2 years collecting timex (1950s to 1970s)

[trooperbill]

hi guys, my obsession is early Timex watches from the 1950s, 60s and 70s with a particular focus on 1976 birth year watches, Dundee made pieces and early 50s pieces.

what attracts me to Timex is how disposable they were and how they shouldn't have lasted as long as they should. there's a UK connection and a wide range of mechanical pieces produced in 1976 when the quartz crisis was at its height.

unfortunately i have the money but not the time to restore many of these pieces so for now stick with m24 (no date) restorations with others being helped out by the timex community on fb and ig. (@timetrope)

my current challenge is getting date wheels on m25 movements back on. theyre tricky. and getting crowns to stay in place on m21/22 movements which im hoping some new antimagnetic tweezers will help with.

if your looking to sell or trade pieces then my goal is to collect them ALL and even at 200 im short quite a few

 

[FLwatchguy73]

Very handsome collection! I was also bit by the Timex bug but only about 6 months ago. Since that time my collection of wearable watches has grown significantly. My tastes have narrowed and I have stopped buying them all, lol. Lately I have been focusing more on specific watches to add to my collection, of which, you already have several, including the one button chrono, the tachometer and the bullseye sprite. I currently have more watches in great looking and running order, but are missing straps and bracelets. The problem I have is when it comes to deciding on which straps to get for my watches, other watches that are ready to wear catch my eye and then it ends up on my wrist a few days later, lol. Add to that the fact I need more proper storage for my watches and well, my desk is quite messy with both in service and out of service watches strewn about. There is something about these vintage Timex's. There is a timeless cool factor to many of them. I get compliments on nearly all my watches, which is very encouraging. Great photographs too BTW! Thank you for sharing.

[trooperbill]

Thanks. They all have their merits of you look close enough. My goal is to get an example.of each as cheaply as possible then get better parts where required for a select few that I really prize.
On the lust list at the moment are any 76s I don't have, a chapel hand sprite, blue bullseye sprite, robin and wonder woman watches, a working original.marlin (M22), and bezels.for all the dive watches I have lol

 

[JohnD]

Another one here who got bitten about 6 months ago, 'most' of my Timex collection here, all but a few  are electric or electronic, with the 'few' being early quartz models....going to have to get another box!

 

[FLwatchguy73]

1 minute ago, trooperbill said:

Thanks. They all have their merits of you look close enough. My goal is to get an example.of each as cheaply as possible then get better parts where required for a select few that I really prize.
On the lust list at the moment are any 76s I don't have, a chapel hand sprite, blue bullseye sprite, robin and wonder woman watches, a working original.marlin (M22), and bezels.for all the dive watches I have lol

 

Would the original Marlin be an early 50's? Not sure I've seen a chapel hand Sprite. Comic book character watches are on my list for sure. I'm also on the hunt for a plastic case military. Good luck on your quest for bezels, they don't age well unfortunately

[FLwatchguy73]

4 minutes ago, JohnD said:

Another one here who got bitten about 6 months ago, 'most' of my Timex collection here, all but a few  are electric or electronic, with the 'few' being early quartz models....going to have to get another box!

 

I truly feel your "pain", lol.

[trooperbill]

2 hours ago, JohnD said:

Another one here who got bitten about 6 months ago, 'most' of my Timex collection here, all but a few  are electric or electronic, with the 'few' being early quartz models....going to have to get another box!

 

You e got some nice pieces there. The blue striped dynabeat is epic.

I used A4 folios used for jewellery/bracelets they hold 40 in each if you double up and have a box for the cream de la crem

 

I've one or two electric/dynabeats but not working. I tend to focus on mechanicals

[trooperbill]

2 hours ago, FLwatchguy73 said:

Would the original Marlin be an early 50's? Not sure I've seen a chapel hand Sprite. Comic book character watches are on my list for sure. I'm also on the hunt for a plastic case military. Good luck on your quest for bezels, they don't age well unfortunately

Yes 1950s I've attached at a fixer upper I have. Attached a pic of the sprite. Yes the mil w camper is really hard to find.

