Which watch lume to buy?

[Tmuir]

I'm about to place an order with Cousins to buy some tools and oils / greases and was thinking about buying a Bergeon green lume kit as I've got a few watches that are cheap enough for me to practice reluming on, but whilst doing some reading up on reluming hands today I came across a number of references Super Luminova with a few of them listing it as superior to the Bergeon Lume.

What does everyone here think?

Should I just buy the Bergeon Lume kit, or should I source from else where the Super Luminova lume kit?

Thanks

Tony

[WatchMaker]

Good topic Tony ... I was going to ask something similar as I need to re-lume some watch hands too but it's not something I've done before and there are various products out there.

I've noticed szbalogh's recent relume under the forum gallery which look super

 

[rogart63]

Bergeon is great. If you haven't worked with lume before?  I think Bergeon will be nice? 

To complicate it? I think this lume is great? http://www.noctilumina.com/index.php

 

[ro63rto]

I'm quite happy with this one BUT I struggle to find a decent, cheap, easy to use binder.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c157/ro63rto/Watches/20151108_172222.jpg" alt="20151108_172222.jpg

Sent from my Honor 5c

EDIT
New phone, latest Tapatalk, not letting me post pics like I used to be able to [emoji35]

[Marc]

I just use acrylic matt lacquer as a binder. Cheap as you like and has never been challenging to use.

[Tmuir]

Thanks everyone. I got the response I was kind of expecting, everyone has their own preference and there is no one clear better lume.

I'll get the Bergeon lume since that is what Cousins sell and I will be placing an order with them tonight anyhow.

[ramrod]

i bought some lume from an ebay seller a while back. i am reasonably pleased with the lume quality, but the binder has an objectionable smell. chemical smells usually won't bother me, but this does. i hate working with it. what i've been thinking about using is UV activated nail polish. it won't harden until exposed to UV light - which is sunshine.

 

[szbalogh]

1 hour ago, ramrod said:

 what i've been thinking about using is UV activated nail polish. it won't harden until exposed to UV light - which is sunshine.

Tried all. Nitrocellulose nail polish, UV nail polish and akrylic lacquer. All are good but the nitrocellulose nail polish is convenient to use. 

 

4 hours ago, Tmuir said:

I'll get the Bergeon lume since that is what Cousins sell and I will be placing an order with them tonight anyhow.

Never bought a branded (expensive) lume paint but it would be nice to see a side-by-side comparison of sample spots made with the same binders and solvents in the same amounts. I have brought my relumed watch to a local watchmaker to compare its lume with a good lumed watch. It was a TAG Heuer F1. The initial brightness was about the same, but the most interesting would how the brightness changes with time. 

Could You or someone else make this comparison? I dont want to buy that expensive set just for this

[rogart63]

Humbrol Matt or Satin model paint is what i use? Tried some acrylic paint but i think i dry out to fast?  

[ro63rto]

Humbrol Matt or Satin model paint is what i use? Tried some acrylic paint but i think i dry out to fast?  

I emailed Humbrol a while back asking for a Matt lacquer that dried slowly.

They replied with this..

Humbrol AC5601 Modelcote 28ml Matt Cote.
Humbrol AC7501 Enamel Thinners 28ml.

My local model shops don't stock it so I never got round to try it.


Sent from my Honor 5c

[RCDesign]

I personally do not like the luminous powder from Bergeon that Cousins sell - It looks way to green in daylight - "mint green" instead of the white colour most powders have!

I use lume on routed watch dials and like it when the particles are 2-3µm instead of the standard 10µm - or the surface gets scratched in the process when making dials. The smaller particle size also makes reluming  hands much easier, so if you can - get a powder with a small particle size!

[szbalogh]

3 minutes ago, RCDesign said:

I use lume on routed watch dials and like it when the particles are 2-3µm instead of the standard 10µm - or the surface gets scratched in the process when making dials. The smaller particle size also makes reluming  hands much easier, so if you can - get a powder with a small particle size!

That is not true. The bigger the particles the brighter the lume at night. Moreover, particle size has a great impact. Yes it is harder to work with bigger particles, but if one gets to the appropriate mixture of binder, solvent and powder, then the result will be much much better. I have used the 30-70 µm batch. Ordered some sieves from the ebay to get four sizes batches. 

[RCDesign]

Quote

That is not true. The bigger the particles the brighter the lume at night. 

....and I never stated that smaller size had better lume - I do not know where you got that from!

BUT smaller particle sizes are much easier to work with, you get a better finish and in my case - it is crucial for getting the work done at all.

[rogart63]

3 hours ago, ro63rto said:

 

I emailed Humbrol a while back asking for a Matt lacquer that dried slowly.

They replied with this..

Humbrol AC5601 Modelcote 28ml Matt Cote.
Humbrol AC7501 Enamel Thinners 28ml.

My local model shops don't stock it so I never got round to try it.


Sent from my Honor 5c
 

 

Neither have i? Use this small cans? Not sure why they are packed in Sweden? Or why we in Sweden have special cans? Or if the paint are the same as in England or the rest of the world? 

Edited January 7, 2017 by rogart63

[Waggy]

I don't have a great deal of experience in luming hands, and am watching this thread closely to see which lume you guys recommend. Can anyone let me know where I could buy Super Luminova and the approx price, compared to the Bergeon?

On the subject of binder, I watched a YouTube video of the Nekkidwatchmaker (of course I can't find it now to supply a link) and he used a method where he used 50:50 mix of IPA glue (the white glue your kids use at school) and water as the binder. I tried it a few times with good results, the IPA dries clear so the final lume powder colour is unaffected. As IPA glue is "cheap as chips" its worth a try with some spare hands etc. to gauge the results for yourself, I would be keen to hear if anyone else has good results also.

[Waggy]

Ooops I mean PVA glue of course