In motor racing, every second counts.
Luminox has been supplying the US military with its field wristwatches for 36 years, since its establishment in 1989 by Barry Cohen. The watches were made according to military specifications – light, robust, waterproof, superbly accurate, and most of all, it had to be readable in all challenging conditions for use on Land, in the Sea, in the Air, and space. Under those specifications, they have made Luminox a unique timepiece.
It is lightweight because it is made from a trademarked material called Carbonox, which is both light and robust, making it almost indestructible. Additionally, it is waterproof and powered by Swiss quartz movements, with some models featuring mechanical movements, mainly for the civilian market. Lastly, it features tritium technology; the indices and hands are illuminated by individual tritium gas tubes made of borosilicate glass fused with a CO2 laser for long-term luminescence. These tubes can be quickly charged by light and provide brightness in darkness, long-lasting enough to read easily without illuminating the entire perimeter. The tritium gas tubes have a lifespan of 25 years. Sounds impressive? It certainly is! If it’s good enough for the US military, it is good enough for all of us who are adventurous, or at least have an adventurous spirit.
In July, Luminox collaborated with Red Bull Ampol Racing, an automobile racing team established in 2003 by the Australian Energy Company, racing the Australian V8 Supercars in Australia, of course. Red Bull, as we know it, is a racing team established by the Red Bull energy drink of Austrian and Thai origin, and has their hands in any race that involves wheels and an engine. Their success in F1 has been phenomenally successful for almost a decade, and also in the Ampol racing.
The collaboration between Luminox x Red Bull Ampol Racing couldn’t be more fitting for both brands, as lightweight and precision are the ultimate goals for their respective fields of speciality. Red Bull Ampol LM3501.ABR.N is the latest addition to the 3500 Series. It is quite a handsome wristwatch, I must say, with its dark midnight blue Carbonox casing, which happens to be in the Red Bull Racing livery.
The livery colour is also applied to the dial, which features bold white transferred Arabic numerals and a central red second hand. A minute chapter ring sits on the flange, with each hour marked by a tritium gas tube, also found in the hour and minute hands. A date window is positioned at three o’clock. In the dark, the hour gas tubes emit blue light, except for the 12 o’clock marker, which glows yellow to help orient the wearer. The hour and second hands are blue, while the minute hand is yellow to distinguish it clearly from the others. All elements are designed for easy reading both day and night. The substantial bezel bears a yellow minute scale for enhanced readability and contrast. The watch is powered by a quartz movement for its precision timekeeping, and it is water-resistant to 200 metres. Every inch of it is a mil-spec timepiece.
Whether you are into racing or not, a fan of Red Bull Racing or not, this is one cool watch that will see you through every weekend, anywhere and anytime, even ungodly hours you can think of with pizzazz. The bad news is that it is limited to only 300 pieces worldwide. So, what are you waiting for?
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