Pokémon Opening Pokeball Watch

Today, I'm wearing one of my silly children's watch, and one of my Pokémon watch collection.

This watch has a large round plastic case, and a face which is painted as a Pokeball (which is used to catch Pokémon in the games /TV series), with the centre of the ball being where the 4 digit LCD can be seen. As with the normal novelty watches, the LCD module is very simple, having only time, date, and seconds displays. The Pokeball can 'open' by rotating the bezel, and this changes the picture on the front from the Pokeball to a collection of Pokemon (Pikachu, Bonsly, Marshtomp, Meowth, Septile, and Mime Jr).

The strap is reversible with different pictures on each side, and swapped by pulling the strap out of the body a little which allows it to be rotated. One side is yellow with pictures of Meowth, Pikachu, Minun, Plusle, and Munchlax. The other side is green and has the white outline sketches of lots of Pokemon (too many to name).

Looking the Pokémon on the watch, the newest of them only appeared in Generation IV which dates the watch to around 2005/06, but it has an unusual mix of Gen III and Gen IV characters. The back of the watch gives nothing away about the origin as all it says is 'Patented'.

Kirby's Dream Land 2 Watch

I thought I'd been wearing relatively sensible watches for a while now, so decided that today I'd break the trend and wear something silly.

That watch I chose is a Nintendo watch for one of their more recognisable characters, Kirby. Kirby is a spherical pink character who first appeared in 1992 in a Nintendo game developed by HAL Laboratories. He lives in the world of Pop Star, and has the special skill that he takes on the powers/abilities of the enemies he swallows.

This watch was made to commemorate the release  of the Kirby's Dream Land 2 game, which came out in 1995 (so the watch is 20 years old this year). The watch features pictures of Kirby on the face and strap, along with the 3 helpers that were introduced to the series in this game - Rick the hamster, Coo the Owl, and Kine (maybe Kain) the Ocean Sunfish.

The case for the watch is like a standard dial model, but this is an LCD design with a small LCD window at the bottom of the face. The LCD shows 4 digits, and can be changed to date or seconds using the crown (which is actually a button).

At the bottom of the face, below the LCD, is the text showing the design is copyrighted in 1995 by HAL Laboratory Inc and Nintendo. There is also a sticker on the back saying this was made in Japan, and also Bandai 1995, so I guess they made the watch itself.

Pocket Monsters Tsutarja (Snivy) watch

Last Sunday I blogged a Pokémon clock, and this Sunday it's a Pokémon watch.

I've got quite a few Pokémon watches, including several from the same range as this. This watch is a Japanese Pokémon watch for the Pokémon Tsutarja who is known in the English version as Snivy.

Tsutarja is a grass type Pokemon and was one of the 3 starter Pokémon in the Black and White series. It is described as a Grass Snake Pokemon and evolves into Janovy (Servine) at level 17 and Jalorda (Serperior) at level 36.

The watch is a basic LCD design with a lid over the front of the watch. It is likely that it was a prize watch from one of the Gachapon machines in Japan and it was one of a series of the Pokemon Black and White characters.

The design has a green and yellow pokeball as the cover with the text Tsutarja and Pocket Monsters on the green strap. On the face, there is a picture of Tsutarja and the 4 digit LCD display.

The back shows it is by T-Arts and made in China. As normal with the Pokémon watches there are lots of detail in copyrights listed on the back and also the face (to Nintendo-CR-GF-TX-SP-JK and Pokémon).

As the Black and White games came out in 2010, the watch must be from around that time.

Pocket Monsters rocking clock

I've decided that this weekend will be a clock weekend for a change, but today's is a little more outrageous looking.

The clock today is also part of my Pokémon timepiece collection which seems to be getting quite large.

The Pokémon games/series came out in several generations which is how the Pokémon were originally grouped. The Generation 1 Pokémon came out in 1996 and were shown in the games Red, Blue, (green in Japan), and Yellow, and in season 1 of the anime.

This clock is celebrating the gen 1 Pokémon with a couple of the starter Pokémon (Charmander and Blastoise (2nd evolution of Squirtle) ), the well liked (Pikachu and Arcanine (evolution of Growlithe)), and the final legendary of gen 1, Mew (number 151). It is a Japanese model as it refers to Pocket Monsters rather than Pokémon.

