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Review of the Best Luminous Watches With the Brightest Lumes to Tell Time in the Dark

Walking down a dark and gloomy street?

Trying to see the times on your wristwatch?

Then you must have known the feeling called “I wish this watch could glow!”

That’s why for these cases, you will need a good luminous watch.

Table of contents

But how could you pick one up that could satisfy your needs?

Don’t worry, that’s what I will help you solve in this guide.

And today, I will show you the best luminous watches that will definitely surprise you.

AT A GLANCE: MY TOP 6 PICKS FOR THE BEST LUMINOUS WATCHES
  1. MY TOP PICK: TAG Heuer WAZ1110.BA0875 Stainless Steel Watch
  2. BUDGET-FRIENDLY PICK: Seiko SKX007J1 Automatic Diver’s Watch
  3. Marathon Watch GSAR Swiss Made WW194006USMC
  4. FOR THE LADIES: Citizen Women’s Eco-Drive Watch EW1676-52D
  5. Citizen Men’s Eco-Drive Navihawk Atomic Timekeeping JY8035-04E
  6. Bulova Men’s 96B175 Precisionist Stainless Steel Watch

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Are Luminous Watches Radioactive?

Actually, they are.

But with a tiny amount that can not affect our health.

You can read more about radioactive substances in watches on the website of the Federal Office for Radiation Protection.

Are They Safe to Use?

They are safe for your everyday uses.

Except if you accidentally break the wristwatch and inhale parts of it inside you.

Best Luminous Watches – Quick Comparison

Product imageProduct nameEditor's ratingPrice
TAG Heuer Mens WAZ1110.BA0875 Stainless Steel WatchTAG Heuer Men's WAZ1110.BA0875 Stainless Steel Watch[usr 4.9]cta
Seiko SKX007J1 Analog Japanese-Automatic Black Rubber Divers WatchSeiko SKX007J1 Analog Japanese-Automatic Black Rubber Diver's Watch[usr 4.9]cta
Marathon Watch GSAR Swiss Made Military Issue Divers Automatic WatchMarathon Watch GSAR Swiss Made Military Issue Diver's Automatic Watch WW194006USMC[usr 4.8]cta
Citizen Womens Eco-Drive Watch with Date, EW1676-52DCitizen Women's Eco-Drive Watch with Date, EW1676-52D[usr 4.8]cta
Citizen Mens Eco-Drive Navihawk Atomic Timekeeping Watch, JY8035-04ECitizen Men's Eco-Drive Navihawk Atomic Timekeeping Watch, JY8035-04E[usr 4.7]cta
Bulova Mens 96B175 Precisionist Stainless Steel WatchBulova Men's 96B175 Precisionist Stainless Steel Watch[usr 4.7]cta

Reviews of the Top 6 Luminous Watches For Your Shopping Needs

#1. Best Choice: TAG Heuer WAZ1110.BA0875 Men’s Watch

TAG Heuer WAZ1110.BA0875
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TAG Heuer WAZ1110.BA0875 is the best luminous dial watches that we would like to show you in the first place!

So, what are the specials about this watch?

Well, this TAG Heuer watch is made of stainless steel, which is super durable and also has a luxury look. The stainless steel band could be securely locked with a fold-over clasp. And around the synthetic sapphire crystal window is a unidirectional ion-plated bezel and crown.

What about the luminous elements? 

What will glow in this TAG Heuer is its two luminous hour and minute hands. There is also a date window right next to the three o’clock mark so that you can keep check of the current date.

This WAZ1110.BA0875 uses the Quartz movement to ensure greater accuracy with little maintenance compared to watched using mechanical movement. It is also water-resistant of no more than 200m deep underwater!

But if you are a big face watches fan, then this TAG Heuer might not be the one for you since its crystal seems to be a bit small.

Pros:

Cons:

  • A small face watch, though

#2. Most Affordable Luminous Watch: Seiko SKX007J1 Black Rubber Watch

Seiko SKX007J1
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We know that not everyone could afford up to one thousand bucks for a wristwatch. But if you still want to look for one of the top luminous watches with an affordable price, we have a recommendation for you:

Yes, the Seiko SKX007J1 rubber watch!

This watch is imported from Japan, comes in a silver stainless steel case secured by a heavy black resin strap and tang clasp. The rubber strap helps hold the watch tightly on your wrist.

About the crystal, it is made of Hardlex mineral, which is much less likely to be scratched. Inside placed a date screen of optional Japanese or English date display, glowing arrow hands, and hours markers. There are also minute markers outside the crystal, right on the blacktop bezel.

This classic analog wristwatch comes with a screw-down dial for a more compact and sporty look.

But it is because of this sporty design or the import part; some users said that they hear unexpected rattle noises when they shake the watch.

Pros:

Cons:

  • Unexpected rattle noises

#3. Highest Quality Luminous Watch: Marathon WW194006 GSAR Watch

Marathon Watch WW194006
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Do you notice anything special from the name of this Marathon watch?

