[Russ1965]

 

[Russ1965]

 

[Russ1965]

 

[theretroshave]

I recently purchased this Timex Matterhorn, a rebranded Casio ARW-320, from the bay. The $95 the seller was asking felt a little risky as the description stated that it probably didn't work, but given the rarity and the fact that the seller originally wanted $495, I couldn't resist.

After I replaced the two batteries and tapped what I (in my overeager excitement) thought was the reset button, I sealed the watch back up, and nothing happened. Hmm. As luck would have it, my 9 month old daughter woke from her nap just as I got the case reopened.

As I sat playing with her, I recalled having read that the watch might need a reset by using a jumper. So, I asked her to bear with me, and she sat curiously watching me strip the ends of a bag-tie at my kitchen counter. When I turned the watch over to see that it had worked, I put my arms in the air victoriously. She started to jump excitedly, and I thanked her for her help.

Side note: the inside of the caseback actually says Casio

I hope everyone is having a wonderful 2023, and I wish you all the best!

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

 

[Deity42]

 

[Deity42]

I recently purchased this Timex Matterhorn, a rebranded Casio ARW-320, from the bay. The $95 the seller was asking felt a little risky as the description stated that it probably didn't work, but given the rarity and the fact that the seller originally wanted $495, I couldn't resist.

After I replaced the two batteries and tapped what I (in my overeager excitement) thought was the reset button, I sealed the watch back up, and nothing happened. Hmm. As luck would have it, my 9 month old daughter woke from her nap just as I got the case reopened.

As I sat playing with her, I recalled having read that the watch might need a reset by using a jumper. So, I asked her to bear with me, and she sat curiously watching me strip the ends of a bag-tie at my kitchen counter. When I turned the watch over to see that it had worked, I put my arms in the air victoriously. She started to jump excitedly, and I thanked her for her help.