Citizen C480 Ana-Digi "stripy"

While checking out my blog for info, I found out that I hadn't blogged the watch I was wearing today.

The watch is an ana-digi model by Citizen, based on the C480 module. I'm not sure which year this is from as the module has been around for a while so it potentially could be 84, 94,or 2004. I blogged a Trans Continents watch from 2000 with the same module many years ago. Citizen Trans Continents C480

This watch has a 6 digit LCD display where most of the functions are shown. There are options to display a dual time or date and day, and there is also an alarm and chronograph (down to 1/100th sec). The LCD also has a back light, on the same button as the chronograph start/stop. The dial is crown operated and does not link with the LCD.

Power is supplied from an SR927 battery size.

Design-wise, they have thought this through well with stripes on the dial leading into a line pattern on the case and through onto the pattern in the finely linked strap.

Super Lovers - Love Love Message watch

Today, I'm back to the Super Lovers watches again, and yet again, it's a completely different style (which is the reason I like this brand so much).

This model I've called Love Love Message based on the text written at the top of the case. As may be expected from the name, this watch is one with a message /memo function where short messages can be stored in its memory. These are shown using the top line of the LCD which is a dot matrix array (5x41 so it can show 7 5x5 letters at one time). The bottom line of the LCD is a standard set of digits (6) which normally shows the time. The rest of the modes are pretty standard, with there being dual time, stopwatch, timer, and daily alarm options as well as the message mode.

The case is round and made of see-through plastic with 4 buttons on the edges. There is a large button on the front below the LCD, and this activates the el-backlight. The strap is a matching clear plastic, and has the Super Lovers logo and the text Lovers Digital printed on both the halves. The back of the watch is stainless steel and just has the Super Lovers name printed across the middle.

I don't know when this model is from as there isn't much about this brand online (but all the info I've gathered so far can be found throughout my other Super Lovers posts). My guess is that this would be an early 2000s model, but it is purely a guess.

Freestyle Shark - Tigershark

Today's watch is another from the Shark watch range by the American brand Freestyle USA. This time, the watch is called the Tigershark, and is a different shape than the other Shark watches I've blogged.

The Freestyle USA brand has been around since the 80s, gaining popularity through word of mouth, and becoming recognised for the Shark fin silhouette that they chose for their logo. The Shark watches continue to be popular today, with many different types of Shark being produced.

The Tigershark model is an LCD model, but with a more unusual round design. The case is primarily made of plastic, but has a metal top making it look more solid than the normal all-plastic designs. For the LCD, it has a two line design with day and date along the top, and time (6 digits with smaller seconds) on the lower line. The LCD has an el-backlight, and when pressed there is a very visible Shark logo in red on the display. This model has the normal modes for a sports watch, with stopwatch, alarm (multi), timer, and dual time options. All of the modes actually display along the top line, leaving the bottom for the normal time, which is unusual, as this is usually swapped.

The back has the Freestyle Shark logo and name, along with the statement 'performance timing'. The back also states this was designed in California, but made in China.

I've looked around online for this model, and it appears that this isn't one of the models which is currently being sold, so I'd guess it was an older model. To me, the design looks to match with the styles seen in the 90s, so it may be that old (but there are no indications on the watch as to when it was actually released).

Boy London B337 LCD Watch

I've blogged a lot of watches by Boy London so far, but this is something completely different.

The Boy London name has been around since the 70s, and many watches have been made under their name. The history of the watches is a bit of a mystery, and my feeling so far is that the name has been bought/used by another company (possibly Korean) since the 90s. More information can be found about the brand in my many other Boy London blog posts (see the tags on the right side of the web page).

This particular model is the B337, and is unusual in being one of only a small number of LCD watches I've seen from Boy London. It has a large black plastic case with the display split into 3 sections. The top covers day and date, the right circle has segments which jump around with the seconds, and the main bottom section is for the time. In the text on the face it describes itself as a chronograph, and therefore has a stopwatch function, and it also has alarm and dual time modes.

The front of the watch only has the Boy London name in plain text (which is not common), and the name United Kingdom is also printed above the display. The back has the more usual Boy London name and totem style Eagle logo as well as the model number. The back also has the text "BoyLondon original timepiece. Created by United Kingdom. Water resistant 50m". As it says "created by" not "created in" it suggests the company making it was called United Kingdom, or it is just bad English!

As for date, I think this is newer than the other Boy London designs, so I'd guess that it is from sometime in the 2000s.

