My Dad's old Timex watches

[joeqsmith]

A video after I repaired my Dad's old Timex watch to test new camera.


A few old Timex commercials.

[jpanhalt]

I inherited my dad's gold Movado watch from the 1950's.  I never use it.   My Timex is more accurate.  Current ones are so cheap, I can't see the purpoein restoring one.

[Analog Kid]

I was going to start a new thread on this, but maybe this is as good a place as any:

I loves automatic watches. Meaning mechanical watches that are self-winding.
When they work they're the most trouble-free of watches: put it on and walk around and you always have the time.
No winding. And no batteries.

My last one was a Stauer, which is kind of a knockoff brand, made-in-China watches that are pretty good quality and not too expen$ive. But it eventually broke; I guess the quality wasn't all that good. But it did keep good time while I had it. (I actually asked them to pull 3 or 4 watches and time them over several days and send me the most accurate one, which they did.)

This was several years ago. I'd really like to get another automatic watch, but I can't afford the really nice high-end ones. So does anyone know of any that are decent quality but don't cost an arm and a leg?
My budget could go as high as into the $150-200 range.

[joeqsmith]

I was going to start a new thread on this, but maybe this is as good a place as any:

I loves automatic watches. Meaning mechanical watches that are self-winding.
When they work they're the most trouble-free of watches: put it on and walk around and you always have the time.
No winding. And no batteries.

My last one was a Stauer, which is kind of a knockoff brand, made-in-China watches that are pretty good quality and not too expen$ive. But it eventually broke; I guess the quality wasn't all that good. But it did keep good time while I had it. (I actually asked them to pull 3 or 4 watches and time them over several days and send me the most accurate one, which they did.)

This was several years ago. I'd really like to get another automatic watch, but I can't afford the really nice high-end ones. So does anyone know of any that are decent quality but don't cost an arm and a leg?
My budget could go as high as into the $150-200 range.

Seiko, Bolova and Citizens all offer automatics in that price range.   I have have a few Citizens but really like my Seiko.   Just running a quick search, there is a lot available.

Video on the history of Timex and proclamation 3062


https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/proclamation-3062-modification-trade-agreement-concessions-and-adjustment-rates-duty-with

[SteveThackery]

There are countless Chinese-made automatic wristwatches on AliExpress, most of which have very low cost movements which keep time OK-ish. The movements are serviceable (ie they can be stripped, cleaned, reassembled, lubed and regulated), but spare parts are not normally available. Having said that, replacement movements are cheap.

Almost all the "brands" are just meaningless names printed on the dial - they tell you nothing about the quality of the watch. In fact, if you recognise the brand, don't buy it because it will be a fake. (Unless you want to support the faking of Western brands, I guess.) And this is the problem when buying Chinese products, including watches: China can and does make extremely cheap and nasty stuff, but is also perfectly capable of making high quality stuff. The problem is, it's often almost impossible to know which you will be getting from the advert.

An example of a "good" (not brilliant) Chinese brand is Sea Gull. They make a Chinese version of the Swiss ETA 2824-2 movement which is at least as good as the low-to-mid-range versions of the ETA movement.

In summary, China makes a wide range of very cheap to moderately good watches. You cannot trust the brand - if you've heard of it, it's a fake; if you haven't, it's just a meaningless name. Despite all of the above, I am happy to have well over a dozen Chinese-made watches in my collection. None were expensive - I bought them because they are interesting or amusing in some way.

The only Chinese brand that I feel has some degree of trustworthiness is Sea Gull.

If you want a higher level of confidence, and want to buy a decent watch, then I recommend one of the Japanese brands: Seiko, Citizen or Casio. The Casio range is entirely quartz, so probably not what you are looking for. Seiko and Citizen both make mechanical watches, many of them automatics. Both are good, trustworthy brands, but it is probably true to say that Seiko is the top Japanese brand for mechanical watches.

I no longer recommend Swiss watches for a good reason, but it's something I will go into in a separate post.

So, in summary:

1/ China makes a very wide range of automatic watches. The cost is usually very low, and so is the quality, but they are usable and if you like the looks, consider buying.  You will find endless examples on AliExpress.

2/ China is capable of matching the low-to-mid-range Swiss watch movements in terms of quality and performance. The problem is, they usually don't, and ordinary punters like us cannot tell what quality we'll be getting from looking at the advert.

3/ On AliExpress, if you see a watch with a brand you have heard of, it will be a fake. If it's a brand you haven't heard of, it will just be a meaningless name printed on the dial.  The exception is Sea Gull - they are slightly better than the Chinese average.

4/ If you want a good quality automatic watch I recommend going Japanese: Seiko are my first choice, but Citizen also make a range of mechanical watches for you to check out.

An even shorter summary: forget Chinese, forget Swiss - buy yourself a Seiko.

[Wallace Gasiewicz]

Perhaps try a jeweler in your area who repairs watches?  They could have used watches at reasonable prices. I have purchased several watches this way and have been almost always pleased.   I purchased an Oris Automatic years ago that would have fit your price range.  Really nice watch (was purchased as a gift )  You might score a better Seiko or Citizen that fits your price range..

