Customer Reviews

Luminox Men's 8152 EVO Ultimate SEAL Chronograph Watch

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is the 3rd Luminox watch I have owned, and the 2nd chronograph model. The first chronograph i purchased (which has been discontinued by Luminox) had issues with the chrono functions. I returned the watch & stuck with the others I owned. years later, I purchased this watch after reading reviews that the new Chrono models have newer swiss movements, and have been working very well for others. I am happy to say that I am very pleased with my new watch. The watch has a decent mount of "heft" to it, without feeling like a dumbell strapped to my wrist. the face is easy to read, and the tritium illuminators work very well at nigt and in low light situations. The bracelet flexes well, does not pull on hairs or skin, and is adjustable not only with full links, but with 1/4 link adjustments to fine tune the size. the chronograph can record time up to 11 hours and 59 minutes, while still recording accurate to 1/10th of a second. the watch is water resistant to 200 meters and the steel bracelent also has an extension folded away so u can still wear the watch with a wetsuit.

I enjoy this watch a great deal and gave 5 stars, but the 1st time I ordered it, Amazon sent me a used watch, and I had some issues dealing with customer service. after some hassles, the issue was sort of resolved, and i decided to try ordering the watch for a 2nd time - which was new in the box just as advertised. so i would give AMAZON.com cust service a 2 out of 5 stars for the 1st order, but 5 out of 5 for the 2nd order.

**incase anyone is curious, AMAZON.com is an authorized luminox dealer. A call to Luminox Dealer Services confirmed as such.

IMPORTANT NOTE!!! the watch is water tight to 200 meters through the use of a pressurised case, which means if u plan to use it for diving, MAKE SURE you send it to luminox for battery replacement. only Luminox or an authorized repair shop can re-pressurize the seal upon closure & maintain the water tight integrity. if u take it to a regular watch shop to have the battery replaced, not pressurizing the seal will only make it water tight for 10-30 feet or so. it should also be noted that the chrongraph models are VERY complex inside the case, and changing the battery can EASILY damage the components inside. if u need a battery change, dont trust some kid @ the mall to do it - send it to Luminox!

If you've ever woken up in the middle of the night and wondered what time it was, this is the watch for you. It has self-contained gas light capsules which are permanently charged and lit. you can read a book by it. Chronograph functions perfectly, bezel ratchets precisely. It even keeps time. Imagine that. Nice watch.

Review of the LUMINOX EVO "Ultimate Seal" Chronograph 8152 / 8151 Professional Diver


For those who did not read the review I did of my first "Ultimate Seal" model 8251 and 8352, I will recap some of the new features of the Luminox EVO "Ultimate Seal" collection....... (My 8352 was replaced and I liked the "Ultimate Seal" EVO Chronograph so much, I replaced it with the 8152 all bright satin/brushed steel......more blingy and I love it)
The "Evo Ultimate" series has come a long way from the original plastic Luminox I remember years back. I cant believe it is the same company and it isn't (kind of). The "EVO" stands for evolution and marks the new products from Luminox since the merger with the Mondaine Watch Ltd Swiss company. This is a huge step for Luminox taking their watches more upscale. (Pricier $$ but better)
No gratuitous military logos across the face. A honest to goodness professional rugged tritium timepiece. The watch is very solidly built out of stainless steel with excellent machining details over the entire watch.



The case itself is made out of stainless steel that is matt and brushed.
All of the edges are debured for a snag free feel (very nice). The stainless steel bezel has a striking two tone metallic silver finish contrasting in satin and flat matt. The bezel clicks very firmly and solidly in a unidirectional direction. It is machined to have excellent grip for turning underwater or with gloves on. The bezel will not be unintentionally turned. The back of the watch has screw down polished stainless steel lid. It is smooth and very comfortable. The watch face has a anti-reflective scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. This is the best you could ask for at any price point. It is crystal clear. So clear you have to tap on the face of the watch to see if there is anything protecting the display.

The CHRONOGRAPH model...
The Luminox EVO "Ultimate Seal" Chronograph model 8152 and 8151 Professional Diver series.

The 8152 and 8251 are the same watch other than the 8152 comes with a Stainless Steel bracelet with diver extend and safety clasp and the 8151 comes with a rubber strap with double prong buckle.


The bracelet is very solidly built out of solid stainless steel links with a satin stainless steel "dog bone" design. It is very heavy duty weighing in at 100 gr. Just for the bracelet alone. It has a safety clasp with divers extension. The under side is very smooth and does not pull hair on the arm.


The Chronograph uses the excellent RONDA 5050. B. Big Date movement.
The USERS GUIDE and operation instructions and chronograph hand calibration info can be found here....

[...]

The chronograph uses 3 dial set up that counts the 1/10 second, second, minute, and hour (up to 12 hours). The small dial by the 3 o'clock position is the second hand for the general time. The large second hand is for use in chronograph mode.

When starting the chrono, the large second hand and 1/10th hand jumps to life. The 1/10th hand spins one revolution every second. After 30 seconds the 1/10th hand stops moving but is counting internally. When you stop the chronograph, the 1/10th second hand jumps to the correct position. (Very cool). The Chronograph has "Accumulative timing" and "Intermediate or interval timing"
All of the hands and markers in small and large dial, line up perfectly.
Very high quality feature.


The date is displayed at the 6'oclock position using a large split digit window. This is exclusive to only the Chronograph.

