Vintage Timex Watches
Models
Wanted
I am often asked what Timex watches i still need by collectors who want to help me complete my collection. If you have any of the following let me know
[email protected]
This list is by no means any measure of rarety or value. Its just watches i havent gotten around to sourcing yet.
By Model »
Marlin
Due to the recent reissue of the Timex Marlin, the Marlin is probably the best known range produced by this brand. Originally created in 1953, the Timex Marlin was build as a rugged every day wear and was popularized in the 1960s through a series of torture test advertisements. In these adverts various Timex Marlins were strapped to things like motor boat propellers, dishwashers and other devices designed to show how hard wearing and water resistant these pieces were. Although i don’t recommend it, i have accidentally left a vintage marlin in the pocket of my jeans which went through a washing machine cycle. This left the watch a little cleaner and surprisingly undamaged.
Mercury
The easiest way to spot a vintage Timex Mercury is the absence of “waterproof”, “water resistant”, “self wind” or “automatic” on the dial. This makes the Timex Mercury some of the cleanest dials produced. As a result a Mercury make for an excellent dress watch.
Viscount
Sprite
The Timex Sprite is a children’s watch with a smaller case size often designed in bright colors. Not to be confused with a Timex Marlin, Sprite’s were also produced with “waterproof” and “water resistant” printed on the dial. This often results in the Timex Sprite being miss labelled on auction sites like eBay.
100
17 Jewel
Not a lot is known about 17 Jewel vintage Timex watches as a majority of the pieces available do not appear in any catalogs or advertisements. The 17 Jewel Timex watch range was launched in 1979 and lasted into the early 1980s. A majority of 17 jewel Timex watches are 2 hand dress watches that make use of small ladies watch movements to keep the case depth low. However later models expanded into sports style pieces housed in durable stainless steel cases. This makes them some of my faourite pieces in my vintage Time watch collection.
21 Jewel
21 Jewel vintage Timex watches make use of an arguably improved in house moement that replaces Timex’s signature V-conic piots with a jeweled movement. What’s more Timex’s 21 jewel movement is decorated which considering the case backs are closed, is a nice surprise when the watch is opened for service.
400
The vintage Timex 400 series of watches were produced in just 2 years, 1960 and 1961. Vintage watches in the Timex 400 series are unique in the vintage Timex range in that they do not have in-house movements. Instead both a Jaoanese Saitoshi and German Durowe 17 jewel movements were used. Saitoshi was the precursor to Seiko. This gives the Vintage Timex 400 series a special pedigree and makes them highly collectible and sought after by collectors.As a result, Timex 400 watches command a higher than average price. If you are in the market to collect vintage Timex 400 watches make sure that the dials are clean and without any damage due to water ingress. This is common in the vintage Timex 400 and is usually found either around the edge of the dial or expanding out from the center.
65 Marlin
Bayonet
Boys Series
Continental
Coronet
Darwin
Dynabeat
Electric
Electronic
Fun Timer
Funtimer is a name originally given to a series of Timex character watches launched in the 1950s. Later in the 1960s the use of the Funtimer name was expanded to include several series of colourful ladies sports watches.
J Series
J Series vintage Timex watches are identified by the use of a dog-leg lug. These lugs jut our then angle down giving them a J shape.
Marathon
Marquette
MK1
Monroe
Launched in the late 1940s’ the Timex Monroe range of watches are some of the earliest designs available to buy. The Monrow is designed as a a men’s tank watch and is period correct in that the case size is small.
Petite
Q / Quartz
Skin Diver
Produced between X and Y, the Timex Skindiver range of dive watches… FAQ: What is a Skindiver? A skindiver watch is type of dive watch with a much lower water resistance rating. Dive watches typically start at 666 feet or 200 meters where as skindiver watches are typically around the 50 to 25m depth rating. What is a depth rating? Depth ratings are based on the watch’s abilityto maintain water resistance as pressure on the case, crystal and caseback increase the deeper the watch is taken.
