# Traser What Watch If Any Have Better Night Reading



## woody77 (Jun 19, 2011)

hi my traser back from the watch maker just put it back on the hirsch trapper strap i have had it a nato and divers straps but think this looks best but it did cost me Â£36.00 some time ago ,now back to the question are traser the best analogue night reading watch out there? and strong water resistant to and imho looks good to if you like miltary divers look. i have this is the other one two all the best woody77.


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## tall_tim (Jul 29, 2009)

Prefer the Luminox myself...


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## woody77 (Jun 19, 2011)

tall_tim said:


> Prefer the Luminox myself...


hi nice watch to the same type as mine there a few makeers useing different names but the same watch really, i like the black more myself all the best woody77.


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## GASHEAD (Aug 27, 2009)

My Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon is pretty good at night with it's Tritium tubes.


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## jmm1 (Aug 18, 2009)

I prefer this. Type 111, Class 1,( USAF )Marathon Navigator.


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## Alas (Jun 18, 2006)

Best watch for night reading for me is my Dievas Orange Chrono with Tritium tubes. I've tried loads of different ones as I have poor eyesight and this one is the best so far.


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## woody77 (Jun 19, 2011)

Alas said:


> Best watch for night reading for me is my Dievas Orange Chrono with Tritium tubes. I've tried loads of different ones as I have poor eyesight and this one is the best so far.


hi i have not seen this one how much are thay new . still the same type of watch with tritium tubes as trazer all the best woody77


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## woody77 (Jun 19, 2011)

woody77 said:


> tall_tim said:
> 
> 
> > Prefer the Luminox myself...
> ...


hi also what miter is that watch ie 200m like mine or is it less as some are all the best woody77.


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## woody77 (Jun 19, 2011)

woody77 said:


> Alas said:
> 
> 
> > Best watch for night reading for me is my Dievas Orange Chrono with Tritium tubes. I've tried loads of different ones as I have poor eyesight and this one is the best so far.
> ...


hi what miter is that watch is it 200m or more thank you very much woody77.


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## sparrow (Feb 7, 2009)

I've always found this to have an impressive lume - you've all gotta know what it is


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## woody77 (Jun 19, 2011)

sparrow said:


> I've always found this to have an impressive lume - you've all gotta know what it is


hi looks very good but do you have to have it in the light frist for it to work as the traser can in a box for weeks and get it out at night put it on and it works the same all the the time all the best woody77.


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## itsguy (Nov 16, 2009)

Don't know about 'the best', but works for me:










*Though no night light or anything, so no competition, just a nice clear dial is all...


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## DaveOS (May 9, 2010)

Only ordinary lume but this takes some beating


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## sparrow (Feb 7, 2009)

woody77 said:


> sparrow said:
> 
> 
> > I've always found this to have an impressive lume - you've all gotta know what it is
> ...


Wow, didnt realise the traser lume worked like that - impressive - sadly yes, i do still rely on sun, only a bit tho :angel_not:


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## woody77 (Jun 19, 2011)

Dave O said:


> Only ordinary lume but this takes some beating


hi seiko divers are very good i have few my self, but thay need light source to activate the and do go dull after some time imho, so if you take one out of the box and put it on at night it will not work very well and traser will as it needs no light source to activate and i like to know the time at night as i am always waking up ,and thay are very good for any one who works in a dark environment a lot and i know a lot of people in the miltary use them. all the best woody77.


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

Doesn't the light from the tritium gas in the tubes fade after about 10 years as it reaches its half-life of 12.5 years?.....


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## woody77 (Jun 19, 2011)

Roger the Dodger said:


> Doesn't the light from the tritium gas in the tubes fade after about 10 years as it reaches its half-life of 12.5 years?.....


hi one of my is old and it has not faded yet and its one of the lower cost ones to i think the tubes are better now days?, i have read some ware that it might happen. but a lot of watches do that with normal lum and more so if thay are in sun light a lot, only time will tell what will happen to tritium tubes all the best woody77.


