A Non-Automatic Watch from Elgin

When I bought it for Christmas, I thought it was an automatic.  It looked like it was an automatic.  The jewelry counter clerk at Sears told me it was an automatic.  But, guess what, it is not an automatic!  It's a good thing that the watch has a beautiful, beautiful, face.  I'll forgive this watch.  But, next year, Santa might bring Sears and MZ Berger a lump of coal or two! It's still a great watch.  

[As of 2024, I'm wondering if I actually bought this watch at Sears or JC Penney.  I'm also wondering where I have this watch stashed. As of 2024, modern Elgin watches are available here on Amazon.  Some are marketed purely under the Elgin label and others under the Elgin by Accutime.  As far as the internet knows, MZ Berger still owns the Elgin brand. While some of the watches are a little "blingy," some are quite attractive. In an era where many dead Swiss brands are being revived, it's kind of cool that an American name in watches  continues on.  You can find Elgin watches on Amazon here.]  

The Sharp Turbine Watch at Le Kmart!

As a man of distinction, good taste, and an appreciation of the finer things, it is only natural that I should gravitate towards impressive horological achievements like the Perrelet Turbine automatic watch.  But, alas, I have not the wealth to match my timekeeping aspirations.  I had to seek alternatives to the Perrelet Turbine.  Fortunately, I was able to snatch up this turbine-style watch from Sharp at Kmart for only $19.99!  Kmart even sent me a letter and key ring card recognizing me as a VIP.  Take that Switzerland!

Alas poor Lorus!

A Look at a Lorus Sports Watch

I knew this watch.  I put a new strap on it and, now, I'm wearing it again.  It's a little retro and a lot of no nonsense in a watch.  Plus, it's a Seiko brand.

A Lorus Sports Watch

Too bad they don't market them here in the United States.  It's another one from the back of my watch drawer.

As of 2026, if you want to buy a Lorus watch in the U.S., check out my blog post How to Buy A Lorus Watch in the United States.

It's Cheap Time - Acqua Analog Watch with Indiglo

I haven't posted a really inexpensive watch in some time.  So, here's a cheap $14 watch that I found at Walmart.  It's interesting because Acqua is a brand owned by Timex and this watch offers Timex Indiglo technology in the cheapest package ever.  It's a great little watch. 

Acqua Brand Watch by Timex

Watch Review: Vintage Timex Mercury Manual-Wind Watch

As I was rummaging through my watches last week (original post 2012), I came across my 1970s vintage Timex Mercury in its original packaging.  I bought it last year off of ebay in New Old Stock (NOS) condition.  It's a fantastic, manual-wind, watch. 

 

My New-In-Box Timex Mercury Manual Wind Watch

[Update: This article original posted a link to a review I wrote.  My original review was posted on Associated Content which was bought out by Yahoo! Fortunately, they let us retain rights to the articles. Here is that review of the Timex Mercury.]

 
Sometimes ebay offers the chance to step back in time. As a casual watch collector, I was intrigued by a listing for a New, Old Stock, manual-wind, Men's Timex Mercury wristwatch. With so many auctions depending on subjective descriptions of used items, I was excited by the prospect of buying a brand new vintage watch. It was an exciting item to win for $38.95 plus a small shipping fee.

When my Timex Mercury arrived, it was still in its original packaging. Amazingly, the mechanical marvel originally sold for $25.95 sometime back in the late 1970s. As I removed it from it's box, I was struck by the simplicity of the watch. It has a shiny chrome dial, black numerals, and black hands for hours, minutes, and seconds. Since the Timex Mercury predates the huge and clunky watch trend, the face of the watch seems a little small at a sensible 35 millimeters across. The watch is also around 9 millimeters thick. It's a slim watch by today's standards.

Timex Mercury

Like many modern analog watches, the Mercury also provides the day of the week and date in addition to the time. However, setting the day and date is a little cumbersome by modern standards. You have to rotate the crown counterclockwise to nine o'clock and then back towards three repeatedly. It isn't difficult, but I was glad to have the directions. The band is a hybrid of expansion band and strap features. Basically, the band has a metal strap made of expansion band material and a clasp that clicks into the links of the expension band. The band is 20 millimeters wide at the watch and tapers down to 15 millimeters wide. While the band sounds a bit complicated, the Timex Mercury watch is actually very comfortable to wear.

Amazingly, this 1970s-vintage Timex has withstood the test of time and still keeps good time. You simply have to manually wind the watch each day. If you are a collector, playing with a watch is not a hardship. The shiny metallic look, dome-style crystal, and functional design of this Timex watch draw lots of complements. The design is simply timeless. The Timex Mercury was introduced in 1961 for only $8.95. Timex sold huge numbers of these watches during the sixties and seventies. The Mercury name even lived on into the 80s and 90s on quartz watches with Indiglo features. Needless to say, vintage Timex watches are regularly available from ebay, Etsy, and other auction sites at affordable prices.

Overall, this Timex Mercury was a great addition to my watch collection. While high end brands may have more prestige than Timex, nifty, cool, and affordable are adjectives that work well for me!

 

Back of the Drawer Time!

Lost, Misplaced, and Seldom Worn Watches

Have you pulled out all your watches lately?  Have you found a few that you haven't worn in a while?  Why aren't you wearing them?  Go get that battery.  Go get that new band.  Try 'em on and wear 'em!  They've been waiting for you!  

Vostok Amphibia Strap Replacement

I really messed up the metal bracelet on my Vostok Amphibia.  I just put this old Soviet Submariners watch on a velcro band and made it wearable again.

Vostok Amphibia Watch

My Lost Brigada Watch

As of June 2024, I just found a really cool dress watch that stuffed in a storage bin and couldn't find for about 6 months.  I looked and looked and looked. They package it in a small, long, box about the size of a pen case.  Once it's tucked away, it definitely stays tucked away.  This watch is the Brigada "Swiss Brand Classic Gold" Dress Watch and you can find the white dial version of it on Amazon. It's one of the least expensive dress watches in my collection and it's one of the sharpest looking designs.

Brigada "Swiss Brand Classic Gold" Dress Watch

Reflections on a Rolex Watch

It's shiny, substantial, and perfectly functional.  It's a Rolex Submariner Date Watch.  Of course, it's not mine.  It belongs to a co-worker.  Ever since he got it, I've been checking the iconic luxury watch out from afar and taking mental notes on my observations.  My co-worker's Rolex looks like the one pictured here.

To read more about it, check out my article:  Dream Watches - The Rolex Submariner Date Watch.

 

Photo: By LuckyLouie at en.wikipedia [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], from Wikimedia Commons

If you have the means to buy this legendary watch, then Amazon has your watch and has it for a good price, you can find it here: Amazon Rolex.