Compared to many of the tactical and ultra-utilitarian watches that Luminox currently produces, the Automatic Sport Timer is one of its most traditional offerings, as it is based upon the design of one of the brand’s original models from 1990. The updated Luminox Sport Timer series made its debut appearance in 2019 as a limited-edition quartz model, and standard-production versions with automatic movements were added to the collection the following year. Now, for its final release of 2023, the Swiss (formerly American) brand has created two new versions of the Luminox Automatic Sport Timer, and while one is a core-collection model in stainless steel that is fitted with a green dial and bezel, the other is crafted from bronze with blue components, and it will be produced as a limited edition of 688 examples, which will be exclusively available from Luminox retail locations.
The first of the two new models is the Luminox Automatic Sport Timer ref. XS.0937, which is the standard-production stainless steel version that is fitted with a green dial and matching green ceramic bezel insert. At a quick glance, this new model is essentially the green version of the watch we previously reviewed, which means that it features the same stainless steel case that measures 42mm in diameter by 13mm thick. Like the other models from the collection, a flat anti-reflective sapphire crystal sits above the dial, a display-style caseback with a mineral glass crystal closes up the reverse side of the watch, and at the 3 o’clock location between two large guards is a signed crown that screws down to the case to help guarantee the Luminox Automatic Sport Timer’s 200 meters of water resistance.
Aside from being green, the dial follows in the footsteps of its predecessors, with large printed Arabic numerals, glowing tritium gas-filled tubes, and both day and date displays appearing within a single rectangular aperture at the 3 o’clock location. Similarly, the hands are the same as what can be found on the other standard-production models, and they are completely finished white with additional tritium tubes set into the structures of the hour and minute hands. To match the dial, the unidirectional bezel on the Luminox Automatic Sport Timer XS.0937 is fitted with a green ceramic insert that has a luminous tritium tube embedded at the zero marker, and while the majority of the tritium tubes on the watch glow green, the tubes placed on the minute hand, bezel, and 12 o’clock index all glow orange to help provide improved legibility in dark settings.
As with its blue sibling, the new green Luminox Automatic Sport Timer ref. XS.0937 is paired with a matching stainless steel bracelet that offers a three-link design and gently tapers from 24mm at the lugs down to 22mm where it connects to its clasp. Consisting of solid machined components with entirely brushed surfaces, the bracelet offers a fairly traditional overall appearance, although the wide design and minimal taper means that it makes the Automatic Sport Timer wear slightly larger than its 42mm case diameter might suggest. Additionally, while the clasp doesn’t feature any type of integrated extension system, it does offer four holes of micro-adjustment that can be used in conjunction with the bracelet’s two half-links to help owners achieve a comfortable fit on the wrist.
The other new watch that makes up this latest duo of releases is the Luminox Automatic Sport Timer ref. XS.0923.SET, and unlike its green sibling, this limited-edition model is crafted from bronze, and it is fitted with a dark blue dial and matching blue ceramic bezel insert. Since bronze has a long-standing tradition of being the material associated with eighth-anniversary gifts, the new bronze Automatic Sport Timer will be produced as a limited edition of 688 pieces, and unlike the stainless steel models from the collection that are available for purchase directly from Luminox’s website, the limited-edition bronze Sport Timer is a retail-exclusive release that can only be found at authorized brick-and-mortar locations that sell Luminox’s watches.
Aside from being made from bronze, the limited-edition Luminox Automatic Sport Timer XS.0923.SET is functionally identical to its standard-production stainless steel siblings, and it also features a flat sapphire crystal, unidirectional timing bezel, display-style caseback, and a screw-down crown with 200 meters of water resistance. Additionally, the tritium tubes on the bronze Sport Timer offer the same two-color display as what can be observed on the stainless steel models, with the orange-glowing tubes for the minute hand, bezel, and 12 o’clock marker offering additional contrast against the green-emission tubes that appear throughout the rest of the watch. With that in mind, rather than being finished bright white like on the stainless steel Automatic Sport Timer models, the trio of hands and all of the markings on both the dial and bezel insert now appear in a bronze color to better compliment the more refined dark blue and bronze colorway of this limited-edition model.
Rather than being fitted with a metal bracelet like the new green-dial stainless steel model, the limited-edition bronze Luminox Automatic Sport Timer XS.0923.SET is paired with a brown leather strap that has white contrast stitching, integrated quick-release spring bars at the lugs, and a signed double-tang buckle with a matching bronze IP finish. The limited-edition bronze Sport Timer is sold as a collector’s set, which consists of a secondary navy blue rubber strap with a bronze IP folding clasp, along with a custom Luminox-branded Wolf winder box that appears in the same dark blue and bronze colorway that can be found throughout the rest of the watch.
Despite their external differences, both of the new Luminox Automatic Sport Timer watches are powered by the same Sellita-based automatic movement, and while Luminox makes no mention of the specific caliber that is used, a quick look at its structure through the display caseback will reveal that it is the Sellita SW220-1, which is the day/date variation of the popular SW200 series. The Sellita SW220-1 runs at a frequency of 28,800vph (4 Hz) with a power reserve of approximately 41 hours, and the versions fitted to the Automatic Sport Timer models feature custom black-finished rotors that are engraved with Luminox’s logo.
Since the new Luminox Automatic Sport Timer XS.0937 is essentially the green version of the existing stainless steel model, it costs the exact same as its blue-dial sibling and is accompanied by an official retail price of $1,495 USD. However, the limited-edition bronze Sport Timer XS.0923.SET is a substantially different offering that also comes as a collector’s set with both an alternate strap and a high-quality watch winder, and it is therefore positioned as a premium option within the brand’s catalog with a price of $2,195 USD for each of the 688 available examples. Luminox produces a fairly wide assortment of watches, and in addition to its numerous utilitarian quartz pieces, the brand also offers other models such as the Automatic Sport Timer, which are premium creations at significantly higher price points that offer an elevated ownership experience paired with Luminox’s signature tritium-tube luminescence. For more information on the Luminox Automatic Sport Timer watches, please visit the brand’s website.