It is a large foam rubber watch with a 3 hand dial clock in the centre. On the top of the clock is a see-saw mechanism with the Pokémon on which rocks with the seconds. It is run by a large quartz clock mechanism. The copyright for the clock is to Nintendo, Creatures, Gamefreak, TV Tokyo, Sho-Pro, and JR Kikaku.

As it is for the gen 1 Pokemon, I assume this is from around 1996.

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'.

Pokémon Dome Watch - Blastoise and Horsea

Today's watch is one variation of a pair of watches I have - I thought I'd blogged the other, but can't find it anymore, so this may be the first.

The watch is a Nintendo Pokemon watch, and is shaped like a Pokeball. It is an early watch from 1998 when the Pokemon franchise only started in 1996. At the bottom of the face it says the copyright is to Nintendo, and it has the text CR-GF-TX-SP-JK after that, along with the made in China information. 

It is a water filled watch with a large domed glass. The face behind the glass is painted like a Pokeball, and there are two Pokemon models in the water.

The featured Pokemon are Blastoise and Horsea which are both first generation water Pokemon. Blastoise is the 2nd evolution of the Squirtle starter Pokemon, while Horsea is unevolved (and would evolve into Seadra).

The watch itself is a basic 4 digit LCD model which is set just to the upper right of the centre of the case. It is a standard module with just time, date, and seconds. 

It seems to have been a popular watch at the time, and was even featured in one of the watch magazines along with the other most fancy design watches of that year. 

Pokemon Emonga LCD watch

I was with some small kids today so wore a kiddy watch.

The watch is one of my Pokemon watches, but a Japanese model. I can tell that this is not a European or American model due to the name on the face. This model is one for the Pokemon Emolga, but it is showing with the Japanese name Emonga. The face has the name and a picture of the Pokemon, while the strap has the Pokémon's face, lightning flashes, and Pokeballs.

Emolga /Emonga is an Electric Flying Pokemon which first appeared in Pokemon Black and White. Because of this typing, the Pokémon is an electric Pokemon which can't be damaged by Ground attacks.

The watch part is a basic LCD watch with a 4 digit LCD display. It has just time, date, and seconds displays.

The back states the watch was made in China by T-Arts (who have made all manner of Nintendo watches), and the front has the usual copyright marks (Nintendo, CR-GF-TX-SP-GK, and Pokemon). It looks like this was from a UFO catcher machine or a Gachapon dispenser. The back is transparent, so you can see the module and battery through, but the back has been glued in place, so the watch is meant to be disposable.

Banpresto Pokemon Mew Watch

I've been a Pokemon (or Pokémon) fan for a while. I guess the 'Gotta catch 'em all' mantra appeals to the collecting genes that I must have inherited.

Today's watch is another of my Pokemon watch collection, and is a little unusual. It is a Japanese model released by Banpresto in 1998 and was probably from a UFO machine or other toy dispenser. From the box, you can tell it's a Japanese model as it has the Japanese names on it (but in English) - Lizardo, Lizardon, Kameil, and Kamex instead of Charmelion, Charizard, Wartortle, and Blastoise.

This model is a Mew version, and has a moulded Mew figure on the lower strap, as well as a pokeball sticking put of the top of the case. There were 5 different versions, with the Mew one seeming to glow in the dark.

The unusual bit is the the rest of the watch seems to be designed to look like a mini G-Shock (and is the spitting image of the DW-600 I blogged in October).

The watch itself is just a basic LCD model with 4 digit display, and time, date, and seconds display options.

Nintendo Wrist Watch In A Cube Case - Disk System

It's one of my boxed watches again today - or more properly a 'cube cased' watch.

The watch is one of a range called the Nintendo Wrist Watch In A Cube Case. This was a series of watches by Banpresto for Nintendo commemorating the original 80s Nintendo products. The watch is indeed housed in a Cube case, with the watch mounted on a cross shaped plastic holder. Banpresto is a Tokyo based toy company and is now a subsidiary of Namco Bandai (although it was only partly owned when this watch came out). This brand now focuses on the prize machine toys.

The watches were made as prizes for the UFO Catcher machines which are game machines that allow you to catch a prize (usually by controlling a moving claw).

This watch is the Nintendo Disk System model. It celebrates the disk drive add-on for the Family Computer (or Famicom or Nintendo Entertainment System). This system was only released in Japan, and gave access to use double sided 2.8x3" disks which had a capacity of 112kB (56 per side). The face of the watch shows the mascot for the system (called Disk-kun), along with the name.

