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1978 Timex Falcon Eye


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Just received my original 1978 Timex Falcon Eye. This blue dial is hypnotic. The battery had indeed leaked, but the corrosion was confined to the battery itself. I carefully removed the battery and cleaned the muck left behind. I carefully brushed out the rest of the crumbs and the dial with a clean dry paint brush. Absolutely nothing was corroded other than the battery itself. I popped a fresh battery in, gave it a wiggle and the balance took off running. It's been running since and keeping great time. The movement, I believe,  is a M63 quartz regulated electro-mechanical model. I'll polish the crystal next week and clean up the rest. Considering how pricey the vintage models are going for, I did pretty food on this one, less than $30.

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Miraculously, the band fits PERFECTLY!:thumbsu:

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I guess now that I own one, Timex says it can help me to carve stone horses, SWEET! Just what I always wanted!:D

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Very nice, and to get the original bracelet with it a major bonus:woohoo-jumping-smiley-emoticon:. Not, as you say, a M63, but an M73 movement (capacitor trim, unlike the M63 which has a potentiometer trim...), I'm still looking for one of the quartz regulated hybrids to add to my collection, my current collection of 'fixed and running' hybrids,

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And the early 'conventional' quartz collection, though the one on the left is a M56 jump minute hand one......

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The vast majority of cheap 'fixable' early Timex electric/electronic watches are in the US and eBay's 'glorious' global shipping program makes the cost unrealistic for me in the UK, though I did pick up a job lot of 8 watches the other week and Global shipping 'only' just doubled the cost :growl:........ single watches would cost two or three times the initial purchase price, at least, to get here!:mad:

I have been watching a similar watch to yours, but an M63 (note the potentiometer trimmer), but the seller thinks it's worth £25!:thumbsd:.

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Considering it has no back and the movement looks totally fubar'd I offered him £5 for it which was promptly turned down....his loss.

Edited by JohnD
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International shipping is awful! The fact that some international sellers offer free shipping is mind boggling. God help you if you have to pay a VAT on an item! I bought a supposedly working Verge Fusee movement on eBay from a UK seller, and when it arrived it was so hacked together, it was clear that it was a rip off. I sent it back (to the tune of $14 US) and the seller never picked it up from their local post. The post wouldn't deliver it because the seller needed to pay a VAT on it. I made the mistake of writing the value on the customs declaration. Regardless eBay refunded my money and about a month later, the watch made it's way back to me, lol. I still have it!:D

Here in the states, there are shipping companies that provide shipping services to asia and south america (possibly Europe). They basically provide US shipping addresses for international customers and then items get shipped by container. It can be a very slow process, taking a couple months, but it saves the buyer a ton of money and hassle.

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2 hours ago, JohnD said:

Very nice, and to get the original bracelet with it a major bonus:woohoo-jumping-smiley-emoticon:. Not, as you say, a M63, but an M73 movement (capacitor trim, unlike the M63 which has a potentiometer trim...), I'm still looking for one of the quartz regulated hybrids to add to my collection, my current collection of 'fixed and running' hybrids,

0l3KDkn.jpg

8mGIUtu.jpg

And the early 'conventional' quartz collection, though the one on the left is a M56 jump minute hand one......

csRgTEk.jpg

The vast majority of cheap 'fixable' early Timex electric/electronic watches are in the US and eBay's 'glorious' global shipping program makes the cost unrealistic for me in the UK, though I did pick up a job lot of 8 watches the other week and Global shipping 'only' just doubled the cost :growl:........ single watches would cost two or three times the initial purchase price, at least, to get here!:mad:

I have been watching a similar watch to yours, but an M63 (note the potentiometer trimmer), but the seller thinks it's worth £25!:thumbsd:.

HrvBUPI.jpg

ltMmrbF.jpg

Considering it has no back and the movement looks totally fubar'd I offered him £5 for it which was promptly turned down....his loss.

