The modern-day Milspec timepiece
Luminox watches have long been synonymous with rugged, tough, and reliable tool watches. Along with Milspec, Navy Seals, and of course an outstanding illumination system as well. Luminox was founded in 1989 by watch industry veteran Barry Cohen with the goal to bring “cutting-edge luminescence and readability in its line of high-performance sports watches.” And that is what the brand is most known for, a self-powered lighting system that doesn’t require a charge or activation, it is always there (for a good 25 years or so). Luminox calls it the LLT (Luminox light technology) and it consists of tiny glass valves containing tritium gas which naturally glows thanks to its radioactive properties. It is safe of course; the radioactive properties of tritium aren’t as penetrative as its predecessor Radium and being stored in glass vials means that it is isolated from exposure. So, with a reliable and long-lasting light source from a decaying isotope, rugged and dependable build quality, and of course being Swiss-made, Luminox watches are the perfect outdoors watch for the adventurers in all of us.
With such a rich and rigorous (to say the least) history under its belt, the brand has had its fair share of big-name collaborations. From celebrity special editions such as its most current (and striking) Bear Grylls collaboration special editions, to properly tactical and functional Milspec pieces done in collaboration with none other than the US Navy SEALS. Whether you’re looking for your first Luminox or are looking to add another into your collection, it can be daunting to browse through the brand’s immense catalog, which is why we’re here today.
To help you make that decision less headache-inducing, we’ve come up with a list of our top 10 best Luminox watches that you can get for your collection regardless of whether it’s your first rodeo or if you’re already a seasoned customer.
LUMINOX BEAR GRYLLS SURVIVAL LAND LM3797KM MEN'S WATCH
Kicking off the top of our list is a rather charming and appropriate collaboration piece, the Luminox Bear Grylls survival land LM3797KM. Bear Grylls is a man who needs no introductions, a former decorated lieutenant colonel in the SAS, and now a TV survivalist personality. The watches in this collection are a celebration of the man’s values (such as his ‘Never give up’ motto which is printed on the case backs of the watches and his trademark tent logo as well as orange accents decorating the watches as well. The one we have today is a field chronograph that comes on a rather unique para-cord strap (a spare rubber strap is included too for those of you who may not like a fabric strap). A tachymeter scale measuring walking speed rings the periphery of the bezel while the olive-green textured dial adds a thematic punch of colour to the otherwise stealthy full black timepiece. The watch is rated to a water resistance of 200m and is cased in a lightweight and sturdy Carbonox case as well. Being a Luminox, it is undoubtedly a reliable and incredibly functional field watch that will easily survive the great outdoors and is the perfect tool when you need it. Though the chances of it finding itself in a survivalist situation is slim, it is a compelling way of enjoying the adventurer star’s exploits on the wrist for enthusiasts around.
Case material: Lightweight and sturdy Carbonox+
Colour: Olive-green and black
Water resistance: 200m
Suitable for: A reliable outdoor watch that’s perfect for the urban and modern adventurer
LUMINOX ICE SAR ARCTIC LM1203 MEN'S WATCH
The next watch on our list is also another appropriate collaboration piece, the Luminox ICE-SAR Arctic LM1203. The watch is designed and made in collaboration with and for the Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue (ICE-SAR for short). This LM1203 is a serious tool watch, there’s no getting around that, but in a nice cool blue case and a nicely decorated dial featuring one of the hemispheres, it certainly gives the enthusiast a lot more to look at. Spidery lugs which look as though they were inspired by the ice tools and equipment used by the men and women of the ICE-SAR. The watch still retains legibility despite the decorated dial and is still a proper performance tool watch built to survive the harsh environments of the arctic cold, though the chances of us finding ourselves in a situation like that is relatively slim, it’s still nice to know that the watch strapped on your wrist is capable of that. If you’re looking for a Luminox that retains the spirit of the Milspec tool watch but with a more eye-catching and modern design, the LM1203 is certainly your best bet.
Case material: Carbonox
Colour: Blue
Water resistance: 200m
Suitable for: A tough as nails tool watch with a unique design and rugged dependability.
LUMINOX BEAR GRYLLS SURVIVAL LM3723 MEN'S WATCH
Our second Bear Grylls collaboration timepiece, and certainly not the last. The Bear Grylls collection is full of gems and this is another one, the LM3723 diver from the Sea Series. With a more conventional-looking diver’s bezel and a much more conventional dial layout (albeit with Bear’s trademark tent logo and a bisected dial in grey and black), it is a very different Luminox from what we’re used to. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Luminox has made dive watches in the past (and almost all of them retaining the traditional Luminox design DNA) so its refreshing to see a different take on a Luminox diver in the form of a more traditional yet modern looking dive watch. The watch is cased in Luminox’s proprietary Carbonox compound, with a reliable Swiss Ronda quartz caliber and measures in at a nifty 42mm in diameter. Now I know some enthusiasts will be crying foul that a diver like this is powered by a quartz caliber but I think that’s what gives the watch its personality. Luminox has always made watches for the toughest people on earth, front-liners, law enforcement officers, and military specialists, so its only practical for a watch that will be placed in the harshest of conditions be powered by a stable and reliable quartz caliber. It is undoubtedly a proper professional tool watch, and the brilliant thing about it is that it’s a true dive watch that you can easily wear every day.