Well, if you do not know what GSAR means, then it is short for Government Search and Rescue. That is exactly why this watch’s qualification is so outstanding!

The Marathon WW194006 is actually a dive watch, which was built in ISO 6425 standards for GSAR or marine divers to endure the most intense conditions. This also explains its exceptional water-resistant ability of up to 300m underwater, where the pressure is about 30 atm!

The wristwatch is made of 316L stainless steel with a sapphire glass crystal, which could limit both scratches and light reflection on the screen.

So, where are the luminescent elements?

The most exciting fact about this watch is that it uses self-illuminating Tritium gas to give us a better vision in the dark. As you can see, the gas is inside the small tubes in the markers and pointing hands.

So, this must be the perfect watch for your next adventure: glowing, strong, durable, and also waterproof! Best luminous men’s watches ever!

However, this military watch is not so affordable. With the price of above one thousand dollars, this Marathon WW194006 might not suit everyone’s budget!

Pros:

Cons:

  • A bit high-priced

#4. Best Ladies Luminous Watch: Citizen EW1676-52D Women Watch

Citizen Womens EW1676-52D
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Now, we will temporarily leave these glowing men watches to a side and find the best ladies’ luminous watches.

What do you think about this Citizen EW1676-52D rose gold watch?

As you can see, this watch is made with a universal silhouette that would suit everyone!

Citizen uses the most basic yet durable material for the case making – yes, these shiny stainless steel! Around the mineral crystal window is an iridescent rose gold bezel, with dial and luminescent pointing hands. In the three o’clock area, there is also a date window, although it is a bit small for us to see anything.

This Citizen is waterproof, but only for shallow water or swimming pool. It must be one of the best luminous watches under 200 that you can find on the market!

Anyway, the small face of this watch could give you an elegant look, but it also results in hard time-reading. Moreover, the iridescent bezel is complained by users that they received yellow gold – not rose gold watch.

Pros:

  • Giftable
  • Good quality
  • Inexpensive
  • Come in fashionable rose gold color

Cons:

  • Hard to read due to small watch face
  • Color might change according to the light source

#5. Waterproof Luminous Watch: Citizen JY8035-04E Men’s Watch

Citizen Mens JY8035-04E
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In case you are looking for a good diving watch but the one thousand bucks Marathon is too much for your budget, then consider this:

The Citizen JY8035-04E Atomic Timekeeping watch, which is only one fourth the price of the military piece!

This watch comes with a synthetic resin band, a hidden-clasp closure (strange, right?), and a black stainless steel case.

At first sight, you can see that this watch is not really easy to watch. It has so many features! This is both an advantage and disadvantage of the Citizen JY8035-04E.

Since there is a lot going on under the crystal, we can not go through them one by one for you. The detailed product feature is everywhere on the Internet, and we hope that you can figure out which dial is used to do what!

Some functions of this Citizen JY8035-04E is charged by solar power. So remember to give your watch a sunbath sometimes so that it can work properly.

This versatile glowing watch is also waterproof. So generally, it is suitable for almost water sports except scuba diving, which goes really deep under the sea.

Pros:

Cons:

  • Hard to read

#6. Best Luminous Watch under $500 for Men: Bulova 96B175 Men’s Watch

Bulova Mens 96B175
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So, can you think of a watch that balances out all the pros and cons of those watches above?

An affordable, high-quality, and have multiple functions one?

Well, actually there is one: the Bulova 96B175 Precisionist Chronograph watch!

Bulova is an American brand founded in 1875. The company’s precisionist chronograph watch completely inherits its quality to be a good time-keeper.

The Bulova 96B175 is a simple stainless steel wristwatch, which can sustain the water pressure down under 300 meters in the sea. It is designed in an elaborate style with four chronographs under the crystal.

Moreover, one of these chronographs is remarkably refined with a timing accuracy of up to one-thousandth of a second!

A significant drawback of this Bulova chronograph watch is that it is a bit too bulky! It weighs 14.4 ounces, with a case diameter of around 46mm. If you are not into big face watches, then this might not be the best luminous watch for you.

Pros:

Cons:

  • Big and heavy

Other interesting watches you might like:

Factors To Look For When Buying Luminous Watches

best luminous watches

If you want to look for a suitable luminous watch online or at the store, these are some essential factors that you should consider:

Style

The first question that you’d better ask yourself:

Which is the wristwatch style that you want?

On the market, there are watches of several different sizes, shapes, colors, and materials. To find the best luminous watch, you must decide if you want a vintage, luxury, casual, or a sporty wristwatch.

Consider your everyday uses of the watch:

If you are an athlete, go for the sporty watch. If you are a successful entrepreneur, then take the luxury one. Normal people like us should choose the casual or vintage style so that the watch will go well with any outfits of ours.