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

Roger the Dodger said:


> Doesn't the light from the tritium gas in the tubes fade after about 10 years as it reaches its half-life of 12.5 years?.....


Correct on the half-life... http://www.mbmicrotec.com/en/technology/tritium

Half-life means that it decays to half so after 12.5 years you still have half the luminosity. After another period, you'll have half of what remains, so 1/4 of the original after 25 years. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half-life

...or so I'm told...


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

Kutusov said:


> Roger the Dodger said:
> 
> 
> > Doesn't the light from the tritium gas in the tubes fade after about 10 years as it reaches its half-life of 12.5 years?.....
> ...


Thanks, Renato...interesting links.


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## woody77 (Jun 19, 2011)

Kutusov said:


> Roger the Dodger said:
> 
> 
> > Doesn't the light from the tritium gas in the tubes fade after about 10 years as it reaches its half-life of 12.5 years?.....
> ...


hi thank you for the help with the tritium gas tubes that why my old traser still works well then. all the best woody77.


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## Alas (Jun 18, 2006)

woody77 said:


> Alas said:
> 
> 
> > Best watch for night reading for me is my Dievas Orange Chrono with Tritium tubes. I've tried loads of different ones as I have poor eyesight and this one is the best so far.
> ...


Hi there

You can usually pick them up second hand around Â£100-130 but no idea how much new. Screw down crown and screw down buttons for the chrone. 200 m WR and some come in PVD. I've tried casios, seiko, omega etc etc and find this the clearest and easiest to read so far.

Lume is not an option for me as while fine at say 1am, by the time 6am is reached the lume is dull and fuzzy due to my eyesight and that includes the torch like lumes of seiko etc.

The tritium gives a constant level of light that is easy for me to read. Each to their own.

Look about on the net as plenty of info about them. Dievas Diver Pro Chrono with ususlly a colour name - mine is Orange.

Cheers

Alasdair


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## funtimefrankie (Sep 8, 2009)

Well my Artego is brighter when charged and my balls look prettier but I have a soft spot for my Traser










It's the knowing that even if you haven't had it near a light source all day it will still see you through the night.

Frank


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## tall_tim (Jul 29, 2009)

funtimefrankie said:


> Well my Artego is brighter when charged and my balls look prettier but I have a soft spot for my Traser
> 
> Frank


Oh come on, no need!


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## GASHEAD (Aug 27, 2009)

I have a Lumtec which is pretty good, if not quite the miracle it is claimed to be.


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

I don't own non of these, but Vostok Europe is using Trigalight tritium tubes on the newer models:

The huge Caspian Sea Monster:










The also huge Anchar:










And the new Gas Limmo with the Seiko movement:










There are probably other models with GTLS tubes (the new N1s?).

Edit: just checked... the N1 uses superluminova so, AFAIK, the models above are the only ones so far with GTLS tubes. But VE is pretty set in the idea of having more models using this technology...


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## woody77 (Jun 19, 2011)

Kutusov said:


> I don't own non of these, but Vostok Europe is using Trigalight tritium tubes on the newer models:
> 
> The huge Caspian Sea Monster:
> 
> ...


hi thay all look nice what sort money are thay all the best woody77.


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## TikTok (Mar 26, 2006)

Marathon GSAR and Ball fireman for me.Both show no sign of dimming,

Ball says it's dead easy to swap in new tubes when the time comes


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

woody77 said:


> hi thay all look nice what sort money are thay all the best woody77.


About â‚¬400-ish for the Caspian Sea Monster and the Anchar, â‚¬300-ish for the Gaz 14. Btw, the movement on the

last two is an automatic Seiko NH25. Vostok 2432.01 on the Caspian Sea.


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## Odo (Mar 22, 2009)

This is my contribution, always makes me smile if I get up in the night as it's the only one I can see across the room glowing in it's watch box


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## funtimefrankie (Sep 8, 2009)

tall_tim said:


> funtimefrankie said:
> 
> 
> > Well my Artego is brighter when charged and my balls look prettier but I have a soft spot for my Traser
> ...


