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The latest Panerai Submersible Elux LAB-ID, which comes in at a hefty 49mm with a fully mechanical movement, has a pretty unique party trick: it can power light on demand. Pretty cool, right? (Elux is short for ‘elettroluminescenza’, obvs.)
Lume obsessives will know that the Italian watchmaker was well ahead of the game in the field of luminescence, so it’s no surprise that Panerai has once again gone digging into its archives to dream up a new luminous creation. Exactly 58 years ago, Panerai patented Elux, electroluminescent panels that (crucially) weren’t radioactive. “Lume, as we call it, is one of the major components in Panerai’s history when, radium was mixed with zinc and deposited into little glass tubes, which was used in torpedo and gun sights for its luminescent properties,” says collector Paul Richardson, from Panerai Passione.
Luckily, radium isn’t used anymore and the mixture changed to other materials such as Super-Luminova. Paneristi, as the brand’s enthusiasts are collectively called, certainly have something to look forward to with this new launch. “The Paneristi love the lume as this is a major factor in Panerai’s long standing history spanning more than a hundred years,” says Richardson.
On this new Panerai Submersible Elux LAB-ID, with a simple gesture of opening the pusher-protector system and activating the mechanism, the watch lights up. Expect a lot of glowy wrist shots on your feed: “The LAB-ID range is usually where Panerai launches industry-leading technology to the market. We are all excited to see this watch in the flesh especially as one of the favourite pastimes of the Paneristi is photograph their watches whilst in a state of lume,” he adds.
Lume is exciting all right. Lewis Hamilton’s choice of wristwear at this year's Monaco Grand Prix sent fans into a frenzy when he flexed a luminous IWC concept watch, a yet unreleased ceramic number that has an all-over glow (even the rubber strap lights up).
How does it work? Lume is the short term for the luminescent material applied on watch dials, enabling them to glow in the dark. “It absorbs the sunlight, and when you go into a dark environment it just lights up automatically,” says Mervin Ling, founder of the F.P. Journe Collectors’ Club, as he sent wrist shots of his Élégante 48. “It has a luminescent dial which never fails to impress me. From a legibility standpoint, the luminous display is captivating in the dark. It reminds me very much of the Casio that I owned when I was kid, it brings back so many memories and joy.”
And the good thing is, you can get a glow up at any price point and in a variety of playful designs, such as from Ming Watches, Bell & Ross and of course A Lange & Söhne (whose Datograph Up/Down ‘Lumen’ is like a lume celebrity).
G-Shock collector Andy McIntyre particularly loves his 40th anniversary Mudmaster, equipped with lume on the hands and hour markers. “When you go in the dark, it’s cool to have your watch glow up for a quick wrist check, but it never really lasts that long. Not a glowing report, I know,” he says. But it’s not about practicality. “We all love a bit of lume, who doesn’t. Anything that glows in the dark is pretty cool, isn’t it? It’s geeky and nice, and takes you back to simpler times.”
