A full lume dial is one that has luminescence not just on the hands and markers but glows all over. Sheer brilliance, you might say! Designed to enhance legibility in real-life conditions, full lume has traditionally been used by tool and military watch brands such as Dodane, historically a supplier to the French air force. More recent adoptees of the technology include Bell & Ross, IWC...and now Ralf Tech.
From air to sea
Pilot’s watches typically take advantage of full lume dials, as do professional dive watches. TAG Heuer was among the first to launch a full lume dive watch, in 1983. Its current lineup includes the Aquaracer Professional 300 (released in 2021). Doxa has a similar model, introduced in 2022, in its collection. Operational watches, on the other hand, typically issued to special forces, have been missing full lume dials – a situation Ralf Tech, a specialist in the field, has now remedied.
The French brand supplies a number of military units. However, founder (and former professional diver) Frank Huyghes says requests for a full lume model didn’t come from these elite troops but “navigators and long-distance sailors who are on deck literally round the clock, especially those sailing single-handedly. Super-LumiNova indices don’t always provide sufficient visibility in the black of night, with spray coming off the waves, for two consecutive hours. They need a full lume dial. Most sail for two hours then sleep for 20 minutes, during which time they can recharge the lume, by exposing it to a light source, and benefit from complete legibility throughout the next two-hour shift.”
Original and “Black O”
First to benefit from the full lume treatment is Ralf Tech’s emblematic WRB Automatic in two versions: Original Steel and the brand’s best-selling Original Black or “Black O” as it’s known to enthusiasts. Both these certified dive watches measure 39mm across and are water-resistant to 200 metres. The dial is entirely coated with standard grade Super-LumiNova C3. Indices and numerals are pad-printed in black and it’s this contrast that makes the dial instantly readable in the dark.
As Frank Huyghes explains, “we did consider other colours for the lume, especially blue which is softer on the eye but the contrast is less marked, hence less effective, when effectiveness is Ralf Tech’s number-one priority. Green C3 gives the best results, end of story.”
First come, first served
Alongside effectiveness, the WRB Automatic Full Lume rates strongly for affordability at just €100 more than the standard model. “Basically, we’re not making any money with this option. We’re pretty much letting customers have it at cost price,” says Huyghes. “We’re talking two limited editions, Ralf Tech’s first ever full lume dial, customers’ favourite model… we’re expecting them to sell out pretty fast!”