Nothing better than a pair of balls gowing side by side mate.


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

funtimefrankie said:


> Nothing better than a pair of balls gowing side by side mate.


Were you near Fukushima?


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## Joe Matthews (Aug 17, 2011)

Those Vostoks look really cool!

Anyone know of any retailers in the south of the UK?


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

Joe Matthews said:


> Those Vostoks look really cool!
> 
> Anyone know of any retailers in the south of the UK?


Those are not Vostoks but Vostok-Europe which is a different brand. You can try emailing the UK distributor... you can find his contact on VE official site: http://www.vostok-europe.com/

Mind you that the Ekranoplane and the Anchar are HUGE!! 48mm cases and 58mm from one lug end to the other! It's even bigger than a Zilla, so it's probably a very good idea to try one before buying!


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## Joe Matthews (Aug 17, 2011)

Kutusov said:


> Joe Matthews said:
> 
> 
> > Those Vostoks look really cool!
> ...


Oh okay thanks!

Although I didn't know they were so big! Know of any smaller models with a similar look? As I have quite small wrists, I can just about get away with a 40mm case :/


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

Joe Matthews said:


> Although I didn't know they were so big! Know of any smaller models with a similar look? As I have quite small wrists, I can just about get away with a 40mm case :/


40mm? Steer away from these then! Even the new Gaz-Limos are 45mm, bigger than the previous Dual Time versions (43 at those I think).

There aren't much options for a = or < 40mm diver watch with H3 tubes... The only one I can think of is the Zeppelin Tube Lights...




























It's a 40mm case but it doesn't have H3 tubes on the hands, which I think it's a big mistake... The hands have Superluminova C3 and we all know that the luminosity on the hands tend to last more but still I think it makes no sense.

Apart from that, I can only think on the Type 3 Trasers (and other's alike branded differently) which is not a diver watch (3ATM WR) but it's a 37mm watch.


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## Joe Matthews (Aug 17, 2011)

hmmmm, I am not so keen on the look of the smaller models and the trasers, but thanks a lot anyway for putting that post together! 

I noticed on their facebook page they have a revamped N1 range with the Tritium tubes coming out soon though


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

Joe Matthews said:


> I noticed on their facebook page they have a revamped N1 range with the Tritium tubes coming out soon though


46mm case... same as the non-H3 already out. Lugs seem pretty long too, although they curve down a bit...


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## Guest (Sep 7, 2011)

Kutusov said:


> Joe Matthews said:
> 
> 
> > Although I didn't know they were so big! Know of any smaller models with a similar look? As I have quite small wrists, I can just about get away with a 40mm case :/
> ...


The type 3 is one I have been looking at, I need a watch that can be veiwed easily day and night and in all conditions. I am not too fond of big divers watches and this one looks similar to the military style G10 watches (I also like the 24 hour on the face) Do they really last all night and in all conditions as advertised or is this just another sales ploy and come 5am its hold it under a torch or 3mm away from your face and guess?


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## Moustachio (Feb 3, 2011)

funnily enough I just took delivery of this










Love the little nuclear symbol on the dial, and the tritium works well.


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

robert75 said:


> Do they really last all night and in all conditions as advertised or is this just another sales ploy and come 5am its hold it under a torch or 3mm away from your face and guess?


Yes they do, they don't charge with light or anything else. You have a few links some posts back to how the H3 tubes work. It's a closed glass tube coated on the inside with phosphorescent powder and filled with tritium (H3), which is a Hydrogen isotope (so it's radioactive but many, many times below the safe limit). Isotopes are not stable, so they decay and H3 looses electrons. When the electrons hit the phosphorescent powder, it captures it and the energy evolved in that is released in the form of light.

It's a permanent process but not infinit... the Half-life Roger mentioned is the period of time where H3 decays by half and that's about 12,5 years. After that you have another period of 12,5 years of decay of the remaining isotops, so that's 1/4 of the original (and so forth).