The only labeling on the dial is the Luminox crest at the top and "PROFESSIONAL DIVER" between the 3 and 4 o'clock.

The chronographs size makes it easy to read and the crisp dial is first rate.

The entire watch oozes quality and rock solid build construction. 54 month battery life with End Of battery Life feature. It's easy to read the dial In any light condition, it is easy to see the time at any angle of the watch face. Tritium markers glow brilliantly in green with the 12 o'clock in yellow. The bezel 12 o'clock glows in green. The watch is idiot proof to read in low or no light situations.

Accuracy has been stellar so far at 0 + or - seconds!! In my experience, typical of the new EVO series.

The style of the watch is upscale enough to be used for any occasion. It has great wrist presence. It feels like a tank on the wrist and should be a excellent choice for serious diver, hunters, climbers/explorers. The Luminox"professional" series are just that,... "The Ultimate Seal"

I also bought the rubber strap that is found on the 8151. The quality is excellent and will lighten up the watch and will secure the watch for other activities that require the watch to not move on the wrist.


Specs:
LUMINOX: Navy Seals -- Evo Ultimate Diver Chrono
__________________________________________________ __________
Manufature: Mondaine Watch Ltd. LUMINOX Swiss
Ref.-Nr.: A691.48352PL

Details:
o Swiss Quarz movement
o Chronograph with stop function
o Ronda caliber 5050.B BIG DATE
o Thick stainless steel housing (316L) satin/brushed finish
o Saphire glass, single antireflective coating
o Plan scratch glass and shock festival
o Ground (316L) steel
o Massive grip crown screwed (316L) with laser engraving
o Crown and two pushers with double seals
o Unidirectional (316L) steel ratcheting bezel, LLT tritium illumination at 12h
o Hours / minutes / seconds hand
o Two date display
o Water resistant to 20 ATM DIN 8310 (200 m / 20 bar)
o Pointer and indices with tritiumlights
o Digits sheet black
o Watch diameter: 44 mm without crown, housing strength: 12,2 mm
o Volume impetus: 23 mm
o Weight of the watch: 193 gr.

Bracelet:
o Black stainless steel bracelet (316L) belt stop 23 mm, with engraving on the stainless steel close

Specificity:
o Two date display, Chronograph
o orange / above the number 12
o orange / above the number 12
o green / above the the numbers 1-11
o green on the min.- / hourpointer
o green on the bezel


Model 8151 (same as 8152 except rubber diving strap)

Note to owners. The hands can be easily calibrated. It uses a Ronda 5050.B movement. Pull crown to the 3rd spot, then hold both top and lower buttons in for 2 seconds. At this point, the lower button pics the dial to be calibrated and the top button advances the hand 1 click at a time. When you have corrected the positions of the hands, push the crown in and you are ready to go. Most Chronographs need to be corrected because of battery change. Luminox SHOULD have this in their operating instructions but they dont.

I own 6 Luminox watches, and was considering buying one of the more expensive brands this time, but when I saw the 8152, I thought it looked as good or better than anything else I had been considering. When it arrived, I was even more impressed. It's a beautiful watch, with a very classy and solid feel. Everything works perfectly, and, of course, the Luminox illumination system is unsurpassed. Luminox offers the best value for any Swiss-made watch in the world.

I chose this watch over other brands because it has both the illumination as well as ALL the diving features (Uni-directional rotating Bezel with minutes, wet suit adjustment on bracelet). Originally I was looking for titanium, but couldn't find one with these features at my price point. This watch is bigger than my earlier watch and felt solid, not too heavy, as soon as it arrived . The bracelet closes easily, and feels secure without being bulky. The first time I saw it at night I realized it was worth the money. You can read the time across the room- outstanding! If you turn on the chronograph, you can even see the large second hand move in total darkness. In addition, the minute hand actually has two hands: So it counts a lot more than the 30 minutes I thought it did- it goes up to 12 hours. The date is big and much easier to read than the previous dive watch it replaced (Sector Brand). After a few weeks on my wrist, the watch feels great, keeps perfect time and I'm a very happy owner. Note that the price keeps changing, so if you like the watch, keep scanning for price. I saw this particular watch listed in a few different ways with different prices that changed after a few weeks.

I used to be a Tag fan but switched to Luminox about 8 years ago and these are the only watches I will now wear. They are rugged, keep excellent time and look great. This watch has been my favorite Luminox and after 4 years it started fogging and the bracelet needed a slight repair. My wife sent it to the Luminox repair center and they fixed it but said they could not guarantee the repair becasue the stem needed replaced and the part is no longer avaailable. Still, their repair worked and it is now fog free although I have not had it pressure tested. If I need to go scuba diving, I guess I will just have to wear one of my other Luminox watches. I love these watches because of how they GLOW in the dark. I can see what time it is in the darkest conditions. I would give this watch 5 stars except for the fact that Luminox's own repair center cannot guarantee a repair. They should keep some spare parts on hand!

Other than it's glow in the dark function it has no other outstanding features. It is way too heavy and the steal band isn't able to adjust properly. The sweep second hand is not in sync with the tick marks on the dial. This probably wouldn't be a problem if you didn't look too close. But because of the problem with the band adjustment you can't get exactly the proper fit. Removing links makes it either too loose or too tight. If you don't need the glow in the dark function you can get way more for a much lower price.
It's also the largest watch I've seen. It would be a good buy at one forth the price.