• Graduate
    8 May 2018, 5:47 p.m.

    /site_media/ckeditor_images/95a2ca7577a79a4a512462ebf2ff5aa1.jpegI’ve been using my exquisite IW379901 Top Gun for the better part of a year now. Amazing piece! One thing that has occured to me however, is that the lume is rather short lived. Right after being worn in sun light or in bright indoor lighting, the lume really lights up well. However, the lume fades quite fast right after it comes into a dim/dark environment. Is there any way of servicing the lume to be brighter?

  • Master
    8 May 2018, 6:58 p.m.

    From my experience I can say that:
    Lume appears very bright when first brought into the dark and then appears to fade. Once it has faded, it will glow at the same intensity for some hours. 
    Once your eyes are accustomed to the dark, you will see it. 

    My pilot watches are are still glowing when sometimes I wake up at 4am. 
    The lume is made to glow moderately through the night. Not shine brightly. 

  • Connoisseur
    9 May 2018, 7:28 a.m.

    Can only agree with Mark! My 5002 shines very bright and fades darker after some time, but I still can read the time around 5am.

  • Graduate
    9 May 2018, 6:22 p.m.

    Thank you for your fast and interesting replies! I actually never considered the aspect of the eyes adapting to the dark in relation to the lume. I still believe the lume on this particular piece fades a tad to quickly and too dim though. So to your knowledge there is nothing to really be done service-wise? 

  • Master
    9 May 2018, 6:28 p.m.

    The lume nowadays is SuperLuminova or one of its derivates.
    It is non-radioactive and therefore harmless.
    It is turned on by light that falls upon it and there is rather long afterglow in the dark.
    Unless for Radium and Tritium there is no half time and therefore its performance is very persistent.
    So, in general re-lume will not bring a better result.
    Regards,
    Adrian,
    (alwaysiwc).

  • Master
    10 May 2018, 8:50 p.m.

    Here's the Lume on the Carlson Doppel, not the best.....................

    i28.photobucket.com/albums/c236/nad1/Doppel/IMG_6327.jpg

  • Master
    10 May 2018, 11:26 p.m.
  • Graduate
    12 May 2018, 8:12 p.m.
  • Graduate
    12 May 2018, 8:13 p.m.
  • Apprentice
    22 May 2018, 8:16 a.m.

    Could you show us a picture of your Carlson Doppel with light?
    I absolutely love this rare watch.

    Thanks, Flurin

  • Graduate
    22 May 2018, 9:18 p.m.

    I wish the lume on my 3950 was brighter.
    Disappointing that it's about the same as my D-Blue DSSD which isn't particularly bright.
    With such large surface areas on the hands, IWC can do better. The thin hands on my Panerai 275 were much more impressive.