TGIF: A Thrift Store Timex Watch Find Forgone

A few weeks ago, my wife and I were "thrifting" at a Thrift Store in a nearby town and I came across an old Timex digital watch.  It had a gold toned case and expansion band.  It resembled an iconic digital watch of the late 80s and early 90s.  

Timex Men's 34mm Digital Watch (Model T78677)

I had the store clerk fetch the old watch from the glass case and took a quick look at it.  The battery was quite dead and, while the watch looked like it was in good shape, the band showed a bit of wear.  It was only $9.  But, when I saw that replacing the battery would involve unscrewing and keeping track of some teeny-tiny Philips head screws, I decided to pass.  I'm not big on digital watches anyway.  I've had a few that would audibly chime no matter what you did to stop it.  Besides, the watch was still available and selling on Amazon.   It is listed as Timex Men's Classic Digital 34mm Watch.

According to one amusing review on Amazon, this watch has been offered for over 30 years and changing the battery can be a chore.

It's worth noting, that Timex has recently released several new watches under the T80 label.  These retro watches look like an interesting watch choice that combine modern technology with faithful retro styling.

Timex T80 Digital Watch

While these digital watches might not be everyone's favorite watch, they are a faithful nod to the digital watches from the beginning years of the digital watch era.

Sharp Watch Shout Out: GUESS Stainless Steel Gunmetal Quartz Chronometer

Here's a cool looking watch that I recently stumbled across while dream surfing Amazon.  For a relatively inexpensive watch, this GUESS Stainless Steel Gunmetal Quartz Chronometer takes the guilloché grand prize!  Guilloche is the name for decorative patterns engraved into the dial of the watch. I chose this watch because it gives off a dressy, but sinister vibe.  It's also a watch that most of us can easily afford.

GUESS Stainless Steel Gunmetal Quartz Chronometer

While this watch is affordable, it's also functional.  The subdials work and provide chronometer functionality.

Watch Wearing Wednesday: Casio Classic MTP-3050D-2AV 10 Year Battery Watch

I don't post about this watch very often.  It's a simple plain Casio analog watch with a small dial, 50 meters of water resistance, no fancy features, and a basic streamlined design.  But, it does have one cool thing:  A battery that lasts for 10 years.  It's available here on Amazon as the Casio Classic MTP-3050D-2AV 10 Year Battery Men's Stainless Steel Dress Watch.

Casio Classic Men's Dress Watch with 10 year battery

This watch is so low hassle and plain that I haven't written about it since 2011.  But, lots of people value the simplicity and buy this low cost low hassle of watch.  I recently replaced the battery on this watch.  It takes this Panasonic CR2012 3 Volt Lithium Ion Battery.  The battery was big and easy to replace, but getting the press on caseback back on was a challenge even with my dreaded caseback press.  Of course, once a decade pain is pretty easy to handle.

Casio MTP-3050 Caseback

This watch is nothing fancy, but, if you are looking for a watch with long battery life, the Casio MTP-3050D-2AV is the one to pick.

Best Watches to Stick in a Shoe at the Beach

Memorial Day weekend is behind us and summer vacation season has started in the United States.  People will be spending time at the beach, at the pool, and by various swimming spots in lakes and rivers all around the country.  This is a good time to ponder the age old question:  which watch should I wear to the beach?  Unless you are wearing some kind of SCUBA Steve commando diver watch, you probably don't want to actually swim with your watch on.  Your watch might end up tucked in a shoe by the water's edge or on the beach house patio.  

Watches from Nautica, Chase-Durer, Casio, and Izod
grace ratty old shoes with their presence

Back in the 80s and before, you'd just have a little mound of shoes and clothing marking your spot and you'd just jump in.  Of course, now, that you've got a $2000 phone, you'll probably leave a person by your stuff just to stand guard.  But, let's just pretend you were going to leave a watch tucked into your shoes while you go swimming.  Which watch will you leave behind in those shoes?  Here are four watches that I'd tuck in a shoe at the beach.

