Welcome to tritiumlume!

Tritium tubes on watch

TritiumLume is a personal blog run by Rick Blythe, focused on watches that use tritium-based self-illuminating lume. I explain how tritium tubes work, compare them with conventional luminous paint, and provide guides, reviews, and recommendations across various tritium-equipped watch styles, from tactical and military-influenced designs to everyday models. My site targets enthusiasts and buyers who … Read more

Ball Watch Models You Should Know About

Best Ball Watch Tritium Models

Here are the absolute best Ball Watch Tritium Models you need to know about in 2026 — the ones that make collectors lose sleep and make regular watches feel… well, regular. Imagine this: it’s 3 a.m., pitch black, and you roll over to check the time.Your phone is dead, the power’s out, and every “lume” … Read more

Best Tritium Watches Under $300

My watch collection

If you love the always-on glow of tritium illumination but don’t want to spend a fortune, you’re in luck—several brands offer rugged, reliable tritium watches under $300. These models deliver constant visibility, tough construction, and excellent value. Below, we highlight the best options and what makes each one stand out. In this price range, you … Read more

How Exactly Does Tritium Glow?

How Does Tritium Glow

Here’s exactly how it works. Tritium glow is one of the coolest (and slightly radioactive) tricks in modern science, used in watches, gun sights, exit signs, and countless military and industrial applications. Unlike phosphorescent (“glow-in-the-dark”) materials that need to be “charged” with light, tritium tubes glow 24/7 for 10–20 years with no batteries, no external … Read more

How Radioactive Are Tritium Tubes?

How Radioactive Are Tritium Tubes

Tritium tubes (also called GTLS – Gaseous Tritium Light Sources or “trigalight”) are the tiny self-luminous glass vials you see in high-end watches, gun sights, compasses, exit signs, and some keychains. They glow continuously for 10–20 years without batteries or charging because they contain tritium gas (³H) that undergoes beta decay. The question everyone asks … Read more

Review: KHS Reaper MKII

KHS Reaper MKII showing Tritium lume

German Brand, Swiss Movement The KHS Reaper MKII is a tactical watch series from KHS [link], a German company specializing in military and special operations watches. It’s often positioned as an affordable entry-level option into their range, while still offering robust, purpose-built features. My take- I need to start this review with a short back-story. … Read more