Jean Paul Gaultier JPG Face 97

In February, I blogged a watch from Jean Paul Gaultier called the JPG In Space, and today's watch in part of the same line.

Gaultier is a very flamboyant and well known fashion designer, who is recognised for his extreme designs (Madonna's cone bra), gender stereotype breaking (men in skirts), and his line of perfumes and aftershaves. Over the years, he has also designed many different watches, especially in the late 90s when he had the JPG (or J.P.G) range which I've been covering a lot on the blog.

This watch is one of the analogue models and is based around the Citizen quartz 1030 module. It has a 3 hand dial design in a deep round silver case. The main difference from the model I blogged in February is the design on the face, but they share the JPG text/logo which is one of the prominent features. The other part of the design here is a man's head where he has a red star in the middle of his forehead (with 19 written in it), and that is next to a large number 97 (which gives away this was a 1997 release and that is confirmed by the serial number).

The back of the watch is dominated by the JPG logo with the other information around the edge (base metal, water resistant, made in Japan). The watch also has a matching leather and fabric strap which also includes the JPG logo imprinted on the leather on the inside.

The full model number is 1030-L16231

ODM Mysterious II

Today's watch is another Mysterious watch in my collection. Not in the way, I normally talk about mysterious watches, but this model is part of a range called Mysterious by ODM.

This model is the Mysterious II and is an LCD watch with similarities to the others I've blogged (the Mysterious +, IV, V, and VI). This one has a round inverse LCD display with a mirrored face making it a very shiny watch. The display is simple, only ever showing 3 or 4 numbers in two rows, the top row being much smaller than the bottom one. Around the edge of the display is a thick matt silver bezel, but the mystery for the watch is that there are no buttons.

In order to switch the display between the time and date options, you just need to flick your wrist to turn the watch up and down again. This registers with a sensor (likely some kind of solid state gyroscope) to change the mode. This method is also used for setting the time/date, with an inset button on the back starting the mode and switching between the numbers to change, and the tilting of the watch changing the speed that the numbers change.

There is not much other information available on the watch apart from it is all stainless steel, and 5 atm water resistant, and there are of course the odm logo and name on the back.

The ODM (or odm, or o.d.m)  brand is from Hong Kong, and the name means Original Dynamic Minimal (which definitely fits with this design which is original, requires movement (dynamic), and is definitely minimal). The brand was started in 1999 and has the motto "the art of experiment......".

This particular model seems to be an uncommon one, as I've not been able to find more online with the round display...

Zippo XPC 07

Today's watch is the 3rd watch on my blog by a company known mainly for its lighters.

This watch is by Zippo, or more correctly made for Zippo as part of their watch line. The real manufacturer of the watch isn't shown, but the back states that the watch (or just brand name) is licensed by Zippo Manufacturing Co. Zippo still sell watches, and the line is described as "Updated, contemporary watches designed with simple, yet innovative features, geared for performance, elegance, and sportsmanship."

This model is called the XPC 07 (based on the numbers on the back) and is an LCD design. The watch has a round display with 3 lines of information covering (top to bottom) day/date, time (4 digits), and seconds. The display is set in a chunky round case with external screws (making it look a little more square shaped) which is 10 atm water resistant. The watch has multiple modes which are alarm, dual time, timer, and stopwatch.

For the previous Zippo watches I've blogged, I'd thought they were late 80s or early 90s, but the date setting in the module for this model doesn't start until 91, so this should be a 90s model.

Hashu GX-Lite S26GH

Today is the 3rd watch I've blogged from the Hashu brand, and the 3rd different style.

The Hashu brand are a bit of a mystery as they have a few watches I've seen for sale, with interesting designs, but the relevant web search hits mainly link back to this blog. With today's watch, I thought I'd have a breakthrough as there is a patent number on the back. Unfortunately, patent 5313141 is actually a patent for the el-backlight titled "Three terminal inverter for electroluminescent lamps", so doesn't give any insights into the brand. So therefore I need to keep looking.

This model is the S26GH and has a name on the front of GX-Lite. It is an LCD model with a pretty standard display - 6 digit time, and day markers across the top. It has a roundish plastic case which is a little reminiscent of a G-Shock shape but simpler and less chunky. The watch does have other modes which are alarm and stopwatch.

