Yes there is a little Panerai in this design Cartier Ballon Bleu Large watch but we actually think these LÜM-TECs are better looking than anything Panerai produces, and effortlessly cooler. The M5's case is coated in hard bead blasted PVD and features a piece of "phantom" sapphire *** this watch 100% stealth. The tinted glass of the M5 is perhaps the watch's most distinctive feature, although sometimes makes the face of the watch difficult to see in low-light settings. The MDV technology does light up the face to a more than legible point (as seen to the right) but we found that it does take some charging to do so. This requires actually placing the M5 directly under a light source for a decent amount of time, something that is not always possible. That said, to see the M5 really shine, especially through the phantom tinted glass is really extraordinary. The M chronographs that have standard glass shine even brighter.
In fact, a Cartier Ballon Bleu Large watch worn by our very own President Elect features the Miyota OS20 and we're sure a lot of you out there are saying "If it's good enough for Barack, it's good enough for me". Perhaps the movement isn't worthy of the case that surrounds it? We aren't saying that, we are just saying we know there are many people out there that have an issue with quartz.Whether the issue is psychological or real, one of the more nagging characteristics of a quartz movement is that you must change its battery every few years. To alleviate this concern, LÜM-TEC is offering free lifetime battery replacement on all of its watches. Also, if you simply can't bring yourself to buy a quartz watch, LÜM-TEC does produce two automatic Cartier Ballon Bleu Large watch in their military inspired, aviators B Series watches, which will run you a little more than the M series chronographs.So all things considered, what do we think of the M5 Chronograph (which we have been testing for about a week now)? We love it.Lets start with the looks. The M Series chronographs are absolute stunners, and the M5 may just be the standout.
