Hanes watch 2035

Today's watch is by a brand more known for its underwear than for selling watches.

The watch is by the American company Hanes. The Hanes brand is owned by Hanesbrands Inc (which was spun off from the Sara Lee Corporation in 2006) and was originally founded in 1901. The Hanes name is most associated with clothing essentials such as underwear, socks, and some active wear, so it is unusual to see a watch for that brand. Other companies under the Hanesbrands banner include the sports company Champion, and Wonderbra.

The watch itself is a sporty looking 3 hand dial design, with glow-in-the-dark hours and minutes hands. It has a black plastic case with blue trim, and there is an inset rotating bezel. The back of the watch states it was assembled in China and is 10 bar water resistant. There are also some numbers on the back which will be model and serial numbers. One of the numbers is 2035 which is a common Citizen quartz module, so I'd guess that this may be inside. The other numbers are 0406 and 92-4791. The watch comes with a matching blue and black fabric and velcro strap (so good for outdoors use) which also has the red Hanes logo on a leather patch.

For the date, I don't know definitively, but if my hunch about the 2035 module is right, it'd suggest a late 90s or early 00s date.

Casio AL-180 Batteryless - 2505 module version

Today's watch is an old model, but it seems a new version.

This watch is the AL-180, and is one of the Casio solar watches. Reading the Casio site, it seems that the AL-180 was one of their milestones, and was their first  Batteryless model released in 1987. The original was released with a 668 module inside, but from reading the Nerd Watch Discussion Board, it seems like a lot of fakes were released around 2003/05. The fakes had a slightly different LCD, but different insides (which did not have the same Casio branded parts and were a lower quality construction).

This model uses a different module, the 2505, and was a later release of the same design and model number as the original. Checking against the genuine original pictures, this has the same internal layout, as well as an identical LCD panel to the original 668 module AL-180s. The manual for the 2505 is available online at the mygshock.com website.

The AL-180 case is rectangular, with the top half reserved for the solar panel (split into a 5x5 grid), and the bottom half housing the LCD display. The LCD is a 2 line layout with 6 digits for time at the top,  and a smaller day and date display below (the fakes have a different bottom line with day, month, and date). It has a 3 button design, and has alarm and stopwatch modes. It says on the display that this is a Batteryless model, but actually there is a type of battery inside which the warning label says should be a GC and not a CR type.

Pierre Cardin CS1933

Today's watch is one from another of the famous designer brands.

This model is one of the watches from the Pierre Cardin watch collection. Pierre Cardin is an Italian-born French fashion designer. He is most know for his space age designs and geometric shapes, and is also a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador. His fashion experience started in the 1940s and he worked with Christian Dior before forming his own fashion house in 1950.

This watch is a 3 hand dial design with a model number of CS1933. It is a Swiss made watch with a gold and silver design and a white face with gold hour markers. Inside is a Swiss Ronda metal quartz movement with one jewel (and is the second one of these which has stopped working on me).

This model number doesn't appear in any of the searches I've tried, so I don't know when it is from, but it definitely isn't current (and I'd guess late 90s).

Quicksilver Depth Charge M002BR

Today I'm wearing a surf brand watch, but a different brand than I've used before.

This watch is the Depth Charge by Quicksilver. Quicksilver is a Australian company which was founded in 1969, but is now based in California. It is one of the world's largest surfwear and boardsport equipment manufacturers, which also produces accessories like watches. The Quicksilver logo is a large wave over a mountain and was reportedly inspired by the woodcut The Great Wave off Kanagawa by the Japanese painter Hokusai.

The Depth Charge is a 3 hand dial watch with a model number of M002BR. It has a simple and clean design with a rectangular silver case and black dial and pattern of the dial centre with the hour markers looking like a black shiny sun. The strap is specific for the watch and has a square dot texture with the Quicksilver logo on. On the inside of the strap are all manner of engraved signature/tagging style Quicksilver's. The back tells this has a Japanese movement and is 5atm / 50m water resistant, and also has a large version of the logo.

I found an article about this watch written in late 2006, which was suggesting that this watch was what you should buy for someone wanting to be at the forefront of fashion for 2007.

Module Flashing Rainbow 'Co-Axial Escapement'

Today's watch is a little strange in its description. It has a name which is associated with a mechanical watch, but it's an entirely electronic model.

The watch is another by the watch brand Module which is a Japanese design watch brand made (or distributed) by a company called Poll Position Ltd Co. The Module watches have many different designs, but often have a logo of the Module name, but with a hexagon for the O.

The Poll Position Ltd. Co. is another of these Japanese mystery brands who may be an equipment manufacturer, or may just be anonymous online.

