RUN, climb, crawl, lift — basically these define the activities that constitute a Spartan Race. “Suffer” would have been included, if only it could actually be listed as an activity. In any case, suffering is a given in this competition anyway. And suffer, the event’s participants gladly do, too.
Certainly, proper equipment plays a major role in any sporting gig. And, as far as timepieces go, Luminox proves it could rise to the Spartan Race’s unique brand of challenges — obstacles competitors have to race through may include walls, barbed wire and log jumps, not mention them having to lift and lug heavy stuff, or swing on ropes, slog through mud, leap over things. Especially because the American-Swiss watch brand has, since 2016, included in its lineup the Master Carbon SEAL 3800 series.
The range uses more carbon than usual even for Luminox pieces — 40% more, actually, which comes in bar form. With its other carbon cases, Luminox mixes carbon powder with polymers. In the Master Carbon SEAL 3800 pieces though carbon bars prop up the polymers, making the cases not only tougher, but also lighter (about three times lighter than titanium cases, in fact). Also, the material is unaffected by temperatures — they don’t get hot in hot weather, or cold when the needle drops — and is quite attractive, if sinister, due to its anthracite hue.
More things going for carbon? It’s incredibly scratch-resistant, and is hypoallergenic as well.
As a Luminox, the Master Carbon SEAL 3800 boasts the brand’s highly luminescent markers — US Navy SEALs, law enforcers and emergency responders, or people who need all-condition legibility, are known to depend on Luminox watches. So, instead of the conventional luminescent coating or push-button illumination on which most watches rely, Luminox instead uses tiny tritium gas tubes guaranteed to light up for as long as 25 years. And, oh, what light these things emit.
The Master Carbon SEAL 3800 pieces also live up to their ”SEAL” tag by way of a 300-meter water resistance rating. A large part of this can be credited to the watch’s extra-thick sapphire crystal and steel caseback. The bezel, like in proper dive watches, can be rotated only in a single direction. A rubber strap secures this 46-millimeter, quartz movement-powered watch to the wrist.
Although most of the Master Carbon SEAL 3800 series models come with a couple of dial color choices, the 3801 variant specifically tied to the Spartan Race sports a dark gray one that’s tattooed with a huge Spartan Race logo. The logo, as well as the minute markers and hands, are rendered in white when not illuminated. But in the dark the logo glows green while the markers (except “60”) light up in red. Along with a rubber strap, a special gray with a red stripe NATO strap is supplied with this Spartan Race piece.
Speaking of which, Luminox is the official timekeeper of Spartan Philippines, which in June held the Spartan Foressa Sprint in Cebu, and in September the Spartan Race Trifecta Weekend in Subic Bay. The events highlighted in tritium-tube illumination the traits common to both the Luminox and Spartan brands — durability, dependability and the capacity to overcome mighty challenges.
Simply, the tough always get going.
