Lume bezel in salt water

[GX9901]

While wearing my Benarus Megalodon today, a question popped into my mind. If I was to dive or swim with the watch in the ocean (or even a swimming pool), how would the lumed bezel hold up? Almost all of the recent 2000m divers also have lumed bezel. I had just assumed that the bezel is painted with the lume with no further coating to protect the lume. Does it wear off faster if submerged in water or salt water too often?

[romeo-1]

Good question...I thought of the same thing a couple weeks ago and have since stopped wearing my Meg in the shower...

I'm sure that it is perfectly fine and safe to do so but better safe than sorry.

[suddha]

Mine has held up fine after 11 dives and a lot of time in the sea.

As I understand it, the lume is painted on the underside of the sapphire so not in direct contact with the elements. Would seem a bit shortsighted to do otherwise.

[GX9901]

My guess is that the watches that has sapphire over the lumed bezel such as the Ploprof and IWC Aquatimer wouldn't have any issues. But I'm wondering about the exposed bezel lume paint (again, assuming no further coating above the lume) found on most 2000m boutique divers available now (Helson, Debaufre, Benarus, Deep Blue, etc.).

Mine has held up fine after 11 dives and a lot of time in the sea.

As I understand it, the lume is painted on the underside of the sapphire so not in direct contact with the elements. Would seem a bit shortsighted to do otherwise.

[apeogre]

They're diving watches, go jump in!

[domino]

I think the actual lume can't get wet - seems like I read about that, but can't recall where - so, it works on dials or hands, and if on the bezel it would have to be sealed with something. Am I correct on this?

[supawabb]

If all of these new companies were using a lume that would eventually just fall out, disolve or whatever from using it for its intended purpose, I am sure many of these companies would go out of business because us, the collectors would stop purchasing them.

[DMB]

OMG, are you guys serious? It's a dive watch. You can actually wear it in the ocean. Or a swimming pool. Or the shower. Or the rain. Or outdoors.

[021411]

OMG, are you guys serious? It's a dive watch. You can actually wear it in the ocean. Or a swimming pool. Or the shower. Or the rain. Or outdoors.

I think you're missing the topic at hand. The OP is talking about the exposed lume paint that is on the bezel and not talking about the watch itself. Seems like a few watches have unprotected lume paint on the bezel now. I'm curious also as how long they will last due to the salt exposure.

[MacDaddy]

Interesting topic. I think putting glass on top of the lume paint on the bezel is an excellent idea. It would lead to no worries about lume exposure and add to the longevity of the watch. I would definitely buy one