I've seen reference to the Hashu watches from the late 90s, and there are some references through to the mid 2000s, so I think that is when this will be from. The watches were pretty low cost, but I don't have an rrp for this model.

Free Way DN97 Watch

The other day I mentioned that Casio had made so many unusual and unknown watch ranges over the years, but the same is true for the other major manufacturers too. Sometimes, like today's watch, it goes even further to be hidden with no mention of the brands name anywhere.

This watch is marketed under a brand called Free Way (or sometimes Freeway). As I was trying to research it (which is difficult as the phrase Free Way occurs a lot online), I found some Japanese sales sites were referring to CBM Free Way. The CBM name refers to a company called Japan CBM Corporation which is actually a corporate division of Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd (owners of Citizen Watch Co., Ltd). So this means that the Free Way brand is a "secret" or "lighthouse" brand from Citizen (the same as Q&Q who are also under Japan CBM Corporation).

The Citizen link also fits with the design, as the display design is very like 1481010 D295 models.

This watch uses a DN97 module and is a two line LCD design, with the lines split by a plastic part behind the glass. The top line covers time (6 digits) while the bottom is for the date and day (along with indicator marks for am/pm and chronograph). The modes are changed with the top left button and are two alarms, stopwatch, timer, and dual time, with a small indicator mark above the display divide pointing to the text of which mode is active. There is also an el-backlight activated with the bottom left button.

The watch is very lightweight, due to it being made from Titanium, and has a matching Titanium strap, with the watch being 10atm water resistant.

The full model number is DN97-K293, and it was made in 1998 or 2008. As the design is similar to the 1481010 which is from the late 90s, I guess that the 98 date is more likely.

Super Lovers Calculator Watch

At the weekend I was chatting to someone who was really interested in the 90s calculator watches. That conversation inspired me to choose a calculator watch today (especially as the colour fits well with today's clothing choice).

This calculator watch may look like an 80s/90s Casio model, but it is actually a Super Lovers watch. The Super Lovers brand is a fashion/clothing brand based in Harajuku, Tokyo who produce many club/cute/goth lines of clothing. When it comes to watches, they never cease to amaze with the breadth of different designs they have made, seemingly in small numbers.

The Super Lovers calcuator watch is a full calculator model with a 4x4 rubber keypad and LCD display. The LCD display is set up for the calculator mode and can show 9 digits and also has a day marker below the numbers. Getting around the modes can be difficult as the mode button (C) only switches between time and calculator. To show the date, you need to press and hold the bottom right buttons marked 'select' (3,6,9,0,.,+), and for the alarm mode you use the bottom left buttons marked 'advance' (1,2,4,5,7,8). Setting the time is done by holding the mode button until the time starts flashing, with mode switching screens, select cycling through what to set, and advance changing the numbers. There is also a light button to the right of the LCD display.

The watch has the Super Lovers name across the 2 halves of the strap, and the date 1996 and the Super Lovers logo at the top of the face. I think that the 1996 date fits with when I would expect the watch to be from, but it could be a newer design made to be retro. Inside, the module has a start date of 1984 in the date setting mode, so I have a suspicion that the module that have used is at leased based on the original 80s calculator watches.

Alba W800 Compass Watch

It's sunny again today, so I thought I'd choose a colourful model for today's watch. The watch I chose is by the Seiko brand Alba, and is one I've nicknamed the Alba Pokéball watch due to the colour scheme of the face.

The watch is based on the W800 module and it seems has been marketed under the 3 main Seiko brands, Alba, Pulsar, and Lorus.
It is an LCD watch with a very busy display to show lots of information at the same time. The bottom third of the screen is the time and date display over two lines. The remaining 2/3 is dominated by a circular area where the compass mode is displayed, but acts as a crude seconds marker when the time is on. Around the top half of this circle is an area which fills with the seconds (10 segments), while at the sides of the bottom half of the circle are boxes which show the selected mode.

The W800 module is a compass model, but doesn't seem to give a live compass display. From what I've read, you select the direction you are wanting to find, point the watch at the sun, and it will then point to the direction you are wanting. The watch has the other normal digital watch features of chronograph (with recall function) and alarm. Setting the watch is simple, and is done by holding the top left button until the display flashes, and then using the right side buttons to change the time (bottom to change the number, and top to move to the next option/number).