I just picked up a silver cased early quartz that I believe to be one of the Jumping minute models you spoke of. It does not have a second hand and it looks to be from the correct time period. No photos inside were provided so it's just a guess on my part. I got it for a decent price, so I'm not too worried about it. Generally speaking, I much prefer mechanical watches to quartz ones. Modern quartz watches feel cheap and simple and completely lack any character. These old hybrid watches are quite the opposite. They were a unique compromise to keep production costs low but still offer a "quartz" watch to the world. Plus, I'm naturally attracted to odd, unique and bizarre timepieces.

I'm not a fan of "Gold" tone watches, they are overdone and give the opposite vibe to luxury and style to me. In my opinion they seem cheap and gaudy. Occasionally though, a few gold tone watches shine through and I've gladly added those to my collection.

I do like your collection @JohnD. The black dial one especially has my eye. There is one available currently that I'm watching.

Here is my newly acquired "jumping" minute quartz.

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49 minutes ago, FLwatchguy73 said:

I just picked up a silver cased early quartz that I believe to be one of the Jumping minute models you spoke of. It does not have a second hand and it looks to be from the correct time period. No photos inside were provided so it's just a guess on my part. I got it for a decent price, so I'm not too worried about it. Generally speaking, I much prefer mechanical watches to quartz ones. Modern quartz watches feel cheap and simple and completely lack any character. These old hybrid watches are quite the opposite. They were a unique compromise to keep production costs low but still offer a "quartz" watch to the world. Plus, I'm naturally attracted to odd, unique and bizarre timepieces.

I'm not a fan of "Gold" tone watches, they are overdone and give the opposite vibe to luxury and style to me. In my opinion they seem cheap and gaudy. Occasionally though, a few gold tone watches shine through and I've gladly added those to my collection.

I do like your collection @JohnD. The black dial one especially has my eye. There is one available currently that I'm watching.

Here is my newly acquired "jumping" minute quartz.

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The black dial one came from Bulgaria and has a German date wheel. It cost me the astronomical price of £3.50, with a further shipping cost of £5, so that's about $11 total:D.

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Must admit I do like it as well.

 The jump minute hand one had me (and I suspect the seller) as it showed no sign of life, mechanically or electrically with a new battery, then I realised that the minute hand had moved.:thumbsu:

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These early Timex quartz, rather 'agricultural' watches are a million miles away from the early Seiko quartz movements which are absolute masterpieces, almost like artwork, which is why, I suppose, they cost the equivalent of about US$1000 at the time B). This is type of movement in my earliest one (Aug 1972).

 

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A very expensive watch at the time....

 

 

 

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58 minutes ago, AndyHull said:

https://17jewels.info/movements/t/timex/timex-m43/

If it is an M43 base watch, they used quite a clever trick.

Interestingly  the dial code on my jump minute hand, small Q, watch says it is a M56 movement.

I see conflicting information on the internet with pictures of identical movements labled M43 and M56. As the dial code on mine says M56 I'm inclined to believe that....

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I think the M56 may be a day/date variant of the M43, but I'm sure @JerseyMo can correct me on that if I'm wide of the mark. Sadly I don't have a service manual for either. The M43 is riveted construction, so perhaps they didn't produce a service manual for it. Does your M56 look similar/identical to the M43 I posted about above?

Edited by AndyHull
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24 minutes ago, AndyHull said:

I think the M56 may be a day/date variant of the M43, but I'm sure @JerseyMo can correct me on that if I'm wide of the mark. Sadly I don't have a service manual for either. The M43 is riveted construction, so perhaps they didn't produce a service manual for it. Does your M56 look similar/identical to the M43 I posted about above?

Well for what you can see of the movement that isn't covered by the plastic cover, then yes it appears to be the same, though It looks like the M56 might be smaller....

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Dial print here....