[joeqsmith]

Closeup of my dad's two old Timexs and my Seiko. 

[MrMobodies]

Closeup of my dad's two old Timexs and my Seiko.

How old is that Seiko watch?

Looks very well engineered with the appearance too.

[joeqsmith]

It's five years old now.   

Looking for new old stock,  there is one in Japan.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/297283484345

[bdunham7]

This was several years ago. I'd really like to get another automatic watch, but I can't afford the really nice high-end ones. So does anyone know of any that are decent quality but don't cost an arm and a leg?
My budget could go as high as into the $150-200 range.

Just did some watch shopping, instead of automatic I ended up getting a solar-powered quartz.  And really, even with non-solar, changing the battery once a year isn't that big a deal.  Automatics don't work forever without service, usually every 5-10 years.  And they become less accurate as they age, at least until they are properly serviced.

You can get decent automatics in the $300-400 range, but from what I saw the ones for less than that are not great, typically having movements that are less reliable, less accurate and/or noisy.  Look at brands Tissot, Mathey-Tissot (both brands are Swiss but totally unrelated), Citizen and Seiko.  I specifically wanted something with both day and date indicators and smaller-sized.  There's a lot of huge watches out there now.  I ended up getting a grey-market import from Japan. 

[voltsandjolts]

My Seiko Kinetic (pendulum magnet and coil for charging button lithium cell) is a pain really, gotta wear it a lot to keep charge. Kinda known issue, you see b-field chargers for them on various sites, some folks use toothbrush chargers but mine won't work. I agree with the sentiment that changing a battery once a year is acceptable alternative.

[Bud]

I bought a Tissot automatic one in Zurich back in 2018 in person at a watch store for $500 and i thought it was a bargain, lol.
Love it, works well.

[Analog Kid]

Perhaps try a jeweler in your area who repairs watches?  They could have used watches at reasonable prices. I have purchased several watches this way and have been almost always pleased.   I purchased an Oris Automatic years ago that would have fit your price range.  Really nice watch (was purchased as a gift )  You might score a better Seiko or Citizen that fits your price range..

No. I live in a small town. Watch repair? Are you out of your mind? Nobody here does that; either throw away your watch or go to [closest big city] where you might be able to find someone to repair it. Maybe. Or just get a stupid cheap quartz watch like everyone else has.

When I lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, which is a pretty large and diverse metro area where you'd think there might be some places that do that, even there there were no watch repair places. Well, there were two, ackshooly, and I went to both of them: one was in Berkeley, where I left a cheap automatic watch I'd picked up to be repaired. Never heard a peep back from them (it was basically one guy who was a jeweler).

The other was a guy who used to have a repair counter at a Long's Drug store (a chain which went out of business a few years later). Russian guy. I had a really nice automatic, a Seiko (still have it) which stopped working after a decade or so. I left it with him; when I came back he said he couldn't do anything with it. And it was all fucked up; the guy was a butcher.

So I think the chances of finding a competent watch repair person anywhere in the United States these days is slim to none, and Slim just left town.

Been looking on eBay; there seem to be some promising offerings there.

[Analog Kid]

There are countless Chinese-made automatic wristwatches on AliExpress, most of which have very low cost movements which keep time OK-ish. The movements are serviceable (ie they can be stripped, cleaned, reassembled, lubed and regulated), but spare parts are not normally available. Having said that, replacement movements are cheap.

[snip rest of good post]

Yes, I know about Chinese automatics: as I wrote above I had a Stauer automatic I really liked, very good looking and kept good time. Until it didn't. (It lasted several years of somewhat hard use, got knocked around a bit.) I actually revived it a few times by opening the back, soaking it in solvent and drying it, then applying just a few drops of oil not to the works directly but just on the inside of the back; apparently the small amount that evaporated and condensed on the jewels was enough to get it going again.

So regarding these Chinese watches: can you or anyone else here recommend any specific watches (or brands) that I might be able to get for my budget ($150-200)? Maybe some links? I'd consider getting another Stauer but my previous experience puts me off that route.

I guess what I'd like to get is a watch that "takes a licking and keeps on ticking" ...

[armandine2]

I bought a Tissot automatic one in Zurich back in 2018 in person at a watch store for $500 and i thought it was a bargain, lol.
Love it, works well.

...experience lessened my appreciation of Tissot - a similar price bracket, nice looking watch, not so great quality 

[bdunham7]

I guess what I'd like to get is a watch that "takes a licking and keeps on ticking" ...

https://www.jomashop.com/timex-waterbury-traditional-automatic-black-dial-mens-watch-tw2t69600.html

https://www.jomashop.com/timex-marlin-automatic-black-dial-mens-watch-tw2v62100.html     (to save a few clicks, the price in cart is $189)

But I'd still recommend you skip the automatic and consider solar quartz. 

https://www.jomashop.com/citizen-eco-drive-blue-dial-mens-watch-aw1780-84l.html

https://www.sakurawatches.com/citizen-reguno-km1-211-71

Keep in mind that both Jomashop and Sakura are grey-market importers so you pay your money and you take your chances regarding warranty and service.  They don't sell fakes though, the watches will be genuine. Sakura ships from Japan so tariffs and FedEx will add quite a bit.  The last one is what I got and it ended up at $106 delivered including state sales tax.