The case is a plastic design with metal back, and this variation is a light purple with yellow and light green buttons. The face is red and white with a light green circle, and this is what gives it the Pokéball appearance. Overall, the watch is 10 bar water resistant, and it was assembled in China.

The full model number is W800-0010, and both the serial number and the start date for the module date function show it is from 1992.

Casio Shadow SHW-100

As I find more and more watches, it has become apparent that the Casio brand has produced so many different lines/ranges of watches, and that many of them were so obscure that their history is a mystery.

Today's watch is a Casio model from a range called Shadow. I've not been able to find anything about the range itself though, as the only other models I find online are purely watches for sale. What i know is that there were several (at least 3) different models in the Shadow range, and all of them had a dial as the primary time display.

This model is a 3 hand dial design with a Casio 1307 quartz module. The styling is very industrial with lots of exposed bolts (for cosmetic effect) and protruding plastic 'grills'. It is an Illuminator model, which suggests a market outside of Japan as those are normally called Foxfire. When pressing the light, the word Shadow appears right across the dial, written in a very stylized font. The dial also has the Shadow name written normally near the bottom along with the Illuminator name and that it is 10 bar water resistant (with the use of bar maybe suggesting an American market). The back has the same information, as well as saying it has a Korean module and was cased in Malaysia.

From what I've read, the Korean models began in the 80s, and the Malaysian Casio's more recently again, so the only thing I can find about the date is that it is likely from the 90s at the earliest, but is not a current range.

Ice Watch - Sweety

Today's watch wasn't the one I was originally planning to wear today, but it matched my t-shirt choice too well to skip.

This watch is by the brand Ice Watch, and is a model called Sweety (although it may be a Forever Trendy as I can't quite tell from the photos). The Sweety watch comes in two models, and this one is the model without the date window.

The Ice Watch brand has come from nowhere to be one of the largest fashion brands in the world. It was registered in 2007, but started distributing a couple of years later, and by 2012 it had more Facebook fans than Rolex and was selling an average of 7 watches per minute. The brand originated in Belgium, with the Ice name coming from the idea of purity. They also have an agreement with Swatch to make sure the name is written as two words, as I guess otherwise when spoken it would sound like a Swatch/Apple collaboration.

The watch is quite international, as information on the back details, with the design in Belgium, movements from Japan (Miyota), and assembly in China.

The watch itself is a 3 hand dial design in a round chunky plastic (polyamide) case with rotating bezel, and a 5 atm water resistance. It has a matching strap made from silicone with the Ice Watch name on the buckle and strap holder loop. The Ice Watches are generally very colourful with 10 main colour choices, and this model is almost entirely yellow.

This particular model is still available on the Ice Watch website, and has a cost of around €89.

Trans Continents Trans Solar E110

It was really sunny when I got up this morning, so I decided  it's time for another solar watch. Today's model also follows on from yesterday's watch as it is from another brand made by Citizen.

The watch is a model from the Citizen Trans Continents line which is a collaboration between Citizen and the Japanese Trans Continents fashion brand. More details of the Trans Continents brand can be found in my post from the 10th November 2014. As this model is a solar watch, it is also part of the Trans Solar line.

This model is a 3 hand dial design with a date window at the 3 o'clock position. The solar panel is hidden in the face which has no numbers, just round hour markers (except for 12 which has a T shape) with minute markers around the edge. The case is round and made of stainless steel (with 20 bar water resistance) with a rotating bezel, and there is a thick textured rubbery strap. The back is screw-on and shows the brand name and logo, as well as the usual Citizen details.

This particular variation has a full model number of E110-H26949. The serial number suggests a 1997 or 2007 date. I've found this exact model in a Japanese blog from 2007, but the translation suggests they wrote it was am early model (which maybe implies 97...)

Citizen Vagary Shiny Brown 1A36 Watch

Last time I blogged a watch from the Citizen Vagary line, it was different than the normal metal watch with colourful dials. Today's watch is another which fits with that style.