Case material: Carbonox
Colour: Black
Water resistance: 200m
Suitable for: A modern diver perfect for daily wear
LUMINOX BEAR GRYLLS SURVIVAL MASTER LM3741 MEN'S WATCH
And the last of our Bear Grylls collaboration pieces is the Survival Master LM3741, with a very optimistic and marketable name, the watch looks and feels like a proper survival tool. Perhaps the most useful tool on the watch that you can use if you were in a theoretical survivalist situation, has to be the detachable compass on the strap. Which as with every other design cue on the watch, adds to the watch’s personality as well, though if you don’t like the look of the compass sticking out of your watch, you can opt to simply remove it by sliding it off the strap. The watch itself is rather imposing, coming in at 45mm in diameter with 24mm wide straps though despite its large size, thanks to the Carbonox+ case, it is relatively light at only 98g and is also rated to a water resistance of 300m. Inside the case is a Swiss Ronda quartz split-seconds chronograph movement powering the watch, and with an estimated 50 months of battery life, is certainly one of the better movements out there in the scheme of quartz calibers. The dial despite all the information displayed is still highly legible thanks to its large bold hands and numerals (both generously lumed with Tritium valves) for equal legibility when the light goes out. All in all, the LM3741 is a dependable professional tool watch that will happily follow you in all your adventures and still look good doing so.
Case material: Carbonox+
Colour: Black
Water resistance: 300m
Suitable for: A rugged and true modern field watch perfect for all your adventures.
LUMINOX DRESS FIELD LM1832 MEN'S WATCH
The LM1832 Dress field watch is (as though you couldn’t tell by the name already) the most conventional and simple looking timepiece we have today. Simple by Luminox’s standards at least, its no dress watch but rather, a dressy sports watch, able to be worn from the field to the board room. And with a robust, satin-finished stainless steel case and a simple black dial, 3 hands, applied indexes, and an unobtrusive 42mm in diameter, it certainly fits the bill nicely. Powered by a reliable Swiss Ronda quartz caliber, the LM1832, like any Luminox out there, is a handsome, and reliable piece of kit. I would’ve preferred to see some polished finishes to contrast with the satin finish but it does add to the overall ‘Field’ vibe of the watch since it’s supposed to be in between a field watch and a dress watch. The bracelet certainly feels more sporty than dressy to me, and though it may not add to the dressiness of the watch that Luminox was going for, it certainly complements it with its sportiness and ruggedness too. Legibility, like practically every Luminox, is great, with bold hands and applied indexes both with Tritium valves perched on top of them for that trademark self-powered luminous glow. All in all, if you’re looking for steel sports watch with a distinct vibe, the Luminox Dress Field LM1832 should be right up your alley.
Case material: Stainless Steel
Colour: Silver
Water resistance: 200m
Suitable for: A versatile, and refined daily wear sports watch
LUMINOX NAVY SEAL LM3501GOLD.SET MEN'S WATCH
Being the official watch license of the Navy Seals is no small feat, and to equip the toughest men in the world, means you have the create the toughest equipment in the world. The brand has certainly built that reputation for itself, and its Navy Seals range of watches are a testament to that. The LM3501GOLD.SET is a different kind of watch from the tough no-nonsense tool watches that the brand is so known for. Granted, it still is a tool watch make no mistakes, with its typical Luminox ultra-lightweight and hard Carbonox case, bright tritium valves for night visibility, and bold markers and hands for immediate legibility as well. But with a touch of gold, the watch transforms, from a watch that you can (and would) wear out in the field, to one that you can wear every day without having to think about it. This particular Gold set-piece is limited to 1618 pieces worldwide and features the insignia of the Navy Seals on the case back as well. For the enthusiasts who think that the LM3501GOLD.SET has become a ‘fashion’ watch thanks to the touch of gold that changes the personality of the watch completely, just look at it this way. The Luminox watches that we featured here are all tool watches that you can wear every day, the LM3501GOLD.SET is an everyday watch that you can use as a tool.
Case material: Carbonox
Colour: Black
Water resistance: 200m
Suitable for: For a bold, tough and refined daily wear
LUMINOX RECON TEAM LEADER CHRONOGRAPH LM8841KM.SET MEN'S WATCH
The Luminox Recon Team leader chronograph LM8841KM.SET is a field military watch that addresses the need for a field watch that can not only reliably tell the time, but able to help you determine your location and position as well. And in terms of tools and functions, this watch packs one hell of a punch. It features a chronograph, alarm, date, compass rimmed bezel for determining your bearings even when the sun is not visible as well as a tachymeter scale to measure walking speeds. If you’ve been in the Army and have been a Recce, you’d definitely love a watch like this during training. And even if you’re not, it’s still a superb tool watch to have. Being a Luminox, night visibility is, of course, the brand’s specialty though this one comes with a neat bonus, using super luminova along the tachymeter scale as well as Tritium valves on the hands, hour markers, and bezel pip to ensure that all the information that you need, is readily visible when you need it. Though the odds of the watch getting thrown in at the deep end along with you behind enemy lines are rather slim, it’s still nice to know that it will be able to survive all of your life’s adventures and still look fantastic doing it.
