Luminox Watches, known for their quality, durability, and unique illumination technology, is celebrating their 25th anniversary.
Founded in 1989 by Barry Cohen and Richard Timbo, Luminox watches are worn by Navy Seals, U.S. Air Force pilots, the FBI, and SWAT teams, among others. Their quality and durability also make them a very popular watch for scuba divers, hunters, campers, and other outdoor enthusiasts.
The Luminox Navy SEAL watch is the timepiece that made Luminox famous. In 1993, the Assistant RDT&E Officer for the Navy SEALs, Nick North, was asked to seek a more dependable watch for night missions and found the solution at a trade show where he discovered Luminox. He worked with Luminox co-founder Barry Cohen to develop a watch specifically for them and a revolution was born.
After Luminox provided the watches to the SEALs, Luminox began marketing the same style of watch (Model 3001) across the country and the world. As the watch gained reknown, Luminox was approached by US Air Force pilots flying the F-117 Nighthawk fighter jet in 1999 — Luminox developed a watch for these pilots and then contacted Lockheed Martin, which turned into an exclusive arrangement to produce Lockheed Martin timepieces.
Most other watches use either luminescent paint that has to be charged by a light source and fades very quickly, or a “push to light” system, where you push a button for battery-driven illumination. Luminox watches contain tritium gas inserts, which provides long-term luminescence, independent of natural or artificial light. This self-powered illumination allows one to view time at-a-glance for up to 25 years of complete darkness.
We caught up with at the DEMA dive show in Las Vegas last month where he shared some of the signature Luminox timepieces. Here’s what he shared with us:
For more information on Luminox Watches, visit their website at luminox.com.