A Fascinating Journey from Radium to Super-LumiNova: How Watch Dials Illuminate Time

Over the years, technology advancements have created a fascinating timeline for watch dial luminescence. Hamilton’s Pulsar P1 LED Watch of the 1970s, with its bright light-emitting diodes, and the advent of Indiglo by Timex, thrust illumination into the limelight. Then came the mini light bulb of the 1980 LCD watches by iconic brands like Casio and Seiko, despite their lacklustre glow, were all the rage. Today, we find self-illuminated screens everywhere, from smartwatches to every clock in the house and car. Recently, fully-lumed dials and lumed cases have gained popularity thanks to the development in Super-LumiNova technology.

The advent of dial lume dates back to 1898 with the discovery of radium by scientists Marie and Pierre Curie. However, the journey wasn’t smooth as the hazards of radium were revealed with time causing ailments like radiation sickness. Its application on watch dials started in 1908 and became mainstream after the establishment of Radium Luminous Material Corporation in 1914. However, today, the watch industry has evolved from devastating radium to efficient and safe Super-LumiNova technology, continuing to ‘illuminate’ the journey of timekeeping in splendid ways.