the dash).
I'm just saying tritium is better, as it's ALWAYS visible. As much as I love my Sinn, I think tritium gas tubes would have made it so much better...

Yes & No
I have a couple T watches. In movies for example, they are not brighter than my others ( ie no easier to see) , they are not super bright, but rather constant.

 

[Isak Hawk]

Are they using the tritium gas tubes, or the tritium paint? Also, what brand are they?
I saw a ball diver in person, and it was quite bright; about the same as what luminova looks like a few minutes after a full charge.

 

[stockae92]

How about traser classic automatic?

sample link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000EUFANS/?tag=cpf0b6-20

it also comes in black dial, PVD case and bracelet, and combination of both.

I think that pretty nice looking watch without breaking your bank. Sapphire crystal, display back, Swiss ETA automatic movement, clean and simple dial.

I really like Ball Engineer Hydrocarbons (I owned a few of them before). But one thing worries me a little is the cost for replacing the tubes (eventually). If the quoted $7-$10 per tube is accurate, then some of the Ball watches with up to mid 20s to 30s tubes will cost up to $300 to replace all the tubes. but you only have to do it once every 25 years. and I think you would need at least 3 movement service in between.

Another classy tritium tube diver is Doxa 800Ti (http://www.doxawatches.com/sub800ti.htm) with titanium case and bracelet. One thing I don't like about it is the lack of tritium tube on the second hand. (ISO dive spec requires a dive watch to be varifiable in the dark that its still running. To me, that would means lumed running second indicator or some sort. The lack of lumed running second indicator doesn't makes it a bad watch, but I am picky about my [desk] dive watches)

I am more of a SL man myself (C3 is the best). I like the bright lume ater initial charge and they last through the night for me (even C1 can be seen after 5-6hr in the dark). And I like my watch radioactivity-free.

 

[fizzwinkus]

i've always wanted a ball engineer master ii diver tmt:
http://www.ballwatchusa.com/collections/EngineerMasterIIDiverTMTPAJBKF.asp

but this is still working fine:
http://www.traserusa.com/en/watches/detailkat2watch35.html

 

[vudoo]

Anyone seen this watch or have one? I am looking at getting one of these.

http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/jemsforme_2124_80698930

 

[jacknife]

Vudoo Where can I find that one??