Casio Data Bank Calculator DBC-610

There's something about a calculator watch that makes you think geek, and Casio made many different styles of smart geeky models.

Today's model is the DBC-610 and is a silver metal data bank model first released in 1989, but a DBC-610A was also released in 2005. Based on this using a micro bulb light (and not having an A in the back), this is an original 1989 model. It uses a 676 module which is a generation 1 DBC module. It has a 50 slot data bank memory with secret password protected memo option, and had memory protection so you don't loose your data if you change battery within 5 minutes.

It has many different modes with the data bank, schedule, calculator, world time, alarm, timer, and stopwatch. It uses a 2 line LCD display. The main line (time) can ultimately show 8 digits, and the smaller line has a 6 character dot matrix and a 5 digit standard display. Above those is a display showing days of the week and upcoming schedule events. Input is through the calculator keypad with numbers and letter capabilities (two letters per key). When adjusting the time, you also type the new time into the keypad rather than cycling through the numbers.

The watch has a bent case so that it curves around your wrist. It has a matching stainless steel strap with a part number of S-470N.

Pokemon World Marill Talking Watch

Today's watch is a novelty children's watch, but a surprisingly high-tech one.

This watch is a novelty watch from the Nintendo Pokémon line of merchandise. The watch is a standard LCD module with 4 digits and time, date, and seconds displays, but there is an additional button which when pressed makes the noise of the Pokemon Marill. The face of the watch has a Marill design, with the LCD display in its belly. The strap is moulded plastic with the shapes of other water class Pokemon such as Psyduck, Blastoise, and Squirtle.

The unusual feature of the watch is due to the slot on the right side of the watch. With the watch, there are a set of hexagonal 'keys' with a pattern on one side. When this is inserted into the watch, you hear the sound of one of the Pokemon shown on the key. As this is the water Pokémon watch, the sound is of the water Pokémon on the key, and for the keys I have (numbers 2, 3, and 5), I get the sounds of Squirtle, Blastoise, and Tentacool. I've made a YouTube video of the watch working with the different sounds (link).

The watches were released in 2000 as a promotion with Burger King. From the keys, it seems that there were 6 different watches, and at least 5 (I'd guess 6) keys. This should mean 36 different Pokémon sounds from the keys and another 6 from the watches.

The instructions are in 3 languages - English, Spanish (or Portuguese), and German, suggesting this is a European release. These don't tell much about the maker, but it shows the watch runs on 2x AG13 batteries.

Orient 3 Star Automatic WV0431ER

It's Christmas party time so I'm back with a smart watch today.

This is another of the Three Star range of watches by Orient. The Orient Watch Company is a subsidiary of Seiko and is Japan's largest producer of mechanical watches. The Three Star range was originally an export range aimed for the Latin America and the Middle East, but became popular when sold in Japan too. The models tend to have a lot more vivid colours and exotic designs than a lot of mechanical watches.

This model is an automatic mechanical watch with an ER1F movement. It has a mixture of rotating discs and a hand, and there is a date marker at the 6 o'clock position. The hours and minutes are represented by rotating discs and the time is read at the 9 o'clock position. The seconds hand can be seen either in the centre by the time, or through a narrow window in the printing on the glass around the outside of the face. It has a leather strap with two sets of holes, and that has a part number of QU7656.

The model number on the back is ER1F-A0, and the catalogue number is WV0431ER. It originally sold for ¥17,850 but can be found online for less than half that price now.

Independent 1481010 Abacus G.S.D blue grey and silver

It's been a while since I've done a Citizen Independent 1481010, and so I'm blogging one today. You can find out much more about the 1481010 range from my 1481010 overview page.

This is one of the G.S.D models with the Graphic Sparkle Display, but the Abacus form. I blogged new of these a long time ago, and there I mentioned that in the abacus models with a D410 module, there were 4 colour variations. That the I blogged the cream model with a orange and silver buttons, and this time it is a blue green watch with light blue grey and silver buttons.

For the Abacus model, the display is made up of rows of LEDs of different colours made into 4 columns. Each column represents one of the four digits in the time, and are made up of 4 single digits, and a red LED which counts as 5. Pressing the bottom button shows the time followed by a flashing pattern of dots which changes each hour.

This watch was made at the end of 1998 and has a full model number of D410-S70134. This colour combination was the one that lasted the longest, officially being released in 1999 and stopping in 2001. The catalogue number was IT21-4131H and it originally cost ¥10,000.

Casio Illuminator W-96H

At the moment, it seems like I have more Casio watches than anything else.

Today's model has a very common Casio look (with a display looking a little like the Casio Data Bank I blogged a couple of days ago).

This watch is the W-96H which looks to have come out sometime in the 2000s. It uses a 2499 module, and is relatively simple with a 3 line square LCD panel. The largest display is for the time, and there are lines for day (above), and date (below with 8 digits). It is an illuminator model with the green LED light in the bottom corner, and also a 10 year battery life model too (from a CR2025). For modes, this model has dual time, alarm, and stopwatch. Casio must have designed for this model to last a while as the calendar is programmed to 2099!

Converse Cons dial watch

Today is the second of my Converse watches, but this time with a more traditional style.

I don't know the name of the watch, but the model number on the back is B05239-60. There is also a sticker which gives a number WC0011QW which could be a catalogue number or a number from the QA process. On the face, case, and strap there is the name Cons. The Cons line is a particular line of shoes made by the American Converse shoe company, and this watch must have been part of that line. The Cons name on the strap is the most noticeable being in large letters and coloured like the American flag.

The watch is a 3 hand dial design in a large tough rubber case. There are hour marker blocks, and around the dial in very tiny numbers are minutes and minute markers. Between the minute markers are little lines for 1/5th seconds, but as the second hand only has one beat per second, they are only for decoration.

It looks like it is designed for rough outdoor use, and it is 10 bar water resistant.

Casio DB-37H Multilingual Data Bank

Casio has made many different models of their Data Bank range of watches. Today's model is another of those, and one which seems they sold for very little money compared to what it does.

This model is a DB-37H (or DB37H), and is one of the Multilingual Data Bank models. It runs with a 2524 module and manages to get 10 years of life put of its CR2025 battery. Although this model first came out in the early 2000s, it still seems to be available today. Looking online, it is quoted as having a list price of around $25 which seems pretty cheap for what it does.

As this is a multilingual model, it can display in 13 languages (Eng, Por, Esp, Fra, Ned, Dan, Deu, Ita, Sve, Pol, Rom, Tur, Pyc), and the language choice suggests a world or european market model. The data bank mode is a 30 slot telememo, and it also has 5 alarms, a countdown timer, stopwatch, and dual time functions. Light it provided by a green LED behind the bottom corner of the display.

All the buttons for this watch are on the front, with 3 below the LCD display, and two more lower down on the case. The LCD display can show a lot of digits, with three lines of display. The middle and bottom line can show 7 and 8 digits respectively, and the top line is a dot matrix array.

This model has a Casio metal strap which has the part number S-928L. The case itself is plastic with a steel back plate, and the watch is 50m/5 bar water resistant.