The watch itself is a small 3 - handed dial, and was released in 2004 (which is actually when the original Nintendo support for the disk system ceased).

Nintendo Game Watch Boy - Dr. Mario GBE-003 DM

I've been playing on my console today, so thought I'd share another Game Watch Boy.
This is the third of my watches that are designed to resemble a Nintendo Game Boy. It is a game watch officially licensed by Nintendo, and made by Mani. It isn't named a Game Boy Watch, but is a Game Watch Boy, and is described as a 'GameBoy LCD Wrist Gamewatch'. This is the Dr Mario game where you match the right pills with the viruses on the screen helped by Dr. Mario. Mani are based in Hong Kong and released a range of electronic toys and watches for Nintendo.
This watch is a later edition and released in 1995, compared to the 1992 release of the first editions. This edition is marked by the release of six new colours (-this one having a purple patterned strap and clear case).
The model number is GBE-003(DM), which is the same overall number as the other game watch versions, but with the DM game designation.
The watch is simple with time, date, and seconds, but has an alarm. The game has two modes of virus curing, which builds up through levels until you reach the fastest level 9. The two buttons on the side of the watch are for modes, with the three front ones (which look like 5 buttons) mainly for playing the game but also for time/alarm setting.

Pocket Monsters (Pokémon) Pikachu LCD Watch

Today is a Japanese children's watch. I can tell it is meant for the Japanese market as it uses Pocket Monsters rather than Pokémon.
The front of the watch is a spring loaded lid which has a 3D running / dancing Pikachu on. Under the lid is a basic LCD module with time date and seconds. There is also text in Japanese under the lid, but I don't know what that means. Thanks back of the watch shows it is copyright Nintendo, followed by a series of letters: CR-GF-TX-SP-JK. These are something to do with the copyright rather than a watch code as the same letters feature on other non-watch Nintendo products. It also has Japanese text around the edge of the back plate.

Pokémon Pokétch LCD watch

It's a Pokémon watch day today. This one is a replica of the Pokétch device used by the trainers in the Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum games. The Pokétch device gave the trainers information on the Pokémon in their party, how many steps they've taken, strengths and weaknesses, and many more things depending on how many apps were added through the game.

This watch version is designed as a replica of the device, but only has a basic LCD module with time, date, and seconds (and a picture of Pikachu). The watch is credited as copyright to Nintendo CR-GF-TX-SP-JK. It was made in China by Yujin.

Nintendo Super Mario Race GameWatch Boy GBE-003 by Mani

Near my city, there is currently an exhibition called Game On 2.0 which is about the history of video games. To commemorate my visit today, I thought I should wear a game watch and so I chose this one.

The watch is my second watch by Mani, who made several watches for Nintendo in 1992. This goes under the name of GameWatch Boy (rather than GameBoy Watch), and is shaped like a first generation GameBoy. This version has a game included, rather than the plain LCD watch I uploaded before here.

The mode is changed by the central button (which looks like two buttons, but is really one). There are two game modes and an alarm as well as the time. The game is a car racing game, where you use the keypad and A/B buttons to move left and right, and you gain points for passing cars. Mario appears at the side of the track with the finish flag. When the time mode is running, the watch shows the race running for you to watch.

The model number is GBE-003, and fits with the normal Mani Nintendo toy numbering system using GBE.

Nintendo Game Boy watch GBE-002 by Mani

The watch I'm wearing today is one I first thought was an unofficial homage to the Game Boy, but after checking about a bit, I now think it's official!

The watch is by Mani, and was released in 1992. The design is meant to resemble the original Nintendo Game Boy. On the back it states that the trademark and copyright is held by Nintendo. The strap also states the name watch boy.

The watch is a basic LCD showing time and a day marker along the top. The right action button (A) shows the date, and the left action button (B) shows the alarm time. Pressing both A and B together switches the alarm on and off. The direction pad switches the watch into setting mode.

Mani released several watches in this series (all looking like the Game Boy), with the others I've seen being game watches (eg. Super Mario Race (which can be found here), Dr. Mario). This watch is thought to be rare (according the the Game Watch Guys).

The model number is GBE-002 (all Mani items have the GBE code, including a calculator and walkie talkies)