Jump to content

Timex Watches Need Love Too:)


jeffc83

Recommended Posts

attachicon.gifimage.jpeg

The town is Dundee where I live. I worked in the Beano factory D.C.Thomson just a few hundred yards from Timex, it was amazing how many Timex watches you got offered from time to time, especially in the local pubs.

We had our own slogan for Timex watches here in Dundee, "Clunk klick every tick".

 

 

Beano ??

 

 

post-808-0-75005300-1457107016.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The first one came out very nice. Does the second one need body and fender work on the case by the crown area ?

 

No sir!  (you may be seeing the indent in the design?)  Both are in phenomenal shape after cleaning and oiling!   :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As a kid I used to love looking at the Timex mechanical watches in the cabinet at Kmart.  Then, of course, you had all those ads where they did things like tether a Timex watch to a outboard motor's propeller to prove that the watch was both water and shockproof.  

 

A good mate of mine bought one when he was 16.  It had a day/date window and that watch went through thick and thin and seemed to be great.  I think he still has the watch.  It was silver in colour, a black faceplate and a kind-of hexagonal dial, as I recall.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think they might have been water resistant not proof. 

 

Correct, most of them were just water resistant but some were built quite well and were water proof to a decent depth:

 

One of the firm's greatest successes during this time was its sports watches. In 1984, an Olympic games year, the company brought out the Triathlon watch, which was water resistant to 50 meters, could recall eight laps of running times, and had a 16-hour stopwatch. In its first year, 400,000 of the watches were sold at $34.95 each. Encouraged by this success, Timex brought out a ski watch that included a thermometer as well as a racing watch that could measure speeds of up to 999 miles an hour. The company launched its Atlantis 100 water resistant sports watch in 1986 with a $1 million ad shown during football's Super Bowl. This ad featured a group of divers discovering a 65-foot replica of the watch on the bottom of the Red Sea. Five other "adventure" commercials were also produced.

Edited by jeffc83
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This morning's post brought me three new watches to play with - A Favre-Leuba cal.101 purporting to be a Sea Chief, very much resembling one of the fabled Indian repaints but attractive in its own way. It has a very clean chromed case and a fresh crystal but (I'm guessing) has a balance pivot problem. It was fully wound when it arrived but reluctant to run. With a bit of coaxing it is now ticking away dial up. It's not happy in other orientations though. 

 

In case you're wondering why I've introduced my F-L into a thread about the mighty Timex, it's because the two travelling companions are Timexes (is that the plural of Timex?). One 1970 Model 24 that's also wound tight but will only run if I gently apply yet more twist to the stem. Hmm, I think it knows I'm writing about it as I just gave it another tweak and it's now running (face down). I'll leave it to see whether it can de-stress itself. If not I'll let it down and give it a gentle wind and see if that cures it. Apparently the mainsprings in this Model are lifetime lube-coated and impervious to cleaning fluid. What technical wizardry is this?

 

The third watch is a Model 40 Electric from 1971, cosmetically clean and free from dings. It came with a button cell (the wrong one) but I have a correct cell from my Model 255 Dynabeat and when that's inserted she runs strongly.

 

There you have it, three watches for £16 including post, and all three at least in motion, if not yet reliably running.  More importantly, two more Timexes saved from the club-hammer! :biggrin:

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

well, i'll tell ya'....i got two dynabeats in the mail this week. the one that is almost pristine is a nonrunner. i can't get it to go. the other one is ticking away. but, i was rather upbeat about timex watches - until i opened one of them. underwhelming. stamped bridges - and riveted?! wow. mark is correct - they might be harder to work on than a more mainstream watch. i am happy with my runner, but i'm not sure how much investigating i'm going to do on the nonrunner.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"We've placed a timex on the wrist of John Cameronswayze and had him lay under a '97 crown victoria made by the Ford Motor Car Company. The car is in gear.....it's rolling over his wrist.....look away folks.....IT'S STILL TICKING!!"

cut to grimacing John Cameronswayze......... "Timex.....it takes a licking and keeps on ticking!"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I got this one recently in a batch, wasn't very hopeful but found a battery to fit and it fired up, don't know its vintage however as it's a LCD display it's probably from the 60's.

Doesn't seem to have any other functions other than telling time

 

As it came!

 

.post-1709-0-44525800-1457665197_thumb.jp

 

 

 

post-1709-0-05177500-1457665202_thumb.jp

 

 

Now!

 

post-1709-0-01688100-1457665206_thumb.jp

 

 

 

post-1709-0-27801800-1457665210_thumb.jp

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I got this one recently in a batch, wasn't very hopeful but found a battery to fit and it fired up, don't know its vintage however as it's a LCD display it's probably from the 60's.