Hope that helps..


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

Joe Matthews said:


> I noticed on their facebook page they have a revamped N1 range with the Tritium tubes coming out soon though


I've just had the heads up that those N1s are coming up in a couple of weeks:










I've asked around how big this really are and the general answer is that you can't really go with the dimensions. Lugs and end links are almost part of the bracelet itself, curving down a lot. Anyway, Irina Maier measured one for me and came up with 62mm (!!) lug to lug but you'll have to take into account that the endlinks are the binninig of 4.5mm thick bracelet. Also, the lugs curve so much that they end not on top of the wrist but already on the sides.

A fellow member from WUS said he has 6.5 inch wrist and can comfortably wear one. So I guess there's no way to figure out how one of these wears until you try one. X-Tmas is not so far away now...


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## Joe Matthews (Aug 17, 2011)

Kutusov said:


> Joe Matthews said:
> 
> 
> > I noticed on their facebook page they have a revamped N1 range with the Tritium tubes coming out soon though
> ...


That looks extra cool! I too have around a 6.5 inch wrist. Do you think you could get the person you mentioned to provide a picture wearing the watch? Just so I can see how it looks on a smaller wrist


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## Guest (Sep 8, 2011)

Thanks to all for the fantastic info on these watches. Been looking for a decent watch I can use day and night and was going to purchase a military one until I stumbled upon the Traser Type 3 and this seems to really fit the bill. By the way, anyone used the Tawatec? They seem to be top drawer for this. That Vostok Caspian looks the part, price on the other hand...........

Love the look of that Vostok Limo one though but thats a whole new thread......


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

Joe Matthews said:


> That looks extra cool! I too have around a 6.5 inch wrist. Do you think you could get the person you mentioned to provide a picture wearing the watch? Just so I can see how it looks on a smaller wrist


I was about to ask him that but he's selling it and I'm not buying (he's on the US, so with customs and VAT I would end up paying more than I would for a new one bought on the EU). So I don't want to keep bothering him...

Maybe if someone is a member of watchfreaks he could ask this guy? http://watchfreeks.com/view_topic.php?id=17628&forum_id=83 It's the only on-the-wrist photos I can find on the net...


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

robert75 said:


> Love the look of that Vostok Limo one though but thats a whole new thread......


Why? There's a tritium tube version of those...


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

Joe Matthews said:


> That looks extra cool! I too have around a 6.5 inch wrist. Do you think you could get the person you mentioned to provide a picture wearing the watch? Just so I can see how it looks on a smaller wrist


Cheers Joe, I think I figured out a way to have a proper feel for this thing... Here's a video of the N1 on Craig's (?) wrist....






And here's the same wrist with a Moscow Classic Vodolaz






I own two Vodolaz and I think my wrist is a little bit wider than Craig's (he gets one of the lugs just outside his wrist). Here's a photo of a Vodolaz on my wrist (sorry, I know it's a bad picture but the camera's battery is charging and I think you still can see how the watch sits on my wrist).










My wrist is about 7+, maybe 7.20/7.25. So I think the N1 seems quite big on paper but strangely enough it has a rather small footprint. The people I've contacted who have or sell these are all unanimous in saying that it's so curved that it fits quite well a small wrist.

One person I've contacted is a seller and official distributor of VE and what she suggested to me was ordering the watch, trying it and sending it back if I didn't like it or felt it was too big. So if you really want one of these but still have your doubts, maybe you can contact a seller and ask him if such an arrangement is possible.

Hope this helps!


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## Joe Matthews (Aug 17, 2011)

Kutusov said:


> Joe Matthews said:
> 
> 
> > That looks extra cool! I too have around a 6.5 inch wrist. Do you think you could get the person you mentioned to provide a picture wearing the watch? Just so I can see how it looks on a smaller wrist
> ...


You're a top bloke! That certainly looks wearable.I shall certainly go down the route you suggested when I am ready to purchase 

Although, I have recently also been tempted a few of the Lum-Tec watches. I like the sort of Bell&Ross look they have, but at a fraction of the price, and much better luminosity. (Although it's not as cool as Tritium!)