This watch has a rounded square case and a 2 hand dial design. In the centre of the face is an LCD panel which is just used to show patterns of vertical lines in grey, red, blue, and black. There is a button above the crown which I think is for changing the pattern, but it is so subtle, I can't be definite it works that way. Inside, the watch dial is powered by a normal looking movement, but that is hidden under the electronics for the LCD. The battery for the dial is meant to be aligned so that the battery sits under a hole revealed by the LCD battery, but I needed to reverse some of the electronics to make it work right.

The weird part of the description is that on the dial is the text 'Co-Axial Escapement'. This is a method of regulating a mechanical watch, so it is strange to see it mentioned on a quartz module.

Planet Design Rotating Disc White Leather

Today, I'm back to one of my unknown Japanese brands which I'm building up a little collection of.

The watch is by Planet Design, and I still haven't found out who they are made by, or really what era they are from (but you can still find some around now). All I know is that you can still buy some models, they have been found on Tokyoflash, and there is a Japanese company called Emit (or as the translation shows aka Emmett) that sells quite a few designs.

This watch is a rotating disc model, with a 2 disc design. The minutes dial is on the inside and the window on the right side, so the minutes are read first and then the hours. It has a rectangular silver face with the rectangular time window in, and the Planet Design name at the bottom. Along the top and bottom and on the segmented matching strap is a white leather (style?) material. The ds it makes it look very like the Rotalog by Nixon, but I don't know which came first. This exact model with the white leather doesn't seem to be available but is most like the model SA-108 which has a wood finish and costs ¥3,675.

Swatch Muuhh GG187

Today's watch is another of my vintage Swatch watches, and this time, or e of their sillier designs.

The watch is from the 2000 Spring Summer collection, and was designed in 1999. It is called Muuhh, and has a model number of GG187. It has a 'sort-of' 2 hand dial design, with one hand (hours) and one rotating disc (with the equivalent of a minutes hand pointer). It is the minute hand which is the silly one though, as it has a picture of a boy which rotates. There is a clue that there is something strange on the dial as at the 6 o'clock position it says Boy, but at the 12 o'clock it says Cow upside down. If you then turn the watch upside down, you see that the picture of the boy is also a picture of a cows face.

My one has had a replacement strap (before I got it), so it doesn't have the cartoon cow and boy strap that this model should have. There is also a Maxi version of the watch with this design, which is the wall clock size watch.

Bulova Neo-classic by Benetton

Today is one of the collaborations I blogged about last April, but this time, maybe with a hint on their release date.

The watch is one of a series of watches which were a collaboration between the watch maker Bulova and the fashion brand United Colors of Benetton.

The Benetton group was founded in 1965 and named after the Benetton family. The United Colors line is well known for their bright colours, and many of the watches follow this theme. The Bulova brand are an American brand making luxury clocks and watches. It was founded in 1912, but has been part of the Citizen Watch Co. since 2007.

It seems like the collaboration with Benetton may have started in the late 80s, and this watch from 1993. The dial states 1965 - 1993 neo-classic by benetton, so seems to be promoting the 28th anniversary of the Benetton brand. I've seen others online, so know that it came in gold with a green face, or this silver version with a silver face and green writing (and green strap). In the centre of the dial is a stylized version of the Benetton logo, and the Bulova name, and the logo is also imprinted into the rim of the watch face.

The watch is a 3 hand dial design, and inside there is a Swiss made Ronda quartz movement with 1 jewel and a metal construction. I don't know of it's bad luck, but this movement has failed on me more than the Japanese movements, as I've recently found a couple that I couldn't get working. The sticker on the back states that the watch was assembled in Hong Kong, so it isn't an entirely Swiss made watch.

Steltman Bracelet Watch

Today's watch is one of my ladies watches that fits my wrist, and I liked this one as I think it looks like a wristband from a sci-fi movie.

The watch is by a company called Steltman, who's logo is the Steltman name with a large S across the middle. The Steltman name is mainly linked with a Dutch watch company that works with high end watches, but I don't think this brand is linked with them. The Steltman watches are like many other design brands in that they only seem to appear on sales sites.

This watch is a 3 hand dial design built into a solid metal bracelet. The dial is quite wide and tapers into the shiny metal bracelet, and there are jewel markers at the main  hour marks. The bracelet is hinged and fastens with crocodile clip style fastener on the bottom side. Inside is a Seiko Epson AL55A module, but no other information about the makers.

For the date, I haven't found anything definitive, but the one other I've seen of this model was sold as new in the last couple of years.

Town & Country VA03

Today's watch is from a brand I've ended up with a few watches from, but this is the first I've blogged.

The watch is by a brand called Town & Country, or to give the full name that appears on the dial Town & County Surf Designs.

The brand is a world recognised manufacturer of surfboards, and originated in Hawaii in 1971. It was started by Craig Sugihara and was famous in the 80s for their shirt designs featuring cartoon characters such as Thrilla Gorilla.