Southampton
Sportster
It appears that vintage Timex sportsters were originally designed as a cross between ladies and childrens watches. A Timex sportster shares the waterproof (later water resistant) properties of the marlin but at a much smaller size. The Timex Sportster is one of the earliest ranges of Timex watches, appearing in the early 1950s and lasting into the early 1980s.
SSQ
Super Thin
Weekender
By Year »
1940s »
1946
1947
1948
1949
Vintage Timex watches manufacturered in 1949 represent the 5th year of production under the Timex Brand. Watches from this year do not yet have range names. Instead, a single letter was used to identify each model. As a result there is no distinguishing code between chrome and gold plated models with most models being shown as gold in advertizements from this year (requires verification). 1949 Timex models continued the trend of having small cases and lug widths.
1950s »
1950
1952
1953
Timex watches from 1953 represent the first models to carry the name Marlin. This marks a change from previous years model references which used a single letter to differentiate each model.
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960s »
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970s »
1970
1971
1971 was an interesting year for Timex. The first full color brochure was produced…
1972
1973
1974
1974 marked a milestone for vintage timex watches. You will notice from this point onwards an extra digit was often added to the model reference and movements numbered under m100 had a zero appended before them i.e. 2474 became 02474 (M24 movement 1974 production). I suspect this was because the model range was expanding requiring more codes that the previous formula would accommodate. That and preparations for the M1xx movements which were launched later in the 1970s.
1975
1976
Wondering why i have so many vintage Timex watches from 1976? It’s because that’s my birth year. I decided to collect the 1976 versions of popular models even when earlier examples existed. I’m only missing a 1976 petite Peanuts Lucy, which is hard to find as no dial code is visible without dissassembly… that and any electric/electronics which hae only recently become a focus. Needless to say 1976 was the best year for vintage Timex watches 😀
1977
1978
1979
1980s »
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1990s
2010s
Colaborations »
Ben Hogan
DC Comics
Disney
Emerson Fittipaldi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5AXZILHO6o&list=WL&index=1 Take everything you hear about a Timex Emerson Fittipaldi watch with a pinch of salt as no-one really knows its true story. Rumour has it only 500 were made and were only sold in Brazil. This seems odd as they do appear for sale fairly frequently. Timex Emerson Fittipaldi Rally Watch When most people talk about the Timex Emerson Fittipaldi watch, that they are referring to is a rally style sports watch produced in 1975 that had additional text on the dial celebrating his second win at the Monaco Grand Prix. Ive been lucky enough to own 2 of these pieces, gifting one of them to @thetimexking as a thank you for all the help and support hes provided over the years. Timex Emerson Fittipaldi Electric Watch Theres also 2 models of electric/electronic watches… details to follow.
Hannah Barbera
Military
Moomins
MR Men
Muppets
Olympics
Peanuts
Scouts
Shirt Tales
Smurfs
Star-Kist Tuna
By Movement »
Manual Wind »
M21
Official guide to service the Timex M21 movement. The Timex M21 movement originated in 1954 with the launch of a range of Nurse’s watches, Timex’s first line of production watches.
M22
Official guide to service the Timex M22 movement.
M23
Official guide to service the Timex M23 movement.
M24
Timex’s M24 movement is a manual wind, zero-jewel, no-date movement used in 2 and 3 hand designs between the 1060s and 1970s…
M25
M27
M72
M78
M87
M100
M101
M102
Timex M104 Movement
M105
M114
M181 / AS (ST) 1941
Durowe 542
Automatic »
M29
Official guide to service the Timex M29 movement.
M31
M32
M33
M74
M108
Q / Quartz »
M64
M66
M67
M181
Unchecked »
M265
M40
M61
M62
M70
M75
M106
M107
M109
M116
M135
M171
By Type »
Acqua Watch
Kelton Watches
Mardor Watches
Saga Watches
Tidemaster Watches
Mens Watches
The main focus of my collection is men’s Timex watches. This is because i like to wear them and many of the other types are typically too small to wear. Timex started producing men’s watches in 1954. These were typically tank style watches (Monroe) which quickly evolved into a more standard round cased watch towards the end of that decade. Initially men’s Timex watches had no sweeping seconds hand giving them more of a dress watch look. As the movements became more robust seconds hands, chronographs (chronostop), calendar, day-date and GMT functionalities were added before the transition from mechanical to quartz happened in the mid 1980s.
