Review: Luminox Navy SEAL (3001)

Luminox Navy SEAL Dive Watch (3001)

After much deliberation I decided it was time for a slightly smaller, refined go anywhere watch to accompany my G-Shock Mudman G-9300-1ER. The G-Shock aviation series seemed appealing but too large and garish to wear comfortably with a shirt or jacket, so as a result, I decided the answer lay with the simple but classically designed Luminox Navy SEAL (reference 3001). 

History

An earlier version of the 3001 was originally produced in 1993 as a sports diving watch, however, in 1994 the watch went through a redesign before becoming standard issue for SEAL Team Five, Luminox explain: 

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 Cohen to develop a watch specifically for them and a revolution was born.

Today, as well as being used by the Navy SEALs the watch is also used an arrange of military and security services, some of these including: FBI, CIA, SWAT, Secret Service, DEA, US Air Force Stealth Pilots and the Canadian Special Forces. Impressive.

Time on the wrist

So, how does the watch perform? Very well, is the answer. What sets Luminox watches apart from all other competitors is their luminescent technology. Luminox originally opted to use tritium filled gas tubes on the hands and number markings due to the continuous 25 year glow they emit, eliminating the need to be charged by sun light perfect. All of the gas tubes are applied by hand, an impressive testament to the watches' pedigree.

The 3001 may not have the features found in a G-Shock, but that's not what this watch is about - the Navy SEAL is solely about timekeeping, nothing more, nothing less. Everything on this watch is to the point, what I mean by this is that it doesn't do anymore than is necessary and what it does do, it does without fuss. The face is black with pure white dials and numbers (both 12hr and 24hr), the chunky bezel follows suits, the rubber/silicone strap keeps the watch snug and of course the tritium gas tubes can be seen for miles.

Specifications

• Movement : Quartz
• Size of case diameter (mm): 43
• Case material: Carbon reinforced PC
• Case Bezel: Rotating 1-Way Diver
• Case Back: Caseback with Screws
• Crown: Double-Security Gasket
• Crystal/Glass material: Hardened Mineral
• Water resistance (m/ft/atm): 200 / 660 / 20
• Strap/Bracelet material: Rubber / Silicone / PU
• Illumination: Night Vision Tubes (25 years)

The 3001 also boasts at being a Swiss Made, ensuring reliability, top build quality and precision components before going through rigorous Swiss quality control. Perhaps it is because I have come from wearing a larger watch but one thing that I like the most about the Navy SEAL is the size, the case diameter is claimed to be 43mm, however, it feels much smaller. It's also a very light watch, sitting snug to the wrist with ease which was one of my main reasons for buying. Due to the constant glow given off the 3001 works perfectly sat up as a clock during the night time, it's small things such like this that give a watch character.

So when it comes down to it, would I prefer the Luminox Navy Seal 3001 over a G-Shock when on the side of a mountain? Probably not, but here's why: the purpose of the watch, unlike that of a G-Shock, is that it isn't just a tool, it's also a classic looking watch that oozes 'cool' - a crossover, that in this category of watch is very hard to do. Think of a cross between the Fonz and Rambo - that's the 3001, it has the capability of doing both with ease. Being light, durable and great looking combined with its' history make the Luminox Navy SEAL 3001 a modern classic that will stay on my wrist for some time to come.

For more on Luminox, click here.

John Mayers' new Patek Philippe

John Mayers' new Patek Philippe

Image from: http://instagram.com/johnmayer

Recently, after playing a show in London, Patek Philippe presented John Mayer with what he states as a 'super-serious timepiece'. Some of you may know Mayer as a guitarist, musician and songwriter, some may not know of him at all. 

Image from: http://instagram.com/johnmayer

However, as well as being a musician, John is also a huge watch enthusiast with an equally huge horological collection. So much so that he writes as a columnist for Hodinkee, the most widely read online wristwatch magazine in the world.

After some time looking at the Patek Philippe range I pinpointed it as a 5074R-012, part of the grand complications range, a stunningly made watch complete with minute repeater and perpetual calender. 

This particular 42mm model comes with an 18k gold dial plate, covering a 39 jewel Caliber R 27 Q automatic movement, complimented by a beautifully understated black leather strap, focusing attention upon the mesmerizing dial and sub-dials.

Watch the video below to hear John talking about his collection.  

Click here for more on: John Mayer, Patek Philippe and Hodinkee.

Divers bezel and tachymeter explained

How to use a divers bezel and tachymeter

Many iconic watches, such as the Rolex Submariner and Breitling Navitimer are created as tools, aimed specifically at a target audience as well as the general population. They provide more then just a measurement of time, here I try and explain how a divers bezel and tachymeter can be used.

 

Divers Bezel

Rolex Submariner

This feature, included on the Rolex Submariner (pictured left) was created for divers using an oxygen tank. The uni-directional bezel (only turns in a single direction) includes clearly visible numbers indicating minutes passed. No numbers are included on the watch face to increase the ease of reading the bezel underwater.

Just before the wearer enters the water, the bezel would be rotated so that the marker that was at the 12 o'clock position now alines with the minute hand. By looking solely at the bezel this then shows the user how many minutes underwater they have been and when they need to surface. If we use the picture on the left as an example, the triangular marker at the 12 o'clock position would be rotated to the 2 o'clock position.

Divers bezels, as mentioned before, only rotate anti-clockwise in a uni-directional manner. This is a safety feature designed specifically to prevent the bezel from being knocked and moving clockwise, thus decreasing the time the user believes they have been underwater, risking the possibility of an oxygen shortage.

Tachymeter

A tachymeter provides a scale of numbers around the outside of the watch face and bezel and is used to work out speed and distance traveled. 

Speed

A formula is used to calculate the tachymeter reading when calculating speed.

T = 3600

          t

 

T = tachymeter 

t  =  time in seconds for event to occur

3600 = number of seconds per hour

For example, if you are traveling on a road with signs every mile but don't know the speed you are traveling - time the distance between each sign. If we use the picture above as an example, the time it took for the vehicle to travel 1 mile was 35 seconds, as indicated by the middle scale of numbers, the outer most scale will then indicate the speed in mph traveled, in this case, 100mph. The same would apply to measuring kilometers, if it took 35 seconds to travel a kilometer, the outer scale of number would indicate a speed of 100kph.

Distance 

To calculate distance a constant speed must be held. The tachymeter scale is to be rotated to the position of the second hand at the time the measurement begins, once the second hand aligns with the corresponding speed of the vehicle, one unit of distance (mph/kph) has been traveled.

For example, if we use the same picture as before - if the constant speed is 100kph (or 100mph), when the second hand reaches '100' on the tachymeter the amount of time passed is 35 seconds and a single kilometer (or mile) will have been covered

Below is a great video I found explaining visually how to use these functions on a tachymeter.