# Timex Electric 1980?



## Chascomm (Sep 9, 2005)

Is this possible, or is there a different numbering system on these watches?










Surely there were no electrics still being made by then?


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## knuteols (Feb 22, 2006)

Chascomm said:


> Is this possible, or is there a different numbering system on these watches?
> 
> 
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> ...


Yes, that is still possible  In the very late 70's and 'till 1980 Timex were in a transition period, just like many other watch manufacturers. They made both Electrics, Quartz ( with a balance ) and Mech. movements, unsure as to wether quartz movements were here to stay ( now we know they did!  ). Therefore, it's not uncommon to find a Timex with Electric on the dial, made in 1980. The year 1980 was probably the last year for the Electric/Quartz movement with a balance wheel though, at least for Timex - I have no Electrics made after 1980 in my collection. So the catalognumber found on the dial you show in the pic is correct; model no. 46(48?)219, movement no. 262 and year 80.


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## watchnutz (Jan 18, 2008)

The last year I find electrics in my sales catalogs is 1981.


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

I'm getting confused...so when was the last quartz-controlled balance wheel Timex? :huh:


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## watchnutz (Jan 18, 2008)

Thats harder to say, Paul. The sales catalogs just show quartz analog without identifying the movement. I'll dig a little when i have some time and see if I can give a better answer.


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## knuteols (Feb 22, 2006)

Silver Hawk said:


> I'm getting confused...so when was the last quartz-controlled balance wheel Timex? :huh:


We like to think 1980 - both Bill and myself have a 1980 Timex Olympic U.S.Team watch, and they have a quartz-controlled balance wheel movement. In a 1982 catalog I have it shows Timex Quartz watches, but they have the "new" non-balance wheel movements. If Bill has any model numbers in his 1981 catalog it would be interesting to compare the two catalogs to see wether or not the model numbers match. That way we would know more. They still made the *Electric* in 1981 though, since they are in Bill's catalog.


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

knuteols said:


> Silver Hawk said:
> 
> 
> > I'm getting confused...so when was the last quartz-controlled balance wheel Timex? :huh:
> ...


That seems a little strange Knut....i.e. they stopped production of the quartz controlled balance wheel movement *before* the std. electric one....


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## knuteols (Feb 22, 2006)

Silver Hawk said:


> knuteols said:
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> > Silver Hawk said:
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Yes, I know  It could very well be that they made them in 1981 as well, but we'll know that when Bill checks the catalog so we can compare model numbers ( or maybe even some pics - that would give us a hint anyway ).


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## watchnutz (Jan 18, 2008)

Knut, my 81 catalog has what appears to be quartz/ balance models they are 57111,57231,59411,and 59611. They are listed as quartz analog while the others in the same catalog are just listed as quartz. The other change is the small size Q on the balance and the larger size at the 12 position on the non balance.

Unfortunately the 1982 catalog is one of the few I'm missing but the balance don't appear in the 1983. BTW the catalog says of the small q "jump action sweep second hand," while on the big q it says " one second jump action second hand" indicating a motor rather than balance.

I would guess then that 1981 was the end for both the electric and the quartz/balance. Whats interesting is the manual wind went on untill 1992.


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## knuteols (Feb 22, 2006)

watchnutz said:


> Knut, my 81 catalog has what appears to be quartz/ balance models they are 57111,57231,59411,and 59611. They are listed as quartz analog while the others in the same catalog are just listed as quartz. The other change is the small size Q on the balance and the larger size at the 12 position on the non balance.
> 
> Unfortunately the 1982 catalog is one of the few I'm missing but the balance don't appear in the 1983. BTW the catalog says of the small q "jump action sweep second hand," while on the big q it says " one second jump action second hand" indicating a motor rather than balance.
> 
> I would guess then that 1981 was the end for both the electric and the quartz/balance. Whats interesting is the manual wind went on untill 1992.


Ok - thanks for getting those model numbers. I think we can conclude that the last year for the Electric and the Quartz with the balance wheel is indeed 1981. In the 1982 catalog they are not listed - the mens Quartz are listed with: _All watches feature a "Step-Action" second hand _  Thanks for checking Bill.

I think the mech. ones goes even further. I went through a 1994 catalog, and on a single page all the way in the back of the catalog is what they call: "Mechanical ( Traditional Wind )" - there are 4 ladies styles and 4 mens style ( among them the Camper 29911 - often mistaken for a Timex Military, although it does have a 1-12+13-24 dial ). I don't have any catalogs later than 1994, but I do have one of those "The Last Wind Up" watches from 1996, but I have no idea wether it was just a "gig" they did, a couple of years after they actually stopped making the mech. ones.

The ladies mech. ones in the 1994 catalog has a "Sportster" model, and we both know how old that model name is!


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## watchnutz (Jan 18, 2008)

Sorry Knut, I mispoke about the manual wind. In my head (a vast empty area) I was thing "the last windup" was 92 not 96.


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

Nice research Bill and Knut. :thumbsup:


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## knuteols (Feb 22, 2006)

watchnutz said:


> Sorry Knut, I mispoke about the manual wind. In my head (a vast empty area) I was thing "the last windup" was 92 not 96.


Not as empty as MY head at the moment - I just managed to ruin yet another contact pin on the 1980 Quartz I told you about the other day  I think this movement is cursed, and I should put it away and forget about it...  ^_^


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## dombox40 (Oct 20, 2008)

Here's another one 1980 Timex electric.


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