Kids Watches
Womens Watches
Timex Black Max
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeHDQw1VTFg Black Max is coming! a bold statement. Timex gave the name Black Max to multiple models of watch throughout the 1870’s and later as quartz models in the 1980s. 1970s There were 4 variations of the Timex Black Max produced in the 1970s. US and EU models (featuring “Great Britain” on the dial) with and without a calendar (date window). The defining style of a Black Max watches was a black case surrounded by a white tachymeter bezel. The 70s model being a plastic coating on top of a metal body. 1980s Timex Black Max watches manufactured in the 1980s also had a black case however the composition had moved to an all plastic design. Black Max Clones & Copies Many attribute the design of the Black Max to be heavily inspired by the Porsche Design Chronograph 1 -1972 Limited Edition. It seems other manufacturers were also similarly inspired. Howeer im sure you’ll agree these are all closer to the Timex Black Max than the earlier Porsche. Time Masters Bueller Claro
Character Watches
Timex Color Flicks
Easy Reader
Timex LCD Watches
Prestige
Skin Diver Watches
Tank Watches
Time Machines
Time Zone Watches
Wrist Jeans
By Function »
Timex Chronograph Watches
Timex Chronostop Watches
Doctors Watches
GMT Watches
Timex Dive Watch
Nurses Watch
Sample Watch
Timex Sports Watches
Promotional Watch
By Feature »
60 Second Bezel
Elapsed Time Bezel
GMT Bezel
Tachymeter Bezel
World Time Bezel
Breguet Numerals
Crosshair Dial
Great Britain
Made in Taiwan
Mystery Dal Watches
Pulsometer Watches
Roman Numerals
Roulette Dial
Self-Wind
Telephone Dial Watches
Time Teacher Watches
TV Case / Dial
UFO Case
Wave
A small symbol/logo depicting waves can be found on some vintage Timex watches dating from 1981 and later. This symbol is usually accompanied by the caption “WATER RESISTANT” indicating the watch is resistant to splashes. This can be found on Marlin/Mechanical, Viscount/Automatic & Sprite models amongst others but not Mercury or dress watch models.
Repair & Service
Identification »
Model Identification
Case-Back Codes
Timex History
Servicing »
Servicing Vintage Timex
M21 M22 M23 M26 M27 Service Manual
M24 Service Manual
M25 Service Manual
Guides »
Opening Cases
Changing Bands
Calibrating/Timing
Cleaning Cases
Demagnetizing
Polishing Crystals
Removing Crown and Stem
Removing Crystals
Removing Hands
Crystal Database
Crown Database
Tools
Ads & Catalogs
1940’s
1944 Ads
1945 Kelton
1946 Kelton
1947 Kelton
1948 Saga
1949 Ads
1950’s
1950 Ads
1951 Ads
1952 Ads
1953 Ads
1954 Ads
1955 Ads
1956 Ads
1957 Ads
1958 Ads
1959 Ads
1960’s
1961 Canada
1967 Kelton
1968 Kelton
1968 Timex Corporate Brochure
Timex UK / EU Manual 1963 – 1970
1970’s
1971 Kelton
1972 Italy
1973 Italy
1973 Timex Brochure/Catalog France
1975 Germany
1978 Smurf
1979 Smurf
Blog
Welcome to the vintage Timex watch blog. Here you will find the latest news for fans of both new vintage Timex watches. If you have anything to share please contact me via @timetrope on instagram.
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Made in Taiwan
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Timex Mercury 1982 Ref. 25831 10582
Timex Mercury 1978 Ref. 16061 10478
Timex Marlin 27329 02479 [1979]
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