Casio Baby-G BG-2000

It seems like it's been a while since I last wore a Casio G-Shock or Baby-G, so I've decided to sort that out today.

The watch I chose is one of the Baby-G line which a set of smaller G-Shock models and are primarily aimed at women, but are suitable for anyone (especially if you have a smaller size wrist).

This model is the BG-2000 and is one of the square case designs that has been a theme across many different models. This model has a green inverse mirrored LCD display which mainly uses a dot matrix for showing the different information. The display is split into 3 parts by two printed lines running across the screen. The middle part shows the time, with has a small animation as the numbers change, and has the strange feature in that for the middle part of the minute, the time display grows and then shrinks (by 2 pixels in height). The bottom line of the display has the most information by default, with a long thin dot matrix array showing day, date, and seconds. The top section mainly has icons to show items such as am/pm, alarm settings, etc. along with 4 dots which pulse with the seconds.

Inside is a 3077 module which powers the watch. This gives the watch many modes, which are world time (29 zones with 44 cities), alarm (x5), stopwatch, timer, and a silent mode where the display is blank.

The watch features a chunky white plastic case with a square silver bezel. The strap is designed to look seamless with the case, but is replaceable (although you would need the specific strap which matches this model). Overall, the case gives a 10 bar water resistance, and this model is made in China.

This design is still shown on the Casio website, but not in this colour. For one a black model, I also saw that it was first listed on Amazon in 2007, so I assume that this white version is from the same time.

United Colors of Benetton Square Bracelet Watch

It's been a while since I wore a really unusual looking watch, so today I've decided on one which is pretty unique (especially as I'm going to an art gallery opening tonight too).

The watch is another in the range by United Colors of Benetton, but not in the Benetton by Bulova range. I've featured many watches from Benetton so far, and this is the most unusual of the lot. More info about the brand can be found in my other posts.

The first thing you notice about the watch is that it is square - not that the face is square, but the whole watch including the strap is a square bracelet design (with a round hole for your wrist). It is made from semi transparent blue non-flexible plastic, which is hinged at one side for opening so you can get it on. The other opening side has a metal hook which when pressed releases the two halves.

The face of the watch is mirrored with a window for the LCD display. The LCD is a long thin dot matrix array of around 35x7 which shows a scrolling message (United Colors of Benetton) as well as the time. To excentuate the difference between message and time, the message is in normal LCD display while the time is shown in inverse. There is a mode button on the side of the watch which allows you to bring up the time instantly or to show the date. The other button on the side is for time setting mode, which works after you use the mode button to select time or date. Also in the setting mode is the option to change the language for the date to one of a variety of European languages, including English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish. Next to the display is a small United Colors of Benetton logo in white and green.

The back of the watch part is fastened with screws, and just has the basic info (brand name, stainless steel back, 3atm water resistant, and registered design).

I've not seen this online, so have no formal confirmation of the date of the watch, but the LCD module date starts at 2005, so my assumption is that the watch was released around this date. I do have the original price label, so I know it was sold with an rrp of €50.

Casio Vivcel VCL-101 Trans Biosis

For today's watch, I'm wearing an old Casio model with an unusual, but currently obsolete, additional function.

The watch is from a range of Casio watches called Vivcel. The Vivcel name is moulded at the bottom of the case and is recognizable in the model number starting VCL-. The Vivcel watches were released in 1998 and were designed to complement your mobile phone, showing when it was ringing. It worked on the same style as the keyring phone notification attachments which were popular in the 90s. From my limited understanding, the antenna inside picked up the signal of a nearby phone registering a call (similar to how mobile phones used to interfere with speakers when sat next to them). Once it registered these signals, it gave a signal to the wearer that the phone was ringing, including a vibration option. The downside of this technology is that it didn't connect to a single phone so as mobile phones became more popular, it would inform you if any phone was ringing within range (which could be set between normal and low sensitivity (50cm)). The system also only worked on a single band, and hence stopped being functional as more bands and especially 3G came to prominence.

