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When it comes to tough timepieces, Luminox should be one of the first brands that comes to mind. Rugged and lightweight thanks to their CARBONOX carbon composite cases, the brand’s tool watches continue to be go-to options for outdoorsmen and military personnel for good reason — even renowned survival expert Bear Grylls has a series with the watchmaker. However, few partnerships in the watch world are as iconic and make as much sense as the one between Luminox and the U.S. Navy Seals.
Dating back over three decades, the watchmaker and military task force have teamed up for countless tool watches over the years. And with 2024 marking Luminox’s 35th anniversary, the American Born, Swiss Made watchmaker has released three of its popular hero models from the past as part of a new Heritage Collection, covering the same three territories of the Navy SEALs (Sea, Air, and Land). Let’s dive in…
A Legendary Partnership
How Luminox And The Navy SEALs Got Together
It may sound unusual for such a newer watch brand to become noticed by a revered and well-established organization. However, that’s exactly what happened back in 1992 when Chief Nick North — the Navy SEALs’ Assistant Officer to the Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation unit — stumbled upon Luminox, which at that point had only been around for 3 years and was still picking up traction. In 1994, the two teamed up for the original Navy SEAL watch and the rest is history.
In an interview with Luminox, North said, “Luminox was very new when I came across them at a winter trade show in Utah. I asked the Luminox reps to submit samples of the original 3001 model for testing and they agreed.”
Why Luminox?
Not Your Average Tool Watches
It’s fair to wonder what, exactly, first attracted North to Luminox over the legacy brands that had decades to prove their worth. North — now retired and a dedicated family man who’s still involved with the SEALs community — explained that “the original Luminox watch met accurate time, night visibility, and diving depth requirements. Most importantly, of all the brands that were subjected to the rigorous testing conducted by Navy Special Warfare Group 1 Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation, Luminox was the only brand to survive…Another watch evaluation was conducted in 2014, 20 years later. Again, Luminox came out on top.”
The evaluation North mentions included being worn by SEALs during realistic training operations, being pressed in a water pressure pot, and being placed in an oven and freezer to simulate extreme temperatures in both desert and arctic conditions.
Luminox Light Technology
The Glow That Doesn't Go
Unlike other watches that have a glowing lume that may fade by the end of the night, Luminox Light Technology (LLT) is meant to last 25 years without fading. And it was a major deciding factor for the Navy SEALs. And it just so happens that this tech is what the watch brand was founded on in 1989. The founders wanted a dial glow that would stay visible through all hours of the night without going dim, whether adventuring, diving, or lying in wait.
While other luminosity systems depend on exterior light sources for charging, LLT is self-powered and built into the Luminox watches themselves. The way it works is the micro gas light tubes (borosilicate glass capsules) remain lit, similar to tritium lume, but LLT is safe for humans and the environment.
Heritage SEA XS.3001.H.SET
Paying homage to the very first Navy SEAL model from 1994, the Heritage SEA XS.3001.H.Set revamps the original while staying true to its ethos and construction. Updates include a new sapphire crystal that’s now scratch-resistant and anti-reflective, shorter LLT markers on the dial for better visibility, and a newer, improved movement — the ETA F06.412 quartz — for better accuracy, reliability, shock-resistance, and battery life (now 7 years). On top of the 43mm black CARBONOX case, you’ll also notice the red-colored “30” on the bezel, which denotes the number of years since the Original Navy SEALs release.
Heritage AIR XA.6442.H.SET
The second watch in this series is a pilot watch, the F-117 NIGHTHAWK® x Skunk Works® 6442.H, taking after the original F-117 NIGHTHAWK® Stealth series that Luminox was tasked with making nearly 25 years ago. The military pilots who flew the iconic stealth fighter out of Edwards Air Force Base looked to the watchmaker to create a timepiece specifically for them.
Created by Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works® division, the F-117 NIGHTHAWK® was the world’s first operational aircraft invisible to radar when it was launched in the late ‘80s. This revamped timepiece for Luminox’s 35th anniversary sees some striking details such as the Skunk Works® logo at the bottom of the dial, which blends in during the day but glows with Super-LumiNova at night. Skunk Works® and Lockheed Martin’s logos are also engraved on the caseback. The F-117 NIGHTHAWK® watch also puts the hour markers on the bezel so that it can be read in two different time zones for both pilots and frequent fliers. Powered by a Ronda 515 Swiss quartz movement, the watch comes in a 44mm black CARBONOX case adorned with a black Kevlar strap.
Heritage LAND XL.8825.H.SET
Designed in collaboration with former Swiss Army Military Security NCO Andrea Micheli in order to aid professional military personnel with a simple yet effective ground navigation tool, the Luminox RECON watch gets a revamp with the RECON Point Man 8825.H. Unique features on RECON watches include cardinal points on the inner bezel, a tachymeter for measuring walking speed, and both kilometer and mile markers on the dial. Also, the hour markers are given two different colors: yellow for 9 through 12, and white for 1 through 8.
Much beefier with a 45mm CARBONOX case, the RECON Point Man is named after the “tip of the spear” in a RECON unit — the person assigned to lead patrol through hostile territory to a given target. Powered by a Swiss quartz movement, the watch also features a yellow second hand to match the countdown numerals and features the RECON logo on the bottom of the dial.
Pricing & Availability
Priced between $545 and $645, the 35th Anniversary Heritage Collection watches are currently available from Luminox’s website.