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Edited by JohnD
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10 hours ago, JohnD said:

Well for what you can see of the movement that isn't covered by the plastic cover, then yes it appears to be the same, though It looks like the M56 might be smaller....

The M43 is a ladies size. The movement you have is also a ladies size, all be it on a larger gents sized dial and the circuit board has a similar track layout visible. The 17jewel article even mentions the fact that the M43 has the features to add a date change mechanism machined in to the top plate, so I think the evidence suggests they are indeed variants of the same mechanism.   I'll need to keep an eye out for a gents sized one.

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9 hours ago, JerseyMo said:

not a group of movements I deal with much. But, yes many of them are just a variation of a base model.  I stick within the 50's - 70's

Well the M56 is well within the '70's Mo, mine being , according to the dial markings, 1978....

To keep on the Timex Electric theme, I got these two M69  ladies watches, including the original box, as part of a 'spares/repair' job lot, both only needed a new battery to get them going again:)

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Again 1978....

And this 'resurrection', built up from a new, old stock M40 movement and dial /hands assembly, with almost the right case from my every growing stock of spare Timex electric bits;)

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25 minutes ago, JerseyMo said:

nicely done. Timex was the first to introduce a battery operated Mickey Mouse watch.  Of course it helped that they still had an exclusive contract with Disney at the time.  Timex was also the first to introduce a ladies battery operated watch as well.

Cheers Mo, .

I've still got one other spare Mickey Mouse dial and hands ...........

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And yes you are correct, these watches are addictive! :P.

Apart from the ever increasing collection of M40 derivatives, I now have one M67, one M84  and three M87's (sadly one needing a batter hatch,

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as every time I get a non working spare to steal one from, it turns out to be too good to scrap and gets fixed and joins the collection.....:angry:)

 

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2 hours ago, JerseyMo said:

JohnD - I have this lot of model 69 parts available. You can have them, just pay the shipping cost. LMK.

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fantastic offer Mo, can you get me an idea of the shipping cost? P.M me with details and we can discuss it.:thumbsu:

John...

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8 hours ago, JohnD said:

Cheers Mo, .

I've still got one other spare Mickey Mouse dial and hands ...........

9tOWRRy.jpg

And yes you are correct, these watches are addictive! :P.

Apart from the ever increasing collection of M40 derivatives, I now have one M67, one M84  and three M87's (sadly one needing a batter hatch,

AC5gsPN.jpg

as every time I get a non working spare to steal one from, it turns out to be too good to scrap and gets fixed and joins the collection.....:angry:)

 

@JohnD, I can totally relate! I bought this '63 backset electric as a non-running parts donor, and I'll be damned if it wasn't running the minute I opened the package. I polished up the crystal and put a band on it. It hasn't missed a beat yet! No way I can dismantle a perfectly functioning watch in such great shape.

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38 minutes ago, FLwatchguy73 said:

@JohnD, I can totally relate! I bought this '63 backset electric as a non-running parts donor, and I'll be damned if it wasn't running the minute I opened the package. I polished up the crystal and put a band on it. It hasn't missed a beat yet! No way I can dismantle a perfectly functioning watch in such great shape.

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great dial too. First backset they made with a chromed case.

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Since this has become the dominant Timex Electric/quartz watch thread, I figure I can ask a question here. The jumping minute quartz watch I ordered, arrived. I did not have a proper size battery for it, but I did have one I could hold in place to test the function of the movement. After the first 60 seconds, no life whatsoever and the same thing after another 60 and another. I was disheartened. I thought the movement was dead. I used a volt meter to check continuity along the contacts, all seemed good. The movement is clean and has zero signs of corrosion. On a whim, I adjusted (by the tiniest amount) the trim pot at the 2 o'clock position in the image below and 60 seconds later, a minute loudly ticked by. Then 60 seconds later, another minute, then another. So, my question is, could the trim pot have internally lost connection and by moving it, I reestablished that connection? Either way, it's reassuring to see it alive once again. 

 

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