Amongst outdoorsmen, Tritium watches are fairly popular. Given the fact that you don’t have to worry about charging the lume in the daylight, or how long that lume will last, a watch using Tritium is extremely convenient when you need something that will light up all the time. Add in a watch that’s durable and keeps good time, and you’ve got a winning combination. Now admittedly, Smith & Wesson may not be a name you think of when you are talking about watches, but the Mumbai Lamplighter is a quality timepiece.
Mumbai Lamplight (from Smith & Wesson)
Features:
- Leather strap
- Tritium lighting on the hour and minute hands
- Tritium lighting at 12, 3, 6, and 9 positions
Pros:
- Tritium makes the watch easy to read at night
- Light weight
Cons:
- Strap is inexpensive leather
- Tritium illumination has a limited life
Review
The S&W Mumbai Lamplighter is departure from the standard WWR reviews, but a worthy product for your time none the less. This watch is functionality at its purest form, with the Tritium providing that extra punch to make you consider buying one. The movement is nothing too exciting, your basic quartz with date window, but that’s not a major concern. This is the type of watch you put on to go fishing, hunting or camping.
There are no build quality issues with this watch, from the brushed steel case, mineral glass, or the well lumed and easy to read face. The Tritium makes the watch easy to read at night or in low light, regardless of if you’ve had it under your jacket sleeve all day. There’s really nothing bad about this watch, but nothing terribly exciting either. It’s an honest timepiece, and doesn’t try to pretend to be anything that it’s not.
A word of caution about the Tritium lighting however; Tritium is a radioactive isotope, and as such does have a limited life span. Not a huge issue, but be aware that the manufacturing process can produce inconsistent results as far as the quality of light is concerned. Additionally, the average lifespan of a Tritium lighting tube is about 12-15 years. Tritium is also a component in thermonuclear devices, so it may not be available in all countries.
Conclusion:
Should you buy a Smith & Wesson Mumbai Lamplighter? Absolutely. This watch will cost you less then $100, and for a simple honest timepiece that won’t let you down in the wee hours of the night when you need to know what time it is, they can’t be beat. Plus, they look really cool sitting on the nightstand glowing away.
I recommend you buy yours from Watch Sgt, they were kind enough to send one to me for review.
