Lum-Tec wrist watches?

Thomas Carey

Thomas Carey

Dealer / Materials Provider
Joined
Nov 26, 2010
Messages
722
Just wondering if any of you own a Lum-Tec wrist watch? Are any of you fans of the brand? =)

Full disclosure I am a retailer of Lum-Tec and a few other brands.
 
Prices are high and many cases are much larger than they need to be for the movements they contain.
 
I have never seen a LumTec watch in person but I have been wanting to buy one of the Combat styles. What I don't like are the limited production runs. They don't make a watch today that I want but I do like some of their older style models. If they would upgrade the movement and come out with a style I like, I would buy one.

I don't want a cooper color watch so the latest styles don't appeal to me. Another new model they are talking about on Facebook looks good, but they may not come out with a movement I want until 2016! ( who knows)

Anyway, I get frustrated by that company with all the limited production runs.
 
I've seen a couple that I liked, but prices always seemed WAY too high for what they were. Too many other competetive options, IMO.
 
I own a B16 at the moment and have owned a B14. Both bought on sale, as I would not pay the normal retail they ask for these. IMO the lume on these watches are way over-hyped. I can only get 2 to 3 hours of truly readable lume. That being said, I like the look, but feel they are way overpriced for what they are, even on sale.
 
Just wondering as price is an issue with many. Are you giving any consideration to the fact they are built in the U.S. or are you just comparing to brands that are not?
 
I have an M53 (bronze) that I bought used. It is a nice watch and the favorite of my many watches.
I agree that the lume is not what it is hyped to be, but I can read it all night long.
Although I did not pay MSRP I still think it was over priced.
Very accurite watch, - 5 seconds per day. With all that it is still my favorite watch.
 
Thomas Carey said:
Just wondering as price is an issue with many. Are you giving any consideration to the fact they are built in the U.S. or are you just comparing to brands that are not?
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Doesn't matter where the watches are assembled. Matters what the components are and who made them/where they are from. That said, they are quite expensive for what the consumer actually gets.
 
I got a LÜM-TEC with tungsten carbide case. While I like it initially, I was soon turnoff by the crown. It's too big, so it rub against my skin, and got itself loose. Water got inside the case. I sent it to LÜM-TEC and got it cleaned and oiled, but they did nothing to the crown. I got loose crown and water again.
I got a friend with same size LÜM-TEC stainless steel case, and he got the same problem. He send it to a jeweler, and it had been fixed.
One other thing wrong with my watch is the drilled holes for spring bars inside the lug . they don't line up perfectly. The watch comes with 3 different wrist bands. Tungsten carbide, leather, and rubber. I always end up bending one end of the spring bar in order to fit the metal wrist band to the case. The other bands had no problem.
Other than these two problems, I like the watch. It is bright at night, looks good, and keeps good time once I adjusted the timing. It is within 5 seconds everyday.
I still wear it occasionally, but I always take it off before taking a shower.
 
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Thomas Carey said:
Just wondering as price is an issue with many. Are you giving any consideration to the fact they are built in the U.S. or are you just comparing to brands that are not?
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I have two, one I wear every day for work. If I knew more about watches when I wanted them, I probably would have gone with a different option, but I really like their looks. They're about $300 over priced, though. No reason a B Combat should cost over $550 with a Miyota or Sii movement.
 
I do see price with Lum-Tec for many is an issue. However I do want to point out you simply can not offer American built watches which are also coated in the U.S. for the same price as brands who are sourcing 100% from China. Unless they can find Americans ready to work as watchmakers at Chinese wages and I am sure not signing up for that one. =)


I also want to point out the brand just cut the price on their G series models by $100.

Plus my company is currently offering a discount to BF members for most of the products we now offer.

I will say there are some great things I have learned as a dealer of the brand and one is stay away from hyping lume performance. I have also learned if you want something that glows through the whole night go with Tritium. =)
 
Thomas Carey said:
I will say there are some great things I have learned as a dealer of the brand and one is stay away from hyping lume performance. I have also learned if you want something that glows through the whole night go with Tritium. =)
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That's why I went with Luminox. I figure I'm good for about 10 years before I need to swap out the tritium face.
 
Sid Post said:
That's why I went with Luminox. I figure I'm good for about 10 years before I need to swap out the tritium face.
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My traser has been with me for 12yrs this october (and was built before that, so add another 6mths to a year from when the vials were made) and its still perfectly readable at night
It is nowhere near as bright as it was when new though
 
Thomas Carey said:
I do see price with Lum-Tec for many is an issue. However I do want to point out you simply can not offer American built watches which are also coated in the U.S. for the same price as brands who are sourcing 100% from China. Unless they can find Americans ready to work as watchmakers at Chinese wages and I am sure not signing up for that one. =)
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My Certina has an ETA movement, doesn't seem to be made in China, and cost $300 less than my B Combat.

Also, your MinuteMan watches look awesome, but could use some lume on the second hand (Main reason I went with the Lum-Tec)
 
I don't take into consideration where a watch is assembled, only the quality of the parts going into them.


Watches are a little bit different too. Considering China is well known for producing watches of all makes and qualities. Chinese movements aren't anything to write off either.
 
My Lum-Tec has been 100% reliable, though I agree that they are probably overpriced. I find mine to have a better fit and finish than my Luminox with regards to the crown and the crystal. I do, however, like my Traser a little more.
 
I don't think they're terribly overpriced considering other brands. Bell & Ross is overpriced. For the much higher than average fit and finish and quality movements and materials, it's a reasonable markup. Granted I'm much less familiar with the Miyota movements than ETA. I'll grant the quartz models are pricey though for what's inside. If you're not getting a legit in house watch, the autos are a great option. They do borrow styling from other watches though, the M series is very Panerai and the V series looks modeled after a Royal Oak Offshore. Not neccesarily a bad thing.
 
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