Bulova Marine Star - 

I picked up this nice Bulova Marine Star watch at a thrift store (Don't Tell Anyone) and it shows its nautical inspiration is many subtle ways.  But, it's an old watch and I wouldn't fully trust it's 100-meter waterproofing now.  It might be the watch that needs some fresh O-ring caseback gaskets.  For now, it'll be in the shoe at the beach and look great at the seafood shack later.

A Bulova Marine Star Watch

Nautica Black Dial Signal Watch - 

My old Nautica watch has the perfect look for bumming around at the beach.  The rubber strap is beginning to deteriorate a bit and it will soon be time for a replacement strap.

Nautica Black Dial Signal Watch

Timex Weekender -

If any watch was ever made for weekends at the beach, it would have to be the Timex Weekender.  No matter what kind of strap color combination you choose, it would be perfect for shoe time by the shore.  It was a big deal when the Timex Weekender came out and you can still find them here on Amazon.

A Timex Weekender displayed with multiple strap combinations

Caribbean Joe -

Finally, you've got to include any watch from Caribbean Joe.  The beach hut and the palm tree are right there on the dial.  My green sunburst dial Caribbean Joe watchgreen sunburst dial Caribbean Joe watch has the right vacation mindset, but doesn't offer any water resistance.  Fortunately, it was cheap enough to go into a shoe.

A Close Up of a Caribbean Joe Watch Dial

Whether you tuck your watch in a shoe or put that water resistance to the test, have fun at the beach this summer!

The Return of the Casio Forester: The Ultimate Beater Watch

I got it.  Again.  One of my favorite watches has returned to my wrist!  It's the ultimate beater watch.  It's the Casio Forester.  It was only $21.92 at Walmart and I could not resist.

I don't think I've worn one of these watches in a decade.  But, I really should have.  It's still a lightweight comfortable bang around watch.  This one is still super fresh.  But, the Casio Forester is the ultimate beater watch.  You can read my full Casio Forester review here.

Oh sure, the Casio G Shock and the Timex Ironman have their fans, but for my money, the Forester is the best of the beater watches.

Why is the Casio Forester the ultimate beater watch?

1. It's cheap.  The Casio Forester is still less than $25 at Walmart.  You can still find it cheap here on Amazon.  If you are going to beat up a watch, beat up a cheap watch. G Shock watches are great, but they aren't cheap.

2. It has 100 meters of water resistance.  Pro Tip:  if you need more water resistance, you aren't in a forest. 

3. It's tough. Thick plastic surrounds a small dial making it a tough target to whack.

4. It's simple. When you are wearing a beater watch, you are doing something else.  You are hiking or fishing or mowing a lawn.  You aren't making a fashion statement. All you need is the ability to quickly see the time.

I may have to dig out my Crocodile Hunter memorial shirt, grab my machete, strap on this watch, and head out in the jungle.

Wristwatch Review: Men's LaCoste 12.12 Water Resistant Quartz Watch

When my wife finds a cool watch on her shopping adventures, she often gets it for me.  On a recent shopping adventure at Ross, she struck gold with this Men's LaCoste 12.12 quartz watch.  It's an attractive casual watch, that's perfect for wear as a weekender watch or in a business casual environment.

LaCoste 12.12 Quartz Watch

Watch Features and Construction

The LaCoste 12.12 is a minimalist watch with an hour, minute, and second hand, in a 42mm composite (plastic) material case with a silicone rubber strap.  It has a stainless steel caseback, a mineral crystal, and water resistance to 5 BAR (50 meters).  You can shower, watch dishes, and potentially go swimming, but it's not made for protracted activity in the water.

The case is made of TR90 a plastic composite material.  It's a thermoplastic that is hypo-allergenic.  Commonly used in eye-glass frames, it is known for having a little flexibility and resisting damage.  In a watch case, it doesn't seem bendable.

The LaCoste 12.12 has an etched stainless steel caseback.  Typically the caseback design offers an image of a folded LaCoste shirt or their iconic Alligator logo.

The Stainless Steel Caseback of the LaCoste 12.12 watch

Watch Dimensions

The LaCoste 12.12 has a case diameter that comes in at 42mm and a case thickness of 9.8mm.  The strap is about 20mm wide.  The silicone strap fit me snugly and could probably be just a tad longer.