Type of the watch

These are two main types of watches out there:

The digital watches and analog watches. Most of the luxury brands are making analog watches to provide their customers with the most classic yet high-end accessories.

But we are living in the technology era where digital watches are rising. Sport or casual watches are usually digital to keep track of user’s health as well as social media.

The use

Well, as its name says, this factor completely depends on your preference.

What you use the watch for?

If you are a diver, you need the waterproof or even the military watch on your wrist. Trainers will need something with a lot of accurate chronographs to test their athletes. And for students, they’d better take a simple and classic analog watch with a single feature: counting time.

Material

Do you know that your watch’s material can not only decide its visual appearance but also directly affect its durability?

You will find some common materials they use to make watches, such as stainless steel for the case, anti-reflective crystal glass, leather, or rubber for the bracelet.

Waterproof

These days, almost every watch is water-resistant.

We only want to say that if you are into diving, you need to find a reliable watch that can sustain both water and water pressure. A depth limitation of around two or three hundred meters should be enough!

Size

This is not only about the size of the strap.

You should also consider if you want a small or big face wristwatch. For people with smaller wrists circumference, they should choose a watch with both small face and shorter straps.

But if you prefer big face watches, you can still buy them and ask the seller to leave out some pieces on the band. This only works with metal watches, since they will remove the tiny stick that holds the adjacent pieces together to shorten the band.

Brand

You should also look for prestige brands in the wristwatch industry to make sure that you have the best watch!

Switzerland and Japanese are two famous countries in making the most beautiful and durable watches for both sexes. But there is a lot of replica and fake products of their watches on the market. Be careful when buying your next wristwatch!

The power source

There are four main power sources for a wristwatch:

  • Quartz: run by batteries, in case you need more detailed information about it, here is the Wikipedia explanation for Quartz clock.
  • Mechanical: the old-school manual winding watch
  • Solar: green power, take the energy directly from the sun
  • Automatic: self-winding

Overall, the Quartz wristwatches are the most popular among all. They also require the least maintenance fees compared to other types of watches.

Luminosity

As we said before, carrying an extra light source will be somewhat bothersome. A watch that can shine itself in the dark would be much cooler (and more convenient). This is also the main topic of our discussion today!

Weight

Well, the material can also affect the feeling of the watch on your wrist too. Watches that use leather as straps are always lighter than stainless steel pieces.

Since you will need to wear the watch all day, go find a watch that feels comfortable on your wrist!

Further Reading: Why are display watch hands set to 10:10?

Benefits Of Owning A Luminous Watch 

Oh, you might think:

Who needs a watch when you already had a phone?

Well, not necessarily. You should still own a phone and a wristwatch at the same time. Let’s find out why:

Convenient

The very first benefit: watches are much more convenient than mobile phones or any other way of time-checking.

Well, it is kind of obvious. The watch is on your wrist, so you can check it anytime, anywhere, publicly, or sneakily. Especially if you are somewhere which forbid the appearance of smartphones, such as an examination room, you will definitely need the help of a watch to keep the time on the check.

Or if you are an athlete, trainer, or runner, isn’t it be bothersome to stop your training and take out the phone every time you want to see the clock? A wristwatch will be much more convenient!

Stay away from the screen

We all know what we do after checking the time on the phone, right?

Do you browse Facebook? Reply to messages? Check Instagram? The screen is tempting, and you should always try your best not to spend useless time on it. Having a watch will reduce the short periods of screen time after everywhen you check the time on the phone.

Fashion accessory

From long ago, a beautiful wristwatch is a great fashion accessory not only for women but also for men.

There are many types of stylish watches for you to choose from. Luxury, classy, casual, etc., there are a variety of stunning watches on the market that you should take a look!

Great watches you should consider:

FAQ’s

How can my watch glow in the dark?

A: Your watch’s hands and markers are covered by luminescent paint, which can absorb light and then release it in the dark so that we can see.

Does this glow last forever?

A: No. Shining time depends on the material used to be the luminous element on the watch, but no, it does not last forever.

Is the price affect the luminescence?

A: Not really. The watch that glows brightest must not be the best one. And also, the most expensive watch must not be the one that glows longest. It depends on your maintenance.

How long does the light on the luminescence watch last?

A: After a short exposure to direct light for more about ten minutes, the watch can glow for the next three to five hours in the dark. This is much longer compared to other conventional luminescent paint.

Can I take them to the swimming pool?

A: Yes, if your watch can sustain a certain amount of water. Some watches are only waterproof to rain, so read the description carefully! If you have an unlimited watch budget, you may want to consider a Rolex, or a more reasonably priced Invicta.

Conclusion

Above are our top 6 best luminous watches for your shopping needs and some further discussion on how to choose the best one!

Have you learned anything helpful?

If you have any questions would like to ask about buying a luminous watch; please comment below to let us know!

Thank you for reading! You may also be interested in checking out the Invicta brand of watches.