K.Swiss World Time 503

Today, I'm wearing a new brand to this blog, but one of the more well known names in trainers/sneakers.

This watch is my first watch by the American brand K.Swiss. The K.Swiss brand was started in California in 1966 by two Swiss brothers, based on their love of Tennis. They mainly produce Athletics shoes, but over the years have produced a range of watches too.

This watch has the model number of 93-0038, and there is a name on the front, which says World Time 503. The watch is a large LCD model with an unusual case shape. The LCD has 3 lines of information in a blocky digit design. The top line has the smallest text and covers the day and date, with the slightly larger bottom line covering seconds. The time is the largest part of the display, and has 4 digits over the middle line. It seems to have been designed as a sports watch, and has the usual range of modes - chronograph, timer, world time, and 2x alarms, and there is an el-backlight for nighttime use.

The case and strap is the unusual part of the design and makes the watch stand out. The middle of the case is white plastic, and the white rubber strap is designed in one piece and splits where the case is, going round the both sides of the case.

The watch is water resistant to 30 atm (which suggests a European model) and was assembled in China. The K.Swiss logo is on the front of the watch above the LCD, and is also engraved on the back plate.

There is no information about when this watch was made, but I'd guess it was from the late 90s or early 00s when the brand was going through a big marketing push.

Q&Q Alarm Chronograph Ana-Digi Watch

Today's watch is another by one of the more elusive brands, who are quite well known, but their links to the larger watch manufacturer are relatively hidden.

The watch is by Q&Q (or QandQ as I've had to write it in the tags as the & symbol isn't allowed), who are a budget but quality brand started in 1976. The name stands for Quality & Quantity, and the links I've found suggest they were part of the Japan CBM Corporation, which seems to mean Citizen Business Machines - so the watches may be Citizen watches after all.

This model is one of the 80s watch staples - the Ana-Digi, with a main 3 hand dial analogue display and a small 6 digit LCD display at the bottom. The analogue display is operated by a crown, while the 3 buttons operate the LCD. All of the different modes are displayed on the LCD, with the watch having date, dual time, alarm, and stopwatch as options.

The back has the Q&Q logo, and states this has a Japanese movement, but assembled in Korea (and that it has the usual stainless steel back and base metal bezel), with a case that is 30m water resistant.

I don't know exactly when this model is from, but the style was very popular in the 80s, so I'll guess that it is from that era.

DJ Honda DJ009

There are a lot of watches out there which are parts of special collections made by/for celebrities. Out of those I have come across, the watches from the DJ Honda fashion collection are the most interesting and varied set that I've seen.

This watch is the DJ009 (or DJ 009) and is an LCD model. It has a sideways inverse LCD, with the display being viewed best from along your arm. The case is plastic with a shiny silver surround to the LCD being screwed onto the front. The strap is rubbery, and is in one piece, going across the front of the face, and fastening with a buckle at the back. The LCD is a 2 line design, with the top line normally showing day and date, with the 6 digits for the time below. There is a standard collection of modes in the watch - stopwatch, timer, alarm, and dual time, and there is also an el-backlight (which beeps when you press, so it's not good for quiet night use).

The back has the DJ Honda 'h' logo in the centre, along with the usual statements (water resistant, stainless steel back, Base metal bezel) and the model number. Based on the designs in the collection, I think that they were produced in collaboration with Seiko (or Alba) as a couple of models are almost the same as late 90s Seiko AKA designs.

Nixon - The Fidelity

I took a risk when buying today's watch. I got it second hand and it wasn't working, and the seller said it had been through the washing machine with their clothes, so doubted that it was fixable. A new battery later (a not so common CR1632) and the watch is fine, which is more surprising as I've been researching the watch, and there are quite a few reviews complaining that it isn't as waterproof as the manual states (100m)!

The Nixon Fidelity is an LCD watch, which is a smaller version of the Nixon Block watch. It has a square plastic case with edges which slope away from the glass. The inverse LCD has 3 lines, with the middle line for the time taking up half of the height of the display. The top line covers day and date, and is designed to show letters, and also displays the name of the mode when you are changing modes, while the bottom line just covers the seconds. The mode options (selected by the bottom left button) are chronograph, timer, and alarm, and there is a dual time option displayed using a different button (top right - press to display, and hold to switch). There is also an el-backlight which is shown with the top left button, and this is also the button to hold to enter time setting mode.