The LaCoste 12.12

Overall Impression

The LaCoste 12.12 is very different from my LaCoste Club Watch.  It has a more sporty, compact, design.  It's a bang around watch for people who like to bang around fashionably.  The LaCoste brand gives the watch a positive connotation of quality.  As a Florida alumnus, I also love the little alligator of the LaCoste logo.  Overall, I like this watch and can see myself wearing it regularly.

A close of of the LaCoste 12.12 dial and LaCoste Alligator Logo

If you'd like to get a LaCoste 12.12 for your own wrist, you can get one here on Amazon.com.

TGIF: Always Travel with Cheap Watch

One of my favorite watches has gone missing.  It was my Perry Ellis Deep Diver Watch.  I really liked this watch because it had a rotating bezel and a nice clean look.  Plus, it was a steal at $30 on the Invicta Outlet.

Perry Ellis Diver-Style Watch

I lost this watch during the winter. I went on a business trip, got really sick, powered through my last couple of days and, somewhere along the way, it got lost or stolen.  I either left it in the hotel or lost it at the airport. I think it may have bounced out of a slightly open backpack pocket when I was hustling from the security checkpoint to my gate. Otherwise, nefarious watch thieves might have snatched it from my pack during a moment of inattention.

I have some cool watches inbound from the Invicta Store to replace this one.  But, the moral of this story:  Always Travel with Cheap Watches.  When you hit the road to this summer, you'll want to wear an inexpensive, reliable, watch that you can afford to lose.

[A positive update:  I actually found this watch.  I mislaid it when I was sick.]

Watch Wearing Wednesday: Accutime Marvel Ghost Rider Superhero Watch

Are you looking for a fun watch?  Follow the arrow. The Marvel Ghost Rider Superhero Watch offers a cool look at a price that you don't have to sell your soul for.

The arrow points to the Marvel Ghost Rider Watch

 

Fortunately, you don't have to be a supernatural motorcyclist collecting the souls of evil people for the devil in order to enjoy this watch.  It's cool enough with a flaming skull motif right on the dial.

After 10 years in my collection, the strap is still comfortable but deteriorating a bit

This watch pairs well with any form of vehicular cool.  I thought it was a great match for this vintage Chevrolet.

If you'd like to get this watch, it's available here on Amazon. If you'd like to read my full review of this watch, you can hit it here.  Finally, if you just want to see an unblurred photo of the car, check it out below.  It's a 1968 Chevy Impala Convertible.  It's an amazing old beast!

1968 Chevy Impala Convertible

Sharp Watch Shout Out: The Bulova Men's Aerojet Automatic Watch

 Bulova has a knack for creating watches that I can aspire to own.  It's a brand I consider a prestige watch.  They simply make some very classy timepieces that reside right on the edge of my budget.  One Bulova that recently caught my eye is the Bulova Aerojet Automatic.  I like this watch because it has the look of 1950s and 1960s technological optimism.  Vintage, yet modern. 

Bulova Aerojet Automatic (Amazon photo)

This Bulova features a 21-jewel Japanese automatic movement and a subdial providing a 24-hour clock for the 24x7 jet set lifestyle.  The stainless steel case features an exhibition caseback and reveals a Miyota movement.

The Bulova Aerojet Exhibition Caseback (Amazon photo)

Bulova has some nice looking automatic watches.  For example, their Sinatra collection is definitely eyecatching. But, the Aerojet brings the 50s and 60s modern jet-era vibe at a somewhat attainable price point. If you love this watch, you can find it on Amazon as the 

Bulova Men's Vintage Aerojet 4-Hand Automatic Watch

As of this writing in May 2024, the Bulova Vintage Aerojet watch was listed at 36% off.  This looks like a great deal to jump on before it flies away. 

The Boeing 707 epitomized the jet era
 (SDASM Archives, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

Wristwatch Review: Brigada Men's Business Casual Quartz Wrist Watch

This review is for a Brigada Business Casual Quartz Wrist Watch.  It's a very inexpensive watch that offered some interesting looking features. With a bronze case, a leather band, and a dial that looked like a camouflage pattern, I thought it would be an interesting watch to check out.  I've been watching the Brigada Brand for awhile and they are definitely an up and coming source of inexpensive watches.