However a downside a lot of them have Quartz movements... And I don't really have the money at the moment to go for an Auto, sigh


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

I never owned an H3 watch but I've been thinking about this... what's really the point besides telling the time while you're in bed not wanting to turn the lights on and not having a digital alarm clock? I mean, if you find yourself in pitch black without a way to turn a light on you'll probably be in a lot of trouble and telling the time will be the least of your concerns...

I agree with Mach here, probably a better night watch will be a high-contrast full lume dial (so cream or white) with black hands and markers. Or simply a Timex Indiglo and you can get some very nice looking ones for less than 50 quid!

I confess I'm curious about tritium tubes but I guess they are pretty much a WIS things...


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## Joe Matthews (Aug 17, 2011)

To be honest I just like the idea of having something radioactive on my wrist!


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

Joe Matthews said:


> To be honest I just like the idea of having something radioactive on my wrist!


Ah, it's the Spider-Man syndrome then...


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## Guest (Sep 13, 2011)

Kutusov said:


> robert75 said:
> 
> 
> > Love the look of that Vostok Limo one though but thats a whole new thread......
> ...


Your kidding! I had no idea. I really like the look of some of those Vostok Europe watches. Quite a few of them are not too expensive either.


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

robert75 said:


> Your kidding! I had no idea. I really like the look of some of those Vostok Europe watches. Quite a few of them are not too expensive either.


All the new NH25s have H3 tubes. You said Gaz Limo, so I assume you are talking about these. The older dual time Gaz 14 (the smaller ones with two crowns) are all Superluminova versions.


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## Joe Matthews (Aug 17, 2011)

Kutusov said:


> Joe Matthews said:
> 
> 
> > To be honest I just like the idea of having something radioactive on my wrist!
> ...


And so I can see what the bloody time is in the cinema! (I go A LOT) My 2 watches are useless for that.


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

Joe Matthews said:


> And so I can see what the bloody time is in the cinema! (I go A LOT) My 2 watches are useless for that.


Indiglo, I tell you!...





































...and they don't break the bank.


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

I've been looking at this H3 watch thing and I found one that makes sense to me...














































It's a KHS Platoon and has a quartz and an auto version. The quartz is around â‚¬200, so it's among the cheapest H3 watches (Edit: Ronda quartz). Solid Steel and not plastic, Trigalight blue tubes and a decent size 42/43mm case.

It's a bit like the Traser Type 3 but bigger and so it can have proper tubes instead of "dots" as markers. I guess the KHS logo clutters the dial a bit and a sterile version would look better.


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## jmm1 (Aug 18, 2009)

woody77 said:


> hi my traser back from the watch maker just put it back on the hirsch trapper strap i have had it a nato and divers straps but think this looks best but it did cost me Â£36.00 some time ago ,now back to the question are traser the best analogue night reading watch out there? and strong water resistant to and imho looks good to if you like miltary divers look. i have this is the other one two all the best woody77.


What model number is the 2nd one please Woody.


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## woody77 (Jun 19, 2011)

jmm1 said:


> woody77 said:
> 
> 
> > hi my traser back from the watch maker just put it back on the hirsch trapper strap i have had it a nato and divers straps but think this looks best but it did cost me Â£36.00 some time ago ,now back to the question are traser the best analogue night reading watch out there? and strong water resistant to and imho looks good to if you like miltary divers look. i have this is the other one two all the best woody77.
> ...


hi sorry i do not know its not on the watch all the best woody77 its the only one i have seen.


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

It's an older version of P6504, isn't it?


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## woody77 (Jun 19, 2011)

Kutusov said:


> Joe Matthews said:
> 
> 
> > And so I can see what the bloody time is in the cinema! (I go A LOT) My 2 watches are useless for that.
> ...


hi two that do the same thing but you when you wake at night up or you doing somethike with your other hand when at work fishing ect at night thay are a pain imho all the best woody77














i know thay are not the best photos not a very good camera woody77.


