Luminox’s Mil-Spec Swiss Diver Gets an Icy-Cool New Edition

Built to meet the U.S. Department of Defense’s technical standards, this ultra-tough watch takes its military heritage very seriously.

Luminox Mil Spec XL3359SET Dive Watch dial closeup

By Sean Tirman

Published 2 hours ago

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Luminox takes its watches’ toughness extremely seriously. The brand has developed some incredibly durable proprietary technologies and rigorously built numerous timepieces to meet military standards.

The latest in that long line of formidable wristwatches is the Luminox Mil-Spec XL.3359.SET diver. Along with its rugged build, this watch sports a frosty colorway fit for arctic operations.

two Luminox Mil Spec XL3359SET Dive Watches, one lumed — The watch has gotten the white-out treatment, and even the brand’s signature lume has been swapped for a cool blue option.

Snow trooper

A cursory glance at this watch will illuminate how it stands apart from its siblings. Whereas the other timepieces in the 3350 Series tend to feature stealthy, dark colorways, this one stands in stark contrast.

That’s partly because of the snow-white rubber strap (it also comes with an additional black webbing strap). But it’s also owed to the bright white hour and minute hands, the white inlay of the orange second hand and the numerals on both the dial and the bezel.

Luminox Mil Spec XL3359SET Dive Watch case closeup — The watch retains its signature, ultra-tough Carbonox case.

Speaking of the rotating dive timer bezel, while not white, it is a lighter gray color than usual. It’s also made from super tough, lightweight Grade 2 titanium. And it’s mated to the watch’s Carbonox case — an ultra-strong, ultralight carbon fiber-based material that’s the brand’s signature.

The whole package is icy cool, helping it stand out from other watches in its class. The brand even doubled down by swapping its usual green-lumed hour markers for frosty blue ones, which is an excellent, subtle touch.

Luminox Mil Spec XL3359SET Dive Watch caseback — The caseback’s engraving confirms its compliance with mil-spec requirements.

Dive, dive, dive!

Did I mention that this watch was designed and built specifically to meet mil-spec standards as outlined by the U.S. Department of Defense? Oh yeah, it is.

That means it’s obscenely tough and made to be brutalized without skipping a beat. It can also go 300 meters underwater, about 100 meters deeper than most other divers (including many watches costing two and even three times its price).

Luminox Mil Spec XL3359SET Dive Watch on person's wrist — Because the new colorway is mostly monochromatic, this watch still looks great with just about any outfit.

What keeps it ticking, you ask? It has a Swiss-made ETA F06.412 high-accuracy quartz (HAQ) movement inside its case. But that’s not all. It has Heavy-Drive and Preci-Drive tech, meaning it’s extremely resistant to shocks and maintains accuracy to +/- 10 seconds per year.

It can also run for 84 months (that’s seven straight years) before it needs a battery swap. And its lume is guaranteed to remain bright and vibrant for 25 years.

It’s this kind of precision and formidability that has made Luminox watches the choice of the U.S. Navy SEALs, Icelandic Search and Rescue teams, fighter pilots, elite divers and even Bear Grylls for decades.