Doesn't seem to have any other functions other than telling time

 

As it came!

 

.attachicon.giftimex-01.jpg

 

 

 

attachicon.giftimex-02.jpg

 

 

Now!

 

attachicon.giftimex-03.jpg

 

 

 

attachicon.giftimex-04.jpg

Not from 60s.  The Liquid Crystal displays didn't really become mainstream until the mid to late 70s.  This is probably a mid 70s watch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A watch that only tells you the time ....how quaint . Maybe it's worth a bundle ??

I've got a Citizen with a simple time and day display and, apparently, because it is relatively pristine it's worth a bucket.  Go figure!  I've seen them on the bay for more than US$100.  I think I paid AU$35 for it in 1982!

 

mlWDMmxIB-5kjr1FO6vPN2Q.jpg

Mine is similar to this one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

how did you clean up the appearance of the watch ?what's the method? I want to have a try on my watch

 

As a start, try using Simichrome.  If it is a gold plated watch, BE CAREFUL because this stuff will remove several layers of metal at a time, which could ruin the plating.  If it is gold filled or stainless, polish away!  For the crystals, I either replace them (70% of the time) or sand them down using 1000,1500,2000,2500 grit pads then polish with Polywatch or Simichrome. (I use both, they do the same job BUT the polywatch doesn't smell bad)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Next up is a 1973 Timex Gold Plated Manual Wind.  This one emerged from the grungy dirty lot clean and ticking away happily!  I was quite impressed with this one even though it is not my style, lol.  I love servicing these Timex's in between projects!  (it also helps clear the mind)

post-1795-0-55454800-1458050791_thumb.pn

post-1795-0-29413800-1458050793_thumb.pn

post-1795-0-10362400-1458050809_thumb.jp

post-1795-0-68041500-1458050813_thumb.jp

post-1795-0-64427600-1458050818_thumb.jp

post-1795-0-84782700-1458050822_thumb.jp

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.




  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • I remembered that when Lititz Watch Technicum's YouTube channel existed, they had a video about polishing. As I recall, many experts thought that video was among the best on the subject of polishing. It's a real shame that their videos are no longer available and I've been in touch with them regularly to see if they can get these videos back. Unfortunately, it seems that these videos are gone forever. The last message I received from them on 21 January read: "I'm sorry, but not yet. In a nutshell: the school is scheduled to be shut down next year - a new school is bring opened in Dallas, Texas. Because of that all video access is blocked. If a decision is made to not close the school, then at some point the videos will likely be made available. We just do not know that yet. So, just check in again in a month or three; sorry I can't be more specific than that." Well, as I recall, there was a section in the video that was about how to preserve the edges of a watch case, that is, how to avoid rounding off the edges when using a mop wheel. I don't remember all the details but what I do remember is that it's about keeping a high speed on the mop wheel and keeping a light pressure on it. I didn't think of this when I was polishing the case back but the next time I'll try it and see what difference it makes.
    • Good idea, I  was thinking of something similar but using a drill press.  Apologies, all the other comments have just appeared.  I was replying to @HectorLooi , the chain pusher is a good idea too.
    • Now thats a real man's tool press 👍. I have one just like it in my back garden for when just CANT fix a watch . Its not something i have had to do yet, @Waggybut wouldn't any type of press be able to do this ? What about an adapted chain link  extractor work or a micrometer with some sleeve pushers made to slot over the ends. @Waggy Found something that could work Scott, comes with different size pins and pushers. Only bit that would need making is a round former to support the inside of the case, a piece of stout timber, bit of oak or mdf might do it. What i like about this one is the pin is pushed in, its in a sliding sleeve so it doesn't turn while its being driven. This has 4 pin sizes and 3 stumps as well so it will come in for other applications, the pins could be adapted to take other accessories from jewelling tools. I've just ordered one myself for some play time. 
    • So I purchased this one based on my case number being listed. (Unless my case number is incorrect. The last digits are faint)
    • I have the same tool from AliExpress and get the same anxiety when when using it. But you have to admit it looks awesome on your tool shelf. Makes you look like a pro. 🤣 Looking at the photo of the Horotec tool, it looks equally flimsy. It probably comes from the same factory. I was thinking of using the pushers supplied with the tool and making a hand tool from a cranked jeweller's punch. I'll grind off the tip of the punch and drill a hole at the end to fit the pusher in. The cranked shank would be able to clear the watch case give a straight in-line axis to exert force to tap the pendant tube out. Should be robust enough to last several lifetimes. I wonder why nobody makes it. 🤔
×
×
  • Create New...