The watch is an entirely plastic design, with a colour matched plastic case and strap, and even a plastic back panel (but that is held on with metal screws). The front screen is also a raised plastic design with a ribbed pattern around the edges. The back doesn't hold all of the information, which is unusual, only having the Vagary name and logo, statements that it is 5 bar water resistant and has a Japanese movement, and that it is made of plastic.

In order to find out the information about the watch, you have to read the extremely small print at the bottom of the dial. This writing reveals that the watch contains a 1A36 module, and has a full model number of 1A36-S086677. The watch is a 3 hand dial design with a simple face of only white hour and minute markers on the brown face (except for the Vagary name and logo at the 3 o'clock position).

I've not spotted this shiny brown version online so far, but have found this design in blue (also with a 1A36-S0866xx model number). I think it is a modern model, so I'm guessing early 2010s (as there is no serial number for identification), but it could be late 2000s too.

Boy London - BOY-31-W One Star

When I've been blogging the Boy London watches recently, they've all been of different styles, but today it's back to the more common models.

I've blogged about the Boy London brand many times now, so I won't repeat too much of the brand story today (as it can all be found on earlier posts).

This model is one of the many different watches with the model number BOY-31-W. This version has a round case with the Boy London name moulded into the bezel at the bottom left and their Eagle logo at the top (as was seen in the watch I blogged in August last year). The face design is pretty busy, with the main feature being a large red 5 pointed star in the middle, covering what seems to be a large '1'. Inbetween all of the points of the star are smaller versions of different logos seen on other designs - stick man, upside-down dancing stick man, wheel with spokes, Eagle, and face with 'Boy' cap. The strap follows the standard design with a black leather strap with gold section fastened on with rivets and imprinted with 'Boy London' and the Eagle logo.

As with the others in these designs, I think they were started in the mid/late 90s by a company which had rights to the Boy London brand name which was on a break.

Coca-Cola 2012 Olympics Snap Watch

For my Friday watch, I decided on a commemorative promotional watch with a little bit of patriotism (as I'm British).

This watch was produced for the 2012 Olympic Games in London for Coca-Cola. The watch features a design made for the Olympics which has concentric rings (rather than the normal linked rings Olympics logo) in the normal ring colours. There is also a circular Union Jack flag in the logo to represent Britain, and as this is a Coke watch, there is also a Coca-Cola bottle in the design too. Coca-Cola are the world's largest soft drinks brand, and are the longest continuous Olympic sponsor. They first sponsored the Olympics back in 1928, and are currently under contract to sponsor through to 2020.

Time is shown in a round window on the left side of the watch with an LCD display. The LCD panel only has a 4 digit display with the hours on the top line and minutes below. The LCD module is capable of dare and seconds too, but there are no buttons on the outside of the watch to change the display.

The watch module is encased in a one piece silicone rubber case wich has a snap style strap (where you stretch it out straight, and when you slap it against your wrist, it wraps around). The strap also has the Coca-Cola name logo moulded in the silicone, and is printed with Coca-Cola in a red, white, and blue roundel, as well as the British Queen's crown logo. To get to the battery or set the time, the module can be squeezed out of the front of the watch.

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.

Swatch Feel My Love

I'm back with the Swatch watches again today, with a special model.

This watch is called Feel My Love, and was released for Valentine's Day in 2007. It is part of a subset of the Swatch Originals line which is called Jelly In Jelly which ran from 2006 to 2009. The case design looks almost  the same as the normal Originals watches, but are slightly larger and have a more hidden crown.

This Feel My Love watch has a relatively plain face to its 3 hand dial design, with a white background and black and red numbers. The strap has lots of images printed on it with a voodoo theme. The bottom half of the strap features a voodoo doll with heart shaped pins stuck in it, along with the watch's Feel My Love name and symbols of a stick person and male and female icons. The top half of the strap has the writing Swatch Voodoo Love in red and black with two of the o's in Voodoo being the male and female icons and the o in love being the head of the same stick person design shown on the bottom part of the strap.

The watch also came with a voodoo doll (which unfortunately I don't have) and a selection of pins with hearts on the end so that you could stick in the pins and try the voodoo for yourself.

The full model number is SUJK121 and it is classed as part of the Spring Summer 2007 collection.