# Timex Great Britain.



## vinnyp

Hi all, i thought id share with everyone my (in my opinion) vintage watch, its a timex made in 1980 and great britain, when i got this watch it was in a horrible condition and the original expanding bracelet was so worn and dented you couldnt actually tell it used to be gold coloured.

After a lot of time cleaning this watch and removing lots of scratches from the crystal it started to look like i could get some use out of it, so i replaced the knackered bracelet with a leather strap with gilt buckle to match the look of the watch.

It runs perfect keeps very good time and i take pride in knowing its older than me.

Heres a couple of pictures, apologies for the phone pictures but i have misplaced my camera at the minute......





Thanks for viewing, Vinny.


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## Big Bad Boris

Mel (the Timex Guru) will be along any minute now............. assuming he's not dancing 

Nice restoration job Vinny


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## vinnyp

Big Bad Boris said:


> Mel (the Timex Guru) will be along any minute now............. assuming he's not dancing
> 
> Nice restoration job Vinny


Thankyou,

the pictures really dont do it justice though, in real life life it looks almost new, except the mark on the dial above the timex logo, it happened before the watch was mine and it looks like the hour hand has lightly brushed the dial at some point over the last 33 years.


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## mel

Quote me the number(s) around the six marker and we'll see what else to tell you about it? Certainly it could be described as vintage, anything over 25 years of age will qualify for that, Mach and meself are both thus qualified :rofl2:

Congratulations on discovering just why folks like TIMEX so much - - 33 years old and still keeps on tickin' - - not bad for a cheapo throwaway item.









:weed:


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## vinnyp

Thanks for the reply, i thought this thread was a lost cause to be honest only getting one previouse reply an all,

The numbers are 2722802480,

All i know about it is that its 33 years old, has a no (0) jewel movement, sat in my stepdads drawer unused for about 11 years and still keeps very good time.

Anything else you could tell me would be interesting.

Vinny.


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## mel

The movement is a TIMEX #24 , the year of manufacture is 1980, the model number equates to the first part of the number sequence (before the SIX marker), and you may (only "may") be able to track this one down further if you look at a 1979 to 1981 TIMEX catalogue. :yes:

A service manual is available for download at the TIMEX forum

http://www.timexwatchforum.com

and take the link to our "Manuals and Catalogues" pages, there may be a catalogue there also, that portion of the site is managed separately from the forum and I'm not sure exactly what's there just now.

HTH a tad!

:lol:

Mel


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## vinnyp

Thanks for that, i followed the link you gave but couldnt find the appropriate catalogue, i will try searching google though and to be honest ive never seen another one of this exact model, seen a few on the bay that look similar but thats about it.

Any idea what sort of value this watch could have, i know it wont be a lot but i wouldnt mind having an idea.

Vinny.


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## mel

Well, Vinny, very few TIMEX have any sort of rarity values, simply because a small production run for a Timex model might be many times the total production in some years of a Swiss maker.

Rarities are perhaps the Dorado, a solid gold Electric watch, the Ben Hogan golfers watch, made to clip on your belt, and the Southampton chrono. The first production run to carry the Timex name is believed to be a Nurses Fob Watch, made in the mid forties, those are hard to find in good order.

Values for most others are really a matter of researching what the finished auction prices are like on fleabay. Where others made hundreds of any one model, Timex made thousands, hundreds of thousands and even millions of popular sellers!


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## mach 0.0013137

I recently picked this British made 1975 model up in excellent condition & working order for the princely sum of Â£5 from the sales section


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## Jonmarkel

I believe this is the 1976 model but its missing the sweep second hand shame though and not in as good condition as yours been told its a mercury model 23 or 24 i think..

also a wierd one



not really a timepiece but i have loads of New old stock quartz timex if anyone wants some pics


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## vinnyp

Thanks for the replies, i was only asking about its value out of interest, i could never part with this watch as it used to belong to my stepdads father.

I was on the bay recently and saw a vintage timex military watch with no strap and horrible condition throughout go for Â£17.

I have also seen people offering the same watch but mint condition from about Â£60 upto Â£100, i know military style watches are more popular at the minute but still i dont think there should be that much of a difference.


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## Raptor

vinnyp said:


> Thanks for the replies, i was only asking about its value out of interest, i could never part with this watch as it used to belong to my stepdads father.
> 
> I was on the bay recently and saw a vintage timex military watch with no strap and horrible condition throughout go for Â£17.
> 
> I have also seen people offering the same watch but mint condition from about Â£60 upto Â£100, i know military style watches are more popular at the minute but still i dont think there should be that much of a difference.


For your information the Timex "military" watch never was a actual military watch. The whole

military thing comes from I believe someone miss-selling it as such due to the dial having both 12 and

24 hour.

The actual model name for this is "Sprite".


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## vinnyp

Thanks for that raptor,

I wouldnt mind the sprite model then but i would not pay what there going for on ebay.


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## Raptor

vinnyp said:


> Thanks for that raptor,
> 
> I wouldnt mind the sprite model then but i would not pay what there going for on ebay.


Best thing to do is keep your eyes out for one that's not been

listed as a "military", that's how I got one albeit missing the

crown and stem in a two for a tenner deal from someone on

the bay who accepted my offer.


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## mel

Not quite true, there is/was a Mil Issue TIMEX, in a khaki-ish resin case, sealed and not meant to be opened or serviced, although members of the TIMEX forum have reported success with taking the movement out through the crystal aperture and getting them going again. These contain a standard movement, and have the genuine US Mil Issue numbers on the back of the case. These are also a rarity and can fetch some hundreds $ in working order and original. :yes:

A civvy version of this watch also exists, there are no Issue details on the back of this one, and the case (in examples I've seen) is not exactly the same colour, however still very collectable. The numbers of these genuine Issued watches about and out there is low, not a lot were made, and even less survived.

The Sprite referred to above is invariably as described, 1 -12 and 13 -24 chapters, but also note it's basically a "boy's" watch at around 33mm, and was intended to introduce youngsters to the concept of Military Time.


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## Raptor

mel said:


> Not quite true, there is/was a Mil Issue TIMEX, in a khaki-ish resin case, sealed and not meant to be opened or serviced, although members of the TIMEX forum have reported success with taking the movement out through the crystal aperture and getting them going again. These contain a standard movement, and have the genuine US Mil Issue numbers on the back of the case. These are also a rarity and can fetch some hundreds $ in working order and original. :yes:
> 
> A civvy version of this watch also exists, there are no Issue details on the back of this one, and the case (in examples I've seen) is not exactly the same colour, however still very collectable. The numbers of these genuine Issued watches about and out there is low, not a lot were made, and even less survived.
> 
> The Sprite referred to above is invariably as described, 1 -12 and 13 -24 chapters, but also note it's basically a "boy's" watch at around 33mm, and was intended to introduce youngsters to the concept of Military Time.


I was referring to the Sprite being sold on the bay as a " military" watch

when it never was. Saying that I never heard of a actual military issue

Timex so you have piqued my interest again, cheers Mel.


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## vinnyp

Lots of great information im picking up here, thanks for that.

I didnt realise the sprite was so small i dont think ill bother with one now.


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## Raptor

vinnyp said:


> Lots of great information im picking up here, thanks for that.
> 
> I didnt realise the sprite was so small i dont think ill bother with one now.


Although it is small it still sits quite well on the wrist.


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