Case material: Carbon compound
Colour: Black
Water resistance: 20 atm
Suitable for: For a rugged weekend adventure watch
LUMINOX SXC PC CARBON LM5127 MEN'S WATCH
Aside from the dress field watch mention earlier, this might be one of the most unconventional Luminox sports watches in the list. The LM5127, in Carbonox and stainless steel. The LM5127 is a collaboration piece done in partnership with XCOR Aerospace technologies, which for those not in the know, is an American private spaceflight and rocket engine development firm. So Luminox now, not only makes watches to survive the harshest environments on earth, but in space too. Rather appropriately, the watch features a handy GMT complication, for astronauts in space who can only know what the time is from their clocks or watches, having an indicator of whether it is day or night back at home on your wrist is an indispensable feature. The design of the timepiece is very futuristic, and though it is very different from the Luminox designs we’re used to, it is still unmistakably very Luminox. Featuring a sleek black Carbonox case, stainless steel bezel, simple uncluttered dial layout with bold numerals and markers, along with a 24-hour ring on the inner flange for the GMT complication, its certainly a good look for what the Luminox of the 22nd century could potentially look like. If you’re in the market for a Luminox and are looking for something that’s a bit more left field, and yet still carries the brand’s ethos properly, the LM5127 is certainly a good contender.
Case material: Stainless Steel and Carbonox
Colour: Black
Water resistance: 200m
Suitable for: A modernly unique tool watch design
LUMINOX ATACAMA FIELD LM1925 MEN'S WATCH
Of all the watches today, that are field watches (and mind you there are a lot), this is the one that fits that term the most in the traditional sense. Well visually at least, this is the Luminox Atacama Field LM1925. You don’t name a watch after one of the harshest and driest deserts on earth if you don’t intend for it to be brought to harsh environments, or at the very least, as a daily field watch. The LM1925 strays away from the traditional bold and striking designs that the brand is so known for and opts for a more, conventional (albeit still large and bold) field watch design. With a rounded case, bold blocky numerals, and simple matte black dial, the watch has an almost spartan approach in its design, and I think that was the point. It’s a simple and reliable tool watch that certainly fits the bill very nicely, throw-in, and added day-date complications for added practicality and it’s the perfect everyday beater. The riveted camel brown strap adds a touch of vintage charm, whereas the stealthy black PVD stainless steel case ups the tactical ante up to 11. Powering the watch is of course, a reliable Swiss Ronda quartz caliber which adds to the otherwise no-nonsense tool watch personality of the LM1925. All in all, if you’re looking for a reliable, practical field watch to accompany you in the jungle or just a simple, dependable everyday beater, the LM1925 is certainly the right watch for you.
Case material: Stainless Steel
Colour: Black
Water resistance: 20 atm
Suitable for: A classic, rugged tool watch design perfect for every day wear
LUMINOX LEATHERBACK SEA TURTLE GIANT LM0321BO MEN'S WATCH
Last and certainly not least on our list is the Luminox Leatherback Sea Turtle Giant LM0321BO, the name is certainly a mouthful, but this is the most affordable watch we have on our list today coming in at well under $400. For a Mil spec, Swiss-made tool watch, this sounds like one hell of a deal, but how will it actually stack up in the real world? Let’s find out. On paper everything checks out nicely, the watch is cased in Luminox’s proprietary Carbonox making it incredibly lightweight and very durable too, it is also powered by a reliable Ronda quartz caliber, nothing to shout about but it certainly won’t give you anything to complain about too. Luminox also fitted it with its trademark Tritium valves on the hands and on every ten-minute marker too for that true Luminox feel. As the name implies, this is a dive watch and a properly good one at that, with a uni-directional rotating bezel with a lume pip at 12 O’clock too. One might argue against the practicality of a blacked-out dive watch, to which I will respond; You’re absolutely right, but the watch is available in a slew of different colours, so just pick the one that works for you and you’re good to go. If my previous reviews haven’t already given it away, I’m a fan of more monochromatic watches so this one is definitely up my alley. And for a tool watch that you can depend on and put on day in and day out without thinking about it, the LM0321 will certainly not let you down.
Case material: Carbonox
Colour: Black
Water resistance: 100m
Suitable for: A calssic daily wear tool watch
Mil-spec tool watches for everybody?
They may not be watches for everybody, but they’re certainly charming and have deservedly garnered themselves a loyal fan base own a Luminox for now, but after handling the lot that we have today, I think I ought to get one, one day. Their designs are bold, and they’re tough as nails, whether you’re wearing them as an everyday beater or as an operator behind enemy lines, its always nice to know that that piece of kit strapped on your wrist is easily capable of surviving whatever adventures you’re up to, and it’ll be very happy doing it. Besides, even if you aren’t using Luminox watches to the extremes of their capacities, they’re still really fun and charming watches to have.