The Town & Country watches appear on Japanese auctions quite a lot, and judging by the sticker on the back on this one, may have been made by Orient (in 1998). This model is a 3 hand dial design with an extra button for a light. It is a heavy water resistant model (20 bar) with a screw back. The design has a stylized logo on the face with the Town & Country name. There is also a rotating bezel, with the yin and yang symbol used by Town & Country at the 0 position, which can also be found engraved on the back. The watch has a fabric strap, so is suitable for use in the water.

There is a model number on the back of VA03-HO, and inside there is a complicated looking module with a number ELD-005-1(rev 1) for the light sitting over the quartz module for the watch.

Pokémon Keldeo Watch

I've been with my family today so wore another of my children's watches.

This watch is one of my many Pokémon watches, but a more modern one this time.

Today's model is from 2012 and was released to commemorate the unveiling and release of the Pokemon Keldeo. Keldeo was leaked in February 2012 before being fully revealed in that June. The Pokemon Keldeo is a legendary Pokemon and is number 647 in the national Pokedex. It is called the Colt Pokemon and is a combined water and fighting Pokemon and has two forms depending on the situation in the game.

The watch has a picture of Keldeo on the face, and has a blue and white strap with Keldeo's name on. It has a 3 1/2 digit LCD display as with the other novelty watches, with the standard time, date, and seconds displays. It is more unusual in that the button to change the mode looks like a normal crown design.

The watch copyright is to Nintendo and Pokemon as well as something written in Japanese (as this is a Japanese model watch). The back doesn't give much more away and just has a sticker saying 'made in China'.

Crazy Planet Gumwatch Aqua

It's really hot here today so I thought I'd wear something silly and summery.

This watch was bought by me when I was living in Scotland (in the early 00s). I was queueing to buy my lunch one day and this was by the counter and caught my eye so I decided I must have it (and it cost me £5).

The watch is made for Crazy Planet who are based in Barcelona, Spain. The Crazy Planet brand was started by the Spanish Chupa Chups S.A. company in the late 90s, famous for their lollipops, to market non-lolipop products.

This product is the Gumwatch Aqua, or as I refer to it, my sweet dispensing water pistol watch. The Gumwatch Aqua has a basic 3 1/2 digit LCD display, and like most novelty watches, has just time, date, and seconds displays. The case is huge, because the majority of the watch is taken up by its special features. On the right side is a button called open, which causes the watch face to flip up, revealing the space for the gum sweets underneath. On the left side is a flip up targeting sight, and the trigger for the built-in water pistol. The nozzle for the spray is at the top/front of the watch so it is easy to squirt people in front of you, and you can get 5-6 squirts from a full tank. The filling hole is on the bottom of the watch, but the water pistol can be detached so you can fill it without getting the sweets wet (or to use it as a separate mini water pistol). This is definitely meant to be a kids watch, but the case is so big, it dwarfs my wrist, and maybe is the largest watch I own!

Casio LCD F-91W

I thought today's watch was a normal vintage Casio, but while researching it, I found it is a controversial model.

The F-91W is a basic LCD watch which came out in 1991. Like many at the time, it has a standard 2 line LCD in a black resin case. The main line is a 6 digit time display, and there are small day and date digits on the top line. There are 3 buttons on the watch which change the mode, light the LED bulb light, or switch between 12 and 24 hr display modes. For the other modes, it has an alarm and a stopwatch. Inside is a Casio 593 module which should last for 7 years on its CR2016 module. The module and the design are the same as the A158W I've blogged before, but that one was with a metal case.

The infamy came in April 2011, when the watch appeared in the news. The Guardian newspaper reported that US Military Intelligence had identified that this model was used by al-Qaeda as the timer for bombs, and that possession of this watch was an indicator that an individual had received bomb making training in Afghanistan by al-Qaeda. I don't know why this model was singled out, but it's a worry for the legitimate owners of an F-91W like myself who've never had bomb making training or been to Afghanistan! Here is a link to a BBC article on the watch (BBC link).

Lovers House - Merry's Arms

I'm wearing another of the fun watches from the Super Lovers range, and this one has the style of some early Disney watches.

The watch is part of a range called Lovers House which is quoted as being distributed by Super Lovers. The Super Lovers this refers to is the Harajuku Super Lovers clothing brand from Tokyo.

For the Lovers House watches, there are two panda mascots (Ken and Merry) which often appear in the design. Today's watch features only Merry in the centre of the dial with the numbers around the dial in red circles. The hours and minutes hands fit in the design and are Merry's arms which rotate. She is also wearing white gloves like Mickey Mouse does in the old mechanical Disney watches. There is also a red seconds hand making this a 3 hand dial design. There are no other makers marks on the watch, but inside is a Miyota movement (which is one of a range of different manufacturers that the Super Lovers watches have used). The watches started in the 90s, but I don't know when this particular model was out.