The Dial of my Brigada watch.

Brigada Watch Prices

I now own two Brigada brand watches. The first watch was a conventional dress watch that was a very good value for about $30 in 2023 and this second Brigada watch is a more casual watch that I purchased for roughly $16 in 2024.  Both watches have to be viewed as very inexpensive watches that are really competing with no-name quartz watches on the shelves of stores like Walmart.  This watch arrived in a bundle of bubble wrap instead of a traditional box and I found that a little off-putting.

Brigada Watch Dimensions

This watch was a little lighter and thinner than I had expected. The case was 40 mm in diameter and just 7mm thick.  The band was 20mm wide at the lugs.  Unfortunately, the small size rendered watch features that I thought would be manly and rugged as just a bit dainty.

Brigada Watch Features

The watch has individually placed hour markers and batons.  The bezel is non-rotating.  The crown has a Brigada logo and the caseback is quite attractively etched.  The watch has a Japanese quartz movement and 100-feet of water resistance.

The Brigada Caseback Design

The watch has a brushed aged bronze look that looks a little cheap.  (It's a $16 watch.)  The strap is made of comfortable leather and has a generous length and width.

Detail on the Crown of a Brigada Men's Business Casual Watch

From this perspective (below), you can see how thin and light this watch is.  In a dress watch, the thin nature of this watch would be an asset. However, in a watch with a diver-style bezel, it seems too thin to be credible as a man's watch.

The thin 7mm case of this Brigada Watch

Finally, the strap is off a nice width and comfort level, but for me the buckle design is strange and would just look more at home on a woman's watch.

The wide buckle design on the strap of the Brigada watch

OVERALL WATCH REVIEW

This Brigada watch brings together many desirable features at a very low price point. Unfortunately, it just doesn't work for my personal style and old school sensibilities about traditional masculinity.  I need to dig out my Brigada dress watch and give that a review.  It brings everything you need for a dress watch together very nicely.  If you like the style of this watch, check it out on Amazon as the Brigada Men's Business Casual Quartz Wrist Watch for Mature Men. It may not have worked for me, but it does demonstrate the many features that can be brought together on a low cost watch.  If it fits your sense of style, go for it.

TGIF: Forgotten Watchback Gasket O-Rings

So what are these little rubber band looking things?  They are wristwatch back O-ring gaskets.

What's up with this picture?  Well, at least two of my watches won't be quite as waterproof as I think.

Wristwatch Back O-ring Gaskets

 When should I use them?  Ideally, you would replace them on your water resistant watches any time you change the battery.

Gerrit 950-piece Watch Back Gasket Set

 Where can I get them?  You can find this 950-piece kit on Amazon.  They also offer smaller collections on Amazon here.  Another great source of watch parts and tools is a company called Esslinger.  You can find some great deals on esslinger.com.  They also have video tutorials and other useful items for watch collectors.

Watch Deal Alert: Timex UFC Men's Icon 45mm Watch

The watch world could use something bad ass.  As the official timekeeping partner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Timex has some bad ass watches in spades.  This attention getting Timex UFC Icon watch literally brings the octagon to your wrist.  I recently found it on Amazon for 57% off which brings the watch down to less than $100.  You can't beat that price with a thrown chair!

Timex UFC Icon 45mm Men's Watch

I don't know if this watch will help you catch the eyes of the ring girls, but it does have chronograph functionality with the crown being flanked by pusher bars to activate the watch's stop watch subdials.  The watch also offers 100 meters of water resistance.  With the UFC lettering on the silicone strap and a gold-tone stainless steel case, the watch simply looks sharp.  You can find it here for a limited time at this special price on Amazon:

Timex UFC Men's Icon 45mm Watch.

