Cross Ana-Digi WMH20

Today's watch is another which I've not been able to get working.

This is another watch by the pen maker Cross. Cross began as makers of fine writing implements in 1846, and it is their pens that they are most famous for. They expanded into time-pieces in 1997 with a limited distribution range. After that, the range was expanded and are still being produced today.

The watch is model WMH20 and is an ana-digi design. It has a rectangular case with the 3 hand dial set in the middle. The LCD is curved around the bottom of the dial like a smiley face. The digits on the LCD also curve round, and there is space for 6 digits. The modes are all on the LCD,  with the watch having chronograph and alarm modes (and the ability to do dual time). Inside, a single module runs both the dial and LCD.

The original sale price was ¥22,050.

Deadman GV 4098 LCD watch

Today's watch is another from the mysterious Deadman watches range.

This time it is an LCD watch from their collection, and the first of those to be blogged.

The brand is unusual in that it has produced so many different designs, but there is almost no facts about it online. They have made quartz and mechanical designs, with dials, discs, LCD, ana-digi, and skeleton models. The Deadman (or sometimes Dead Man) watches seem to have been around from the mid/late 90s and were features in watch magazines around that time.

This model is the first Deadman watch i got, and I'd found it in a second hand store in Tokyo. It has the same 60s/70s style as the rest of the range, and this time has a case which is the shape of an eye (especially how the front of the case bulges out with the "eyelids"). The strap is a patent leather, and has the Deadman name on the back of the strap. The back just gives the model number GV4098.

The LCD has a 6 digit inverse LCD panel with the day at the top. For the modes, there are time, date, stopwatch, and alarm, and there is also a bulb style light. There is no specific mode button, with each display being activated by it's own button.

Gruen Precision Autowind

Today's watch is my second by Gruen, but the first mechanical watch I've blogged by them.

This model is an automatic mechanical watch in a rounded rectangular case. Inside is a 25 jewel movement, but there is no model number anywhere on the watch, and it is a reasonably smooth movement with a 14,400 bph frequency.

The watch has a 3 hand dial, with a date window at the 3 o'clock position. The face has hour numbers, but starting at 13 rather than 1.

The Gruen company was founded in 1894, but ceased to be a family business in 1953. After this date, the manufacture was done in Switzerland, with a head office in New York, until it closed down in 1977. The Gruen name was then sold, and watches are still manufactured, but with no link to the original company.

There isn't much more information on the watch except that it is a Gruen Precision model which I guess means it was a high end model. It also states that it was Swiss made which makes it before 1977, and I'd guess this is a 60s or 70s model. The back only states that it is a mixture of stainless steel (back) and base metal (bezel).

Star Wars Stormtrooper LCD watch by WatchIt

Happy Star Wars Day readers, and May the Forth be with you! To celebrate, I'm wearing another of my Star Wars watches.

This watch is another of the Star Wars character watches by WatchIt. The range of watches was released in 1997, which is when the packaging copyright date is, but the watches themselves were copyright 1996. The watches were made in China for the UK company Toy Options Limited, and made under license of World Wide Licences Ltd (the WWL symbol on the back). As these are Star Wars watches, the trademark and copyright are to Lucasfilm.

This particular model is the Stormtrooper design. The watch case is a Stormtrooper helmet, with the lower part of the strap moulded like the front of the Stormtrooper along with a hand and blaster. The top half of the strap is moulded too, but like the back of the Stormtrooper, so it looks right when you fold that part under.

As normal, the watch is a 4 digit LCD display with time, date, and seconds modes.

Casiotron 04-504

Today I'm wearing one of the original Casio LCD watches.

The watch is one of the Casiotron range which were the name for the first line of Casio LCD watches. The line started in around 1974 and featured many different designs of LCD watch, but most of the first models had a square LCD display in a large thick case.

This is the model 04-504 with a QW04 module. This is a similar model to the 04-502 watch i posted about in 2012 (which I mistakenly thought was a modern remake). This design has a round centre to the face with the LCD display in. The display is a standard old model with  3 1/2 digit time and day marker along the top. The day marker also has a second function in that it flashes to show the seconds (with the number printed below the day).

This model also came with a mesh strap, and other models online seems to have the same strap as this one - but unusually, it isn't a Casio brand strap (it is Kreisler).

The back has the usual information, and the battery is changed with a coin opened slot.

Swatch See 2 Sea GN909

Back to the Swatch watches again today.

This model is another of the Swatch Originals, but this has an additional button. The button is for the Loomi function which is the Swatch lighting system. As with the other Originals it is a 3 hand dial design with the typical Swatch shape.

This watch is called the See 2 Sea and has the model number GN909. The name gives a hint to the decoration, which is a very nautical theme. The transparent blue strap has wave pattern down the edge, and the glass also has a wave print on.

It was released in the 2001 Spring Summer collection.

Agnès b Chronograph V654

Today is my second watch from the designer agnès b (all in small letters). I've got a few from this brand, so there'll be more to come.

The brand agnès b is a self named label for the French fashion designer agnès b. The label started in 1973 and now has over 100 stores worldwide selling their 'timeless designs'. They started with watches in 1989 with a collaboration with Seiko, who still make the agnès b watches.

This model is a chronograph design with seconds and minutes dials for the chronograph at the 6 and 9 o'clock positions. The main time is shown on the 3 hand dial, and at the 3 o'clock position is a 24 hour dial. The design is quite simple with a round silver case and a black face with hour markers.

It uses a Seiko V654 module, with the full number V654-6100. The strap is also an agnès b logo on the clasp and has a part number of E022 AG-E. Looking at the serial number, the date could be 1991, 2001, or 2011, but looking at the style, my estimate would be it is from 2001.