This particular model is called the VCL-101, and has special text on the strap saying "trans biosis" as well as an equation. I don't know if the text was normal for the VCL-101 or a special edition as the model doesn't seem very common (but many of the one I've seen do have the text). This model was one of the 2nd generation Vivcel as it is classed as an 800MHz Analogue/Digital model which I understand to mean it could pick up two types of signal for the phone calls.

It has a multi-part LCD display with a main row of digits for time, a smaller date above, and a dot matrix display at the top. The dot matrix has a section for the day, as well as a rectangular section where it shows small animations. The animation is mainly a woodpecker (which keeps losing its beak), but has a different animal for the first 10 seconds of each minute (including a bat, a weasel?, an armadillo, a monkey, a kangaroo, and an elephant). I did also manage to swap the woodpecker for a sealion with a ball instead, and it appears that if the woodpecker isn't moving, then that means the signal receiving has been switched off. There is also a small icon in the corner to show mobile phone signal strength.

Inside is a Casio 1974 module (which has often been mistaken for the date on internet posts), which gives a few extra modes, each accompanied by a different animation. The modes are world time (globe and aeroplane), alarm (penguin), timer (no idea...), and stopwatch (lizard). I've also seen a monkey animation when the vibration is going off. There is also an el-backlight which I think reveals a picture of a spaceship, but is difficult to see as the light isn't working properly. The back has the model and module number, and that it is made in Japan, as well as a picture of a robotic looking shark.

Module 3D Style Dot Matrix LCD

It seems that the Internet is recognising that I collect a lot of mystery Japanese watch brands. Today's watch is another by Module, and my blog makes up a large proportion of the web hits when I keep searching.

The Module brand is made by a company called Poll Position Ltd Co. From the limited information I've found online, they may be an Osaka based manufacturing company, but also distributors of the Lip watch brand in Japan. They also have a Japanese auction profile selling these watches, but there doesn't seem to be a specific web site for the brand. The brand logo is the name MODULE, but with the O being a hexagonal shape.

This model is a different design to most of their watches as it is an LCD design rather than the more common quartz analogue watches. The LCD design is an inverse LCD, in what looks like a dot matrix array layout. As this is only used for showing digits, I can't be sure it is a true dot matrix or whether it is just split into square pixels for the digits only. The design of the digits is such that they have a 3D effect because although the digits are 2 pixels thick, it looks like they are 2 sets of 1 pixel thick numbers offset by 1 pixel to the right and down. The time display is a normal basic arrangement having just time, date, and seconds. The back of the watch just confirms the make (with the logo) and the Poll Position Ltd Co company, and the stainless steel construction, and there is also a 'Made in China' sticker attached.

The watch case is a large square design with the whole dace covered by the glass. The front of the watch extends wider than the main body making it look slimmer on your wrist than it really is. The strap is a metal chainmail style with a buckle, and this fastens directly into the main part of the case.

I bought this model brand new for a discounted ¥1000 (but it has an rrp closer to ¥2000) so I think it is a very recent release.

Franc Dot Matrix LED - Gold

Today's watch is a design I've featured before, but with some slight variations (and I wanted something bright for the concert I'm going to tonight).

The watch is by a company called Franc, but it is a challenge to find anything about them online (either because there isn't anything, or their name is too common). The brand name is on the back of the watch and has a very distinctive round/curvy font style.

I've blogged a white version of this watch before (June 2014), but this version is in gold with a black trim and a black padded (fake?) leather strap. The white model I blogged had writing on the back as well as the brand name, but this model doesn't have anything else.

The watch is an LED design with a dot matrix display (a 17x5 array). Pressing the time button sets of a random animation before the time displays, and after a short while the display switches off in another animation. Pressing the button again while the time is showing starts another animation followed by the date.

When the watch is from is also a mystery. They seem to be new watches, and similar designs are from the late 2000s and early 2010. However if the brand was selling watches still, I'd have expected to find something in my web searches, so my best guess is late 2000s.

Casio Film Watch Pela FS-00

It was another watch to match with my t-shirt again today, and it is one of a series I've blogged before.

This is one of the Casio Film Watch Pela models, and the one with the lowest number (but not the first). The Film Watch models are the range of thin and super light watches Casio started in the mid-1980s.

