Why Timex are the best watch in the world……
- poppydoodlesdad
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Why Timex are the best watch in the world……
When I was a boy (a long time ago but not THAT long ago), my first watch was a manual wind Timex (early to mid 70s?). Because it had luminous hands you could hide under the bedclothes or cup you hands around the dial and see it glow in the dark! A wonderment never surpassed and only barely matched by the miracle of a red LED display on an early digital watch! The Timex had to be wound daily or if it had stopped. This was not a chore but a delight because as you wound you could hear and feel its heart start beating, which was both reassuring and greatly satisfying.
As I got older the watch got consigned to the “bits-and-pieces” draw in the kitchen and eventually I think the back fell off and the innards spilled out and got lost in the ether. For many years I hardly wore a watch at all, then one day on holiday in the States I bought a quartz branded “Levi’s” of all things, just because it looked nice, was easy to read and just seemed to fit right. It did sterling service for some years until (for reasons that don’t bear going in to here) it became caked in ice and run over by the car! It didn’t work after that.
So, in search of a new watch I did a bit of research and became more interested and intrigued about what made a “good” watch. The Swiss, it seemed, still made the best movements / watches but, for someone who had never spent more than twenty quid on a watch, they also seemed a bit expensive. Especially when my cheapo “Levi’s” job had told the time perfectly adequately. In the end I got a relatively inexpensive Citizen Eco-Drive Chrono, which I still have and use regularly but, as I now need glasses to read, I can’t see the numbers on the sub-dials of chronos anymore. In fact I was pretty much in need of an easy to read watch, and who should make just the thing? None other than Timex! I am wearing my £19.99 Indiglo Easy Reader right now (the Indiglo light doesn’t work anymore, but only because I dropped it down the stairs the other day. Oops!), but it tells the time OK, I think it even looks reasonably good as I like a simple clear and clean face.
Did I get my Swiss watch? Oh yes. I have a Mondaine, again primarily for it’s clear, easy read design and a C5 Automatic. The Mondaine was a Christmas present and the C5 represented such good value I felt able to treat myself when my son was born just over a year ago. I had the watch engraved with his name and I love the fact that, like that Timex many years before, it is a little living machine and that becomes animate through the living movement of the wearer. One day when he’s older I’ll give the C5 to my son (I’m just minding it for him at the moment ), and in a way a bit of my life-force will pass on through the watch. He can have it when he’s 18, or maybe 21, or maybe when he finally leaves home (who knows when that will be!) or maybe he’ll have to wait until I finally peg it! In any event I fully expect the C5's heart to still be beating when my boy hands it on to one of his kids.
But the first watch I am going to get him will be a Timex………..
As I got older the watch got consigned to the “bits-and-pieces” draw in the kitchen and eventually I think the back fell off and the innards spilled out and got lost in the ether. For many years I hardly wore a watch at all, then one day on holiday in the States I bought a quartz branded “Levi’s” of all things, just because it looked nice, was easy to read and just seemed to fit right. It did sterling service for some years until (for reasons that don’t bear going in to here) it became caked in ice and run over by the car! It didn’t work after that.
So, in search of a new watch I did a bit of research and became more interested and intrigued about what made a “good” watch. The Swiss, it seemed, still made the best movements / watches but, for someone who had never spent more than twenty quid on a watch, they also seemed a bit expensive. Especially when my cheapo “Levi’s” job had told the time perfectly adequately. In the end I got a relatively inexpensive Citizen Eco-Drive Chrono, which I still have and use regularly but, as I now need glasses to read, I can’t see the numbers on the sub-dials of chronos anymore. In fact I was pretty much in need of an easy to read watch, and who should make just the thing? None other than Timex! I am wearing my £19.99 Indiglo Easy Reader right now (the Indiglo light doesn’t work anymore, but only because I dropped it down the stairs the other day. Oops!), but it tells the time OK, I think it even looks reasonably good as I like a simple clear and clean face.
Did I get my Swiss watch? Oh yes. I have a Mondaine, again primarily for it’s clear, easy read design and a C5 Automatic. The Mondaine was a Christmas present and the C5 represented such good value I felt able to treat myself when my son was born just over a year ago. I had the watch engraved with his name and I love the fact that, like that Timex many years before, it is a little living machine and that becomes animate through the living movement of the wearer. One day when he’s older I’ll give the C5 to my son (I’m just minding it for him at the moment ), and in a way a bit of my life-force will pass on through the watch. He can have it when he’s 18, or maybe 21, or maybe when he finally leaves home (who knows when that will be!) or maybe he’ll have to wait until I finally peg it! In any event I fully expect the C5's heart to still be beating when my boy hands it on to one of his kids.
But the first watch I am going to get him will be a Timex………..