[JohnD]

2 hours ago, trooperbill said:

You e got some nice pieces there. The blue striped dynabeat is epic.

I used A4 folios used for jewellery/bracelets they hold 40 in each if you double up and have a box for the cream de la crem

 

I've one or two electric/dynabeats but not working. I tend to focus on mechanicals

This one?

 

[trooperbill]

Yes very nice

[JerseyMo]

no 600 ft diver?   

[trooperbill]

7 hours ago, JerseyMo said:

no 600 ft diver?   

Hi there!

Not yet tbh I don't see that dial style that often for sale on eBay... Least not under £100 lol

[JerseyMo]

yep, they are not easy to come by.  

[Pip]

Wow, great collections! I just have the one, that I got some while back. Non-running, the balance wheel has come loose from the balance staff, and with its design I'm not sure how to stake it so I'm just looking for another one instead. It's an M75 so should be fairly easy to pick one up from the bay, I just need to pull my finger out. 

And I've found the stem bridge assembly so fiddly! Give me a Japanese chrono to reassemble any day rather than another one of those! 

 

 

 

[Marc]

39 minutes ago, Pip said:

It's an M75

From your last photo I would expect it to be a 1971 M25 under the hood

[FLwatchguy73]

On 5/27/2020 at 1:38 AM, trooperbill said:

Hi there!

Not yet tbh I don't see that dial style that often for sale on eBay... Least not under £100 lol

I had my eye out for either a 200 foot or 600 foot diver and I finally found a 1970 200 foot in my budget within a large Lot of Timex's. I snapped it up and was sorely disappointed when the seller had forgotten to ship it with the lot. Thankfully they sent it out when I pointed it out. Still waiting on a period correct Tropic rubber strap. Looks great though.

[Pip]

From your last photo I would expect it to be a 1971 M25 under the hood

Quite right, that was a typo, meant M25.


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[Pip]

I had my eye out for either a 200 foot or 600 foot diver and I finally found a 1970 200 foot in my budget within a large Lot of Timex's. I snapped it up and was sorely disappointed when the seller had forgotten to ship it with the lot. Thankfully they sent it out when I pointed it out. Still waiting on a period correct Tropic rubber strap. Looks great though.

Love those hour indices.


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[trooperbill]

200ft are not as rare as 200m/600ft which I believe we're actually commercially used dive watchesive also got a kelton diver which has a bigger screwdown caseback and is a tank!

 

[Watchtime]

amazing collection @trooperbill I have some nice ones too, will see if I can get some nice photos for posting

[FLwatchguy73]

For some reason, the dial in mine was not labeled as 200 feet. I have no idea how rare or common that was. As far as I know, there were no 600 foot watches made in 1970, which is the year of mine.

[trooperbill]

I'll defer to Jersey mo who owns one!

1 hour ago, Pip said:

Wow, great collections! I just have the one, that I got some while back. Non-running, the balance wheel has come loose from the balance staff, and with its design I'm not sure how to stake it so I'm just looking for another one instead. It's an M75 so should be fairly easy to pick one up from the bay, I just need to pull my finger out. 

And I've found the stem bridge assembly so fiddly! Give me a Japanese chrono to reassemble any day rather than another one of those! 

 

 

 

Nice pepsi. If you get a second with bezel.and want to sell the bezel off this one let me know im always short of bezels lol

[FLwatchguy73]

2 minutes ago, trooperbill said:

I'll defer to Jersey mo who owns one!

Nice pepsi. If you get a second with bezel.and want to sell the bezel off this one let me know im always short of bezels lol

I hear they get brittle as they age and don't do well with being popped off and on.

[trooperbill]

Bezels? I suppose that depends on the environment. Too much sun/UV or a salty environment would cause fatigue for sure. I have some that are faded despite being solid colours