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Watch Wearing Wednesday: Rumours Men's Quartz Watch with Rotating Bezel

Sometimes wearing a cool watch brings great joy.  The watch doesn't have to be expensive.  It just needs to be cool. One of my coolest and one of my oldest watches is this silver-on-silver quartz watch from Rumours.  If it cost me $20 new, I would be surprised.

Rumours Men's Quartz Watch

Why do I like this watch?

That's a good question.  It just seems to have a certain something, something.  First of all, it has Silver-and-Silver as a color palette and that is almost always good.  Second, it has a unidirectional rotating bezel which is perfect for timing pizzas in the oven and other important elapsed time activities.  I've posted on my criteria for judging cheap watches before.  This watch just hits all the right marks for me.

This Rumor Watch has Silver on Silver in Spades

Watch Size Matters

The other thing that I like about this watch is its size and weight.  It doesn't sit high on the wrist and can fit under any cuff.  It's lightweight and you can wear it comfortably all day.  Finally, it has smooth edges and it doesn't dig into the wrist so it is comfortable.

The metal bracelet for this watch is comfortable

Overall

This isn't a review.  You'd be hard pressed to find this watch on ebay or Etsy.  This is just a cool watch from my collection and a reminder that brand, movement, and pedigree aren't everything.

A Rumours-brand Watch takes a bow on a restaurant table

Watches A to Z: Bulova

One of my favorite brands of wristwatch is Bulova. To me the brand brings three important things to the table:  history, luxury, technical innovation, and style. Best of all, Bulova timepieces are accessible to me as a middle class person. On Amazon, you can regularly find Bulova watches at price points between $150 and $4500.  The company also owns the Caravelle brand which offers some really nice watches at lower price points.

My first Bulova Watch

Bulova History

Bulova was established in 1875 and had a long history as an independent American watch company. Since 2008, the company has been a subsidiary of a respected Japanese multinational watch company: Citizen. From humble beginnings as a jewelry shop founded by Joseph Bulova on Maiden Lane in New York City, the company rose to regularly participating in space missions.

Famous Bulova Watches

Perhaps the most famous Bulova watch is the Lunar Pilot.worn by Commander David Scott on the Apollo 15 moon landing.  I've mentioned this famed Bulova before on this blog.  The crystal of his NASA-issued Omega Speedmaster popped off and Commander Scott used his personal Bulova watch on a moonwalk.  In 2006, the original Bulova Lunar Pilot chronograph that went to the moon was auctioned off for $1.625 million at auction.  It's amazing that Bulova offers a new quartz Lunar Pilot that is an homage to the original and that we can actually afford it for our collections.

Astronaut David R. Scott, Apollo 15 commander., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (Bulova is strapped to his left forewarm).

My Bulova Watches

I feel very lucky to have a few Bulova watches and I'll probably get more in the years to come. I currently have a Bulova dress watch, a vintage Bulova Marine Star watch, and a Bulova Precisionist Stainless Steel Calendar watch.  

Bulova Precisionist Quartz Watch

Sharp Watch Shout Out: Orient Automatic Hand-winding Watch with Sapphire Crystal

One brand I've always wondered about is Orient.  The company can trace it's lineage back to a watch shop founded in 1901.  They started mass producing watches in 1950.  Today, they are a wholly-owned subsidiary of Seiko-Epson. They have models that appeal to me on many levels from dive watches to classic watches like the Bambino.  

This watch recently caught my eye on Amazon.  It's from their classic collection and is simply known by Model Number RA-AK03.  It's an automatic hand-winding dress watch with a sapphire crystal.

Orient Men's Watch (Model RA-AK03)

To me, it's a great combination of masculinity and practicality and I like the sun and moon complication. If you're dressing sharp for a special occasion, it looks like the perfect watch choice. It has a neat layout, a readable day of the week subdial and a sun/moon subdial.  

Best of all, this is an affordable luxury watch.  If you'd like to check it out on Amazon, you can find it here:  Orient Men's Japanese Automatic/Hand-winding Watch with Sapphire Crystal (Model RA-AK03).

TGIF: "Go To" Weekender Watches

TGIF! Now that the workweek is done, what's your favorite watch for banging around on the weekend?  Do you need something rugged or something casual?  Hard rock or yacht rock? Do you favor casual "weekender" watches from brands like Timex or Citizen?  So many questions.  Don't get stressed.  It's Friday.