This model is the FS-00 and is a 5mm thick rectangular LCD watch. The particular version is from the Sorbet range and is the FS-00-4A and called Chilly Lilac (although it has a more pink colour). The Sorbet range was 10 different models in pastel colours, but the models also had shorter straps than the regular models.

The FS-00 is a data bank model in the Pela range and uses the 2190 quartz module. The display is set at a 30 degree angle, which is comprised of 3 rows of dot matrix arrays. The standard display has date at the top, time (6 digits) across the middle, and day at the bottom. There is an alternative display mode where it shows animations of animals too. The animals (dog, camel, gorilla, bird, cat, and squirrel) are shown for 10 seconds each and have 2 frames in the animation. It also has world time and stopwatch, as well as the 30 slot data bank, and there is an el-backlight.

I don't know when these models were released, but I think they are 90s watches.

Mark Eckō Non-Stop watch

It's my last day of work before the holidays, so I decided on a watch which is a little over the top.

This watch is called the Non-Stop and is by Mark Eckō (or just Mark Ecko if your keyboard can't handle it). The name of the watch has caused all manner of silly questions online about whether it doesn't stop - the answer is that the brand hasn't invented some kind of infinite power source, so of course it will stop when the battery runs out of power!

Mark Eckō is an American designer, artist, and inventor who runs the billion dollar lifestyle and fashion company Mark Eckō Enterprises. Their best known brand is eckō
UNLTD, a t-shirt and fashion company popular in the hiphop and skater fashion world, and recognised for its rhino logo.

This is the second Mark Ecko watch I've blogged, and it is also pretty noticeable. It is a giant silver slab of metal, and is so large (at 6cm x 3cm, and 1cm thick), it has a bend to make it fit around your wrist. The watch has 2 inverse dot matrix LCD panels, the bottom one showing time, and the top one showing day and date as well as the Eckō name. On the face, it says this is a 16-bit watch, which I assume to be referring to the processor chip, but that is a little over the top as the watch only has alarm, timer, and stopwatch modes. Below the displays is a raised section with the brand name, while the black leather strap has studs with the rhino logo.

The back has the brand name and the logo, and has the usual manufacturing location (China), and material (base metal).

The model number is E95009G1, and the watch is no longer available. I think it came out around 2009/2010, but I haven't found the rrp.

Adidas SF-100 Limited Edition

Through my collection, there are so many different styles of watch. I've managed to cover from the cheap fashion watches, through the vintage electronic watches, to limited edition models like today.

Today's watch is by the sports giant Adidas, and is one of their high-tech LCD models. This is a limited edition version of the SF100 (or SF-100) sports watch, and has an additional model number of 10-0173 on the back. The limited edition model was released in 2002 to commemorate the (football) World Cup in Japan and Korea. I haven't seen this on many Western sites, so it may have been mainly a Far East release, with only 2002 units produced (but maybe 2002 in each of a variety of different colours).

The watch has a round LCD panel with a dot matrix array, except for the bottom line which is in traditional LCD digits. The dot matrix is used for most of the display modes to give time, the mode description, and/or the mode itself. The modes this model has are Chronograph (with a lap recall mode CH-RC), timer, sports timer (with graphics to show time elapsed/remaining), and alarm (x6 including an option to set whether it is a daily alarm on on a specific day). There is also a dual time mode and an el-backlight. The Adidas button on the front isn't to active the light as I'd expected (as that is the top left), but changes the display from the usual large time display to showing the Adidas 3 stripe logo with the time on the normal digits below. Time is set by holding the light button until a message appears, with the mode button cycling through the options, and the top right and middle Adidas button taking the numbers back and forward.

The case is made of plastic, and has a colour matched rubbery plastic strap which follows the lines of the case.

Exklu 03-643BF

Time for another mysterious Japanese fashion watch today, and it's one with an unusual name.

The watch seems to be by, or from a line of watches called Exklu, which I'm guessing comes from the word exclusive (in some language which uses a K rather than a C). Some sales sites link the name with the name Elite watches, so this may be the overall company (which isn't mentioned on the watch itself), or it may just be that they think the watches are in an elite class.

