I like to read the time on my (analogue) watch in the dark. The Timex Indiglo system is the best I’ve found for this. It lights the face up clearly and evenly and makes the watches easy to read. The one trouble I’ve had with them is that I’ve found the illumination part short lived – say lasting 3 years on average.

I’ve just changed the battery on my (I guess) 6 month old watch as it had stopped. I’m not sure if the battery going flat so soon is a sign of other problems looming or not but I’m wondering whether there are other makers using electroluminescence that I could try when this watch does die.

Or are there alternative systems that work?

I know there are the luminous paint type ones but are there any (for new watches) that are any good? My mother has a cheap Casio bedside clock. The paint on that is quite good if you charge it up under a light and look at it in the dark soon afterwards but it fades quickly and would be useless after a couple of hours in the dark.