[SteveThackery]

My Seiko Kinetic (pendulum magnet and coil for charging button lithium cell) is a pain really, gotta wear it a lot to keep charge. Kinda known issue, you see b-field chargers for them on various sites, some folks use toothbrush chargers but mine won't work. I agree with the sentiment that changing a battery once a year is acceptable alternative.

I totally agree. I have several Kinetics in my collection, plus their predecessor the AGS watches. I didn't mention them in my post because they are quartz, and we are talking about mechanical watches. In my opinion they are one of Seiko's worst products. Their rechargeable cells tend to have a short lifespan, often not much longer than a normal battery. Some Seikos (non-Kinetic) will run for five years on one battery, which is better than most of the Kinetics in my possession. The rechargeable cells are particularly prone to suffering when the watch has been put in a drawer and allowed to run down.

Although I am a big Seiko fan, I do not recommend a Kinetic. If you want an autonomous quartz watch, I advise going for a solar-powered Citizen every time (or Casio, if you can tolerate their styling).

[SteveThackery]

I bought a Tissot automatic one in Zurich back in 2018 in person at a watch store for $500 and i thought it was a bargain, lol.
Love it, works well.

Sadly Tissot - once a maker of good quality watches - has lost its identity and is now just one of the many brand names owned by the Swatch Group, stamped on their middle-range watches.

[joeqsmith]

But I'd still recommend you skip the automatic and consider solar quartz. 

I have two Citizen ECO watches and one Seiko solar.  The problem is the batteries fail and they are not a standard part.  Actually, one of the Citizens is out for service for this exact problem.  You can stick it in the window for a week and they stay flat dead.  I've gotten better life out of my basic electrics. 

The Citizen shown is only 10 years old,  the Seiko about 14.  Both have been in for service a few times.  Dads 1969 automatic Timex was never serviced and still runs. 

[Analog Kid]

@Steve: When I first heard of the Seiko self-generating watch I though it was a pretty kewl idea and considered getting one, as it would meet my requirements: a watch I could just put on every day, never have to wind and never have to replace batteries.

Sounds like that great idea couldn't be implemented very well in the real world; glad I never bought one.

So what do you think about this watch? It says it's a Citizen; $170 is a pretty good price.
Is this a real Citizen or a knock-off?
Also, the description says nothing about the number of jewels (I assume it has them?).

[joeqsmith]

IMO watches are a thing of the past.  Most people carry a cell phone.  I like the mechanical watches as they remind me of my youth.  Having to wind them is a pleasure.  They also remind me of a time when we didn't just talk about quality and black belts. 

There were several US manufactures of watches at one time.  Shown is my 117 year old Elgin.  It was serviced about 20 years ago and is still in perfect running condition today. 

https://www.elginnumbers.com/
 
Watch Information
Elgin Serial Number : 20301788
Production Year : 1918
Size : 12s
Jewels : 17 jewels
Grade : 344
Model : 2
Class : 113
Run Quantity : 2000
Production Dates : 1905 to 1927
Total Grade Production : 163700
Movement Configuration : Hunter Case
Movement Setting : Pendant Wind and Set
Movement Finish : Nickel Damaskeening
Plate : 3/4 Plate
Barrel : Going Barrel
Adjusted : No 

[Analog Kid]

I must admit that I'm highly susceptible to watches that have beautiful guilloché patterns engraved on them:



Yes, watches are obsolete: as obsolete as vinyl records, film cameras, tube amplifiers and steam locomotives. But some of us still loves 'em.

[bdunham7]

I must admit that I'm highly susceptible to watches that have beautiful guilloché patterns engraved on them:

Then look closely at this one instead:

https://www.sakurawatches.com/citizen-collection-ny4052-08a

They're both 21 jewels, 3Hz, a noisy and inaccurate but reliable low-end Miyota movement.  Shipping and tariffs will push that price over your budget.

[Analog Kid]

I must admit that I'm highly susceptible to watches that have beautiful guilloché patterns engraved on them:

Then look closely at this one instead:

https://www.sakurawatches.com/citizen-collection-ny4052-08a

Reading the reviews; what is a "hacking seconds function"?

[bdunham7]

IDK why it is called "hacking".  The feature is that if you pull the crown out to the setting position the second hand will stop.  For an automatic this means that the watch will stay wound so that you can leave it for some time without running down the mainspring.  When you come back to it, you set the time, push the crown in and it restarts with a full power reserve or whatever you had when you left it.  For a quartz watch, it just lets you easily set the time to the second.