Timex Weekender with Tachymeter Markings

This Timex Weekender has been one of my favorites for a long time.  Most Timex Weekenders have plain bezels, but not this one.  It has tachymeter functions.  I found this one at Walmart and, within a few months, the brand must have unified their Weekender standards and all the Timex Weekenders had plain metal bezels.  Sometimes watch models don't last for long.  They get supplanted by new models all the time for unknown reasons.  Sometimes you just have to get when the getting is good.

A display of casual Timex watches for Valentines Day

If you'd like to read a review of this Timex Weekender, check my Timex Weekender Review here on this blog.  Of course, Timex isn't the only watch brand applying the term "Weekender" to its more casual watches.  My Citizen Weekender is also a good choice.

What's your go to Weekender watch?

Watch Wearing Wednesday: Caribbean Joe Fashion Watch with Subdials

This Caribbean Joe watch is an attractive addition to my collection.  It's just a quartz "fashion watch" and the sub-dials don't work.  But, it looks good.  I like the way the hour batons are outlined in gold and sud-dials are trimmed the same way.  It's a nice classic and cohesive look.  The only drawback to this watch is that the strap is a tad short.  It's wearable, but a little more watch strap length would be nice.

A Caribbean Joe watch atop a circa 1885 book of Tennyson poetry.

This watch came as part of a two-watch set which also included a digital watch.  I'm not much into digital watches lately, but it was a nice combo in a great presentation box for the sub-$20 price.

Sharp Watch Shout Out: Timex Waterbury Traditional GMT watch

Over the years, we've all gotten used to Timex as a purveyor of relatively inexpensive watches that are reliable, practical, and a good value for the money.  But, beneath the surface, there runs a stream of higher quality fine watches that provide good value and a little something more.  A good example of a premium Timex watch is this Timex Waterbury Traditional GMT watch.  It's a nice looking watch that offers a little more style and panache.  Timex was originally founded as the Waterbury Clock Company in 1854.

The Timex Waterbury Traditional GMT Watch

This particular Timex Waterbury Traditional GMT watch has a 39mm diameter case that is 11 mm thick. While the advertising title on Amazon includes the word automatic, it does actually have a quartz movement.  However, this is a great looking watch to consider.  It's certainly a step above the ordinary Timex watch.

Today, Timex is one of the largest watch companies at the world. Some people might scoff at them as a mass production watchmaker.  But, if you check out the company's wikipedia entry, you'll find that Timex also encompasses many respected fashion and luxury watch brands.

If you're looking for other interesting Timex watches, look for Timex Waterbury on Amazon or Timex Q on Amazon.

Watch Strap Review: Benchmark 18mm NATO Zulu Military-Style Watch Band

My scratched up old Vostok Amphibia is looking just a little spiffier with a new strap.  Old Vladimir Putin might be appalled to see that my Soviet watch has joined NATO.  At least, the NATO watch strap alliance.  The photo below shows the old watch sporting a new Amazon purchase: a Benchmark 18mm NATO Zulu Military-Style Watch Band.

Benchmark 18mm NATO Zulu Watch Band

A co-worker of mine bought this watch for me at a Russian flea market after the Berlin Wall fell and the cold war came to an end.  Political concerns make me hesitant to buy a new one.  I just don't want to fund Russia's bellicose adventures.  But, the Walmart velcro strap that I had installed on the watch was looking really old and gnarly.  As a side note, don't remove the metal watch band on one of these Vostok watches, it is very easy to mess them up.

The Benchmark 18mm Watch Strap looks great and arrived in a flash.  The combo is called "Black and Gray Bond Stripes" and it does evoke memories of a James Bond movie from long ago.

I liked that the strap also came with a spring bar to remove your old watch band and a couple of extra pins to install your new one.  I really like the look of my upgraded watch with the new strap.

If you'd like to get a Benchmark NATO-style Zulu Watch Band, you can buy it here on Amazon.  It was a very affordable upgrade for my old watch.