"You can get help from teachers, but you are going to have to learn a lot by yourself, sitting alone in a room." Dr. Seuss
Some watches
Some watches
- f1colin
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Re: Why Timex are the best watch in the world……
Wow - what a great tale and a great post! So nice to read and your son has a great piece to look forward to. Doesn't have to be a Patek Phillippe!
f1colin
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Re: Why Timex are the best watch in the world……
Lovely post and hope the C5 lasts long enough to hand it over to him
- trsullivan
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Re: Why Timex are the best watch in the world……
Isn't it funny how many of us are brought to CWL in the search for a watch for our sons? While my story is a little different, it bears striking similarity to yours. My first watch was a military watch given me by my favorite uncle, a Marine helicopter crew chief. It also glowed in the dark, and was a windup mechanical too. Worn until it died, and replaced by a Timex of similar design and make. I understand how you feel, and hope your son will too, one day in your future.
Tom
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- poppydoodlesdad
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Re: Why Timex are the best watch in the world……
?
"You can get help from teachers, but you are going to have to learn a lot by yourself, sitting alone in a room." Dr. Seuss
Some watches
Some watches
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Re: Why Timex are the best watch in the world……
It's really hard to go wrong with a basic Timex. The 26mm Expedition Resin Case Field Watch would be a fine first watch. Most importantly, It's not digital, so he'll actually be able to tell time when his mates have no idea!
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Re: Why Timex are the best watch in the world……
Great anniversary post.
You should contribute here more often.
scooter
You should contribute here more often.
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Re: Why Timex are the best watch in the world……
Great post!
Yes, I had a manual Timex too (mid-60s) - no idea what happened to that one, but I've started collecting manual wind watches from the '60s...must be in the blood!
Yes, I had a manual Timex too (mid-60s) - no idea what happened to that one, but I've started collecting manual wind watches from the '60s...must be in the blood!
Steve
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Linguist; retired teacher; pilgrim; apprentice travel writer
Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time
Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. (Max Ehrmann)
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Re: Why Timex are the best watch in the world……
Nice story - reminds me of my Timex. When it stopped I took it into a jewellers requesting repair. The old watchmaker took one look at it and threw it into the bin."How much did you pay for it," he said. When I told him he said "I'll knock that off the price of a new Oris"! We did the deal and that was the start of it...!
Robin
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Oris Big Crown, Hublot, Rolex Datejust, Nomos Tangomat.
See my book, Aynho Junction, in the News section of http://www.robinbarkerphotography.com
- jmarchitect
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Re: Why Timex are the best watch in the world……
Cheeky bugger. I would have asked him to take my watch out of the bin, please, and hand it back to me. Then I would have discussed and agreed the deal and thrown my watch into his bin on the way out.robinbarke wrote:Nice story - reminds me of my Timex. When it stopped I took it into a jewellers requesting repair. The old watchmaker took one look at it and threw it into the bin."How much did you pay for it," he said. When I told him he said "I'll knock that off the price of a new Oris"! We did the deal and that was the start of it...!
Robin
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Re: Why Timex are the best watch in the world……
Timex!! It takes you back it does!! How did they advert go Ticca Ticca Timex??
Re: Why Timex are the best watch in the world……
Nice one. As you can from the picture below my grandfather some fity years ago handed me my first Swiss Made, Anti Magnectic, Shock Absorber watch. The size of it is 24mm and just ideal for a lad of eleven. i was thrilled to bits and have kept it ever since. I just have had to have a replacement glass for it and that was one hell of a job to get. The watch is still in working order with a sweeping second.
Trouble is that I have no one to hand it down to. [IMG]http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg5 ... to0065.jpg
Trouble is that I have no one to hand it down to. [IMG]http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg5 ... to0065.jpg
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Re: Why Timex are the best watch in the world……
Here it is.
"We don't see things as they are, we see things as we are." Anais Nin
Re: Why Timex are the best watch in the world……
Cheers Ian I always have problems with uploading photos. Cheers Mate
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Re: Why Timex are the best watch in the world……
I was only 17 at the time but I do remember thinking it was a bit high handed. I wonder how I would react now if the man selling A Lange & Sohne did it with a CW!!jmarchitect wrote:Cheeky bugger. I would have asked him to take my watch out of the bin, please, and hand it back to me. Then I would have discussed and agreed the deal and thrown my watch into his bin on the way out.robinbarke wrote:Nice story - reminds me of my Timex. When it stopped I took it into a jewellers requesting repair. The old watchmaker took one look at it and threw it into the bin."How much did you pay for it," he said. When I told him he said "I'll knock that off the price of a new Oris"! We did the deal and that was the start of it...!
Robin
Robin
C9GMT C8 Mk 1 C5 Malvern 2011 C9FLE C50 Malvern COSC C60 FLE2012 2013FLE
Oris Big Crown, Hublot, Rolex Datejust, Nomos Tangomat.
See my book, Aynho Junction, in the News section of http://www.robinbarkerphotography.com
Oris Big Crown, Hublot, Rolex Datejust, Nomos Tangomat.
See my book, Aynho Junction, in the News section of http://www.robinbarkerphotography.com
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