Luminescent watches hold a certain appeal for men and boys alike. While boys are attracted to the great possibility of the watches becoming a coveted toy among his friends, men will want these watches for their status symbol and practical values. Perhaps, men also love glow-in-the-dark watches because it brings back fond memories of their own boyhood.
No matter the reason for the attraction between men and luminescent wristwatches, each watch operates on similar principles – phosphorescence and movement. This article will briefly discuss these two workings behind your favorite luminescent watch.
Phosphorescence Explained
Luminescent watches work on the principle of phosphorescence, which is basically the delayed emission of radiation from the surface of the object following absorption of energy from a light source. Unlike the nearly instantaneous on-off nature of fluoresce, phosphorescent light takes minutes to manifest itself.
However, even when the light source is taken away, phosphorescent light continues to glow for several more minutes. For your favorite luminescent watch, the hands and the numbers are coated with phosphorescent materials, which accounts for their glow-in-the-dark properties men and boys love to look at.
Applications on Watches
Nowadays, luminescent watches have two types of phosphoresce applied on their surfaces. First, the dial and watch hands are sprayed with phosphorescent paint that tends to fade away after only a few hours of usage in dark conditions. Recharging must then be done by exposure to a bright light source.
Second, phosphorescent paint is often combined with a stable form of H3 Tritium gas to provide illumination for the dial as well as the minute and second hands. This is the latest in phosphorescent technology as applied to watches, which produces 50X to 100X brighter lights than its traditional counterpart. Even when the luminescent watch is used for several hours in dark conditions, the light will still shone bright with little need for recharging the morning after.
Movement of Watches
Just like their non-luminescent counterparts, watches with phosphorescent properties come in two basic forms of movement – analog quartz and mechanical. Pros and cons are inherent in both types of luminescent watches so your final choice often boils down to personal preference.
On one hand, analog quartz watches have integrated circuits powered by a tiny battery. The oscillating quartz divide the time into such accurate measurements that the annual variation only amounts to one minute – or less than one second a day. The high degree of accuracy is also attributed to the high frequency of vibrations at 32 kHz.
You have the choice between analog display and digital display. However, many watches now combine these two displays in one unit.
On the other hand, mechanical watches are made up of more than 130 parts divided into three main components – the source of energy, the controlling parts and the display. The spring’s ideal constant tension is maintained either by wrist movements or by manual winding.
With advances in technology, fortunately, you need not be made to choose between the two movements. You will find luminescent watches that blend these technologies, thus, producing the self-winding mechanical watch with the precision of a quart watch. Now, that is really a toy for the big boys!