The watch comes with a wide fabric strap which is not too long, so beware if you have thick wrists. The back of the watch has the Nixon name/logo, the model name, and the Nixon theme of having a phrase as well, this time saying "Tried and true".

The model number for the watch seem to be A565 and I've seen a web review from 2009, so I'd guess this is around when it was released.

Sniper GV451

I've mentioned before that there seems to be a connection between many of the late 90s Japanese fashion watch brands. So far, I've mentioned a link between Deadman, Eccentric Classic, and Deep, but this is another one.

This watch is by a brand called Sniper. It is an unusual shaped ana-digi watch where the display has been rotated by 45 degrees and so have the buttons/crown. It has a 3 hand analogue dial at the top of the face, with a 4+2 digit LCD display below (with 4 large and 2 small digits). The watch modes are displayed on the LCD display, showing the day/date, dual time, stopwatch, or alarm options, selected by the bottom left button. From the feel of the material, I think the case is base metal, and is quoted as being 3atm water resistant. The case shape is elongated towards the top right, and sort-of reminds me of the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars.

As this is an unusual design, it is easier to see when the same is used by other brands. I have seen this watch also made by J Axis, and there is also a Deadman version (which unfortunately I don't have yet - but would like if any of my readers is looking to sell one). The model number is GV451 which also follows the Deadman numbering system, hinting at them being linked in some way.

I would guess that this will be from the same time frame as the Deadman watches, based on the common design, so that would make it late 90s.

Citizen Vagary CE90

Today, I'm in a bit meeting, so wanted a watch which looked pretty smart, but was still a little quirky.

The watch I picked is one of the watches from the Citizen Vagary line. The Vagary line is owned by Citizen Italy, rather than being a Japanese model. The watches do seem to be sold at retailers in Italy, but the majority of the watches I've seen are sold in Japan as overseas models.

This watch is a quartz analogue watch which has an unusual design with a subtle twist on the display.

There are many analogue watches on this blog where there is a chronograph feature, and the watches have 3 small dials on the face for hours, minutes, and seconds. This design has the 3 small circles on the face, but this time they are LCD panels and not dials. Each LCD display has 2 digits in silver on a white background, and can be used in various display modes. The LCD can cover time, date, and alarm, as well as the expected chronograph function.

The button arrangement is a little different too, with the top left button covering the mode selection (rather than the bottom left). To set the digital display, you hold the bottom left button until the seconds flash, and the same button chooses which numbers to change (with the bottom right button), while there is a crown for setting the analogue display.

The face of the watch is quite colourful, but in small splashes. The hour and minute LCD displays are surrounded by a red ring, while the ring around the seconds is yellow. Only the 4, 8, and 12 numbers are on the dial and are surrounded in blue, and the seconds hand is green.

The CE90 Vagary models seem to be pretty uncommon, as I only found 2 references, both of which were Japanese auctions.

The full model number is CE90-S043573, but unfortunately, there is no serial number to give me an idea of the date. As there is no information, the general state and design would suggest to me it comes from the late 00s. The only other information on the watch is that it is all stainless steel, has a Japanese movement, and is water resistant.

Sector Chronostar Aprilia LCD watch

Today's watch is a chunky one again, with a thought looking design which seems a little reptilian.

The watch is called a Chronostar and is by a brand called Sector. My research has told me that there are many different watches under the Chronostar name, including multiple different LCD models, but hidden on the strap is the name Aprilia. The Sector brand is one of the names owned by the Morellato Group, along with No Limit, Philip Watch, and Bluespirit. The Morellato Group is Europe's largest jewellery and watch group with an all Italian capital. They were originally formed in 1930 by Giulio Morellato, and the company has grown a lot since, bringing the Sector and Chronostar names on board in 2006.

This watch is an LCD design with a dot matrix style LCD display. The LCD display is in a pill shaped window, and set deeply within the thick case of the watch. The case is a one-piece design with a blue textured strap, and raised areas (giving the reptilian feel) which flow into the large buttons mounted on the 4 corners. Mode-wise, the watch has alarm and stopwatch options, and there is also an el-backlight.

The back has the Chronostar logo (a stylized cog design) across most of the back plate, with the information that the back is stainless steel, and the watch is 5 atm water resistant.

I also have the original cardboard tag for the watch which says the rrp was 138,000 but doesn't say what currency. With the watch being Italian, it could have been Lira, but that stopped in 1999, so it is more likely that it is a Far Eastern country that this watch came from.

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.