Glow-in-the-Dark Watches: 5 Timepieces That Light Up the Night
OMEGA
In 2019, the very first Ultra Deep prototype watches made history when they reached the deepest point on Earth. Following that World Record dive into the Mariana Trench, Omega transformed the technology into a 6,000-meter collection. This 45.5-mm model (Ref. 215.30.46.21.03.002) has a dial that pays homage to the mysteries of the deep: its pattern is an exact representation of the Challenger Deep mapped by the Five Deeps team using over one million sonar points. The dial even has a playful side: shining a UV light reveals the word “Omega was here.” The movement is the Co-Axial Master Chronometer 8912.
$13,000.
CITIZEN
The Promaster Dive Automatic from Citizen (Ref. NY0155-58X) is based on a model that was released in 1989. A design element that stands out is the distinctive, serrated bezel with 60 clicks inspired by a fugu, the Japanese name for pufferfish. This version features a fully luminous dial and a three-piece, 44-mm case with anti-reflective sapphire crystal and an all-black-plated stainless steel bracelet and bezel. It is ISO compliant with a screw-down crown and water resistant to 200 meters. The movement is the brand’s Caliber 8204.
$695.
ARNOLD & SON
In September 2023, Arnold & Son revealed a new red-gold and meteorite version of its Luna Magna moon-phase (Ref. 1LMAR.Z01A.C213R), offered in a limited edition of 38 pieces. This three-dimensional moon-phase complication gives it an astronomical feel, the 44-mm red-gold case a terrestrial one, and the blue PVD-treated meteorite dial a stellar dimension. Both the main dial and the subdial are coated with Super-LumiNova, only revealing their blue-green glow — visible by day or night. The full movement is the A&S1021 caliber, which has been fully developed, machined, assembled and finished in the Arnold & Son Manufacture. This hand-wound caliber, which has been designed with the lunar globe in mind, features a 90-hour power reserve.
CHF 59,000.
MICROMILSPEC
Micromilspec unveiled a new custom creation made in collaboration with members of the No. 335 Squadron of the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF), which is operating the C-130J Super Hercules. Executed in stealthy PVD-coated, micro-blasted stainless-steel case with a 100-meter water resistance, the 42-mm watch is powered by a Swiss Made self-winding mechanical movement (SW200-1), a highly legible dial, lume-finished sapphire crystal, and the brand’s signature “MicroGMT” bezel. The 12-hour unidirectional bezel and graphics were signed by the Royal Norwegian Air Force’s Search and Rescue squadron for missions involving multiple time zones.
$1,500.
BELL & ROSS
Cut from a block of DLC-coated grade 2 titanium, the 41-mm case of the new BR-X5 from Bell & Ross (Ref. BRX5R-LUM-TC/SRB) is inserted between two shields made from a photoluminescent composite material, LM3D, made of quartz fibers that increase shock resistance. It glows in the dark, diffusing a number of dial indications: hours, minutes, seconds, and date powered by the new 500-piece limited BR-X5 Green Lum series. It is powered by the BR-CAL.323 (SW300-10) and retails for
$7,300.
This article was originally published in the January / February 2024 print issue. To subscribe to WatchTime Magazine, click here.