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

woody77 said:


> hi two that do the same thing but you when you wake at night up or you doing somethike with your other hand when at work fishing ect at night thay are a pain imho all the best woody77
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I think Casio called their Indiglo version FoxFire in Japan and SuperIluminator on the other markets. I see your point for H3 watches now. I guess the alternative could be those Casios (and also Timex?) that light up with a flip of the wrist but probably not a good thing too if you are holding a fishing rod with both hands...


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

One of the first Casio Illuminators...this only lights up when you press a button.


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## funtimefrankie (Sep 8, 2009)

Kutusov said:


> funtimefrankie said:
> 
> 
> > Nothing better than a pair of balls gowing side by side mate.
> ...


It gets worse. I picked up a P5900 the other day. Not for me you understand but for herself as I think it's a bit small, not to mention the Devils crystallised love juice that powers it.... But the Bedroom I have to admit at night now is starting to glow like Fukushima with the Balls, Tracers, Artego and Seikos.... Mind you it will save a fortune on the electricity bill.....


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

funtimefrankie said:


> It gets worse. I picked up a P5900 the other day. Not for me you understand but for herself as I think it's a bit small, not to mention the Devils crystallised love juice that powers it.... But the Bedroom I have to admit at night now is starting to glow like Fukushima with the Balls, Tracers, Artego and Seikos.... Mind you it will save a fortune on the electricity bill.....


Radioactive looOOOoooveee :afro: ... now there's something I haven't tried yet. I'm still in the Dark Ages, with candles and all that (and that doesn't include Inquisition gear, in case you're wondering  )


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

Kutusov said:


> Joe Matthews said:
> 
> 
> > And so I can see what the bloody time is in the cinema! (I go A LOT) My 2 watches are useless for that.
> ...


Agreed, I have a Maratac/Timex far better than my Marathon Navigator


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

JoT said:


> Agreed, I have a Maratac/Timex far better than my Marathon Navigator


What's a Maratac/Timex? This one?


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## LJD (Sep 18, 2011)

I own a titanium traser .

Amazing watch, dive in it all the time and it has never skipped a beat .Lume is AMAZING

But..... only when its dark. Other watches . seikos etc are better when its still "dusk"

I find the Traser only performs well once the day light has gone .


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

LJD said:


> I own a titanium traser .
> 
> Amazing watch, dive in it all the time and it has never skipped a beat .Lume is AMAZING
> 
> ...


I don't own one but that seems to be the general opinion... I guess the best all-around watch would be a cream-white full lume dial with tritium tubes. You would have the best of both worlds: light dial for when there's not much light, lume for when it's dark but not pitch balck and the tritium tubes when all else fails. Is there such a thing?


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## woody77 (Jun 19, 2011)

hi this is good to a good size two all the best woody77,


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## woody77 (Jun 19, 2011)

hi one more with tritium good size 50mm .all the best woody77.


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## woody77 (Jun 19, 2011)




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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

No tubes but it doesn't half glow in the dark, makes me wonder what they use for lume and how safe it might or might not be

:lol: :lol:


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## Redd (Mar 11, 2011)

My pair of balls:










I've had brighter regular lumes, but they fade and do not compare to the Titium tubes over a night. The simpler layout of the Fireman II on the left is (by a distance) the best watch I've had for dark/night use. The Master Diver II is nice but more cluttered and therefore not as easy to read. Both have good water resistance, are 'very' well made and excellent value for money


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## Kutusov (Apr 19, 2010)

BondandBigM said:


> No tubes but it doesn't half glow in the dark, makes me wonder what they use for lume and how safe it might or might not be


You're safe... you know how Russian protect themselves against radiation with plenty of Vodka :russian: :lol:


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

Kutusov said:


> BondandBigM said:
> 
> 
> > No tubes but it doesn't half glow in the dark, makes me wonder what they use for lume and how safe it might or might not be
> ...


:lol: :lol:


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