The watch has a small square dot matrix style inverse LCD display which is spread over 3 lines (hours, minutes, and a small line for seconds). There is also a set of day markers (in English) down the left side of the LCD. There isn't a button to cycle through the modes, but instead, holding the different buttons displays a different thing. There isn't much explanation for the modes, so I think that it has date, dual time, and alarm, and there is an el-backlight too.

The case is a white painted metal design, and has a matching white rubbery strap. The back is stainless steel, and has the model number which is 03-643BF.

The Exklu brand are still sold, suggesting it is a newer make, but the few links to the sale of this model don't exist anymore. One link does have a date of early 2011, and makes me think this is from the end of the 00s.

Elite dot matrix LCD

Today's watch is another of the many mysterious fashion watches I have that have no well known maker (as far as I can tell).

This watch is by/called Elite, and it was the look more than anything that drew me to it. There are no other makers marks on the watch apart from the elite name engraved below the LCD.

The watch has a dot matrix style LCD which shows 4 characters, each with a 5x5 array. The dot matrix isn't used for much apart from showing digits, as there are no modes which use other characters. Actually, it doesn't have many modes at all, with only time, date, and seconds displays.

The design is quite interesting, with a case that has gaps above and below the LCD which shows the strap through. The actual part of the case with the movement in is just the central rectangular part which the screen sits in. The strap is a nice chunky thick brown leather one, but with no markings on either.

No idea on the date, but I think it is modern - late 00s, or maybe 10s.

Franc dot matrix LED watch

Today's watch is a bright one, but not as much as it should be.

This watch is a dot matrix LED watch with a scrolling display. Pressing the button starts the lights - it starts with some form of pattern before showing the time, which then disappears with a random animation.

The watch is by a company called Franc, but there is no other information about that brand that I've found. The back just mentions the water resistance, but has some weird text - the details of what the buttons do are all written starting with a K (KDATE, KLCK, KSET, and KTEST).

It has a rectangular case with the dot matrix along the middle, hidden within a dotted (indented) band across the middle. The white leather strap matches the design and is covered in small indents

Unfortunately, some of the LEDs have failed on this watch so it's become a little hard to read. I don't know the date, but again I'd guess this was from the 2000s.

Metro Digital System - round LED

Late last year, I mentioned a brand called Metro who produced interesting designs, but were pretty anonymous on the web.

Today's watch is another from the Metro brand, and on the back it calls it the Digital System. It also has the name Huntingdon on the back which may also be the models name (as the other model was also named after a place).

This model has the same large round design of the previously blogged model, but this is an LED watch. Across the centre of the red coloured face are a series of dots in an 18x5 grid. These dots are a dot matrix array of small red LEDs which are used to tell the time. The watch is simple with regards to functions as you can only see time (4 digits) and date but nothing else (not even seconds).

Pressing the large top right button activates the display which starts the scrolling message METRO DELIGHT before the time is revealed. If you are in a hurry you can double press the button to skip the message and jump straight to the time. The bottom right button is the setting button and activates when you hold that in for a few seconds.

I don't know exact dates for the Metro watches, but I think the brand has probably been around since the late 90s.

Zero by Axcent of Scandinavia

I've been avidly watching on of the sports at the winter olympics. That sport is Curling, and as Great Britain is going for gold today, I thought I'd go for gold too - a gold watch (although it didn't help)!

This isn't a real gold watch, but is a very shiny gold coloured watch by Axcent of Scandinavia. Axcent were formed in the late 90s to bring Nordic design into the watch market, and are based in Stockholm, Sweden. They have become a fashion phenomenon with their motto "when art becomes a timepiece without costing a fortune".

This model is the Zero design by Daniel Jakobsson. Daniel was their brand/product manager and head designer from 2002 to 2009. In 2004 the Zero design was released with its high tech dot matrix module and wide leather strap.

The time is shown on the dot matrix LCD display with 6 digits (each 5x3 blocks). It has world time functions, a data bank (for 10 sets of details), and a stopwatch. Each mode has an animated entrance like shutters opening and then the name of the mode before the mode is started.

It had what I think is a catalogue number of x23482-7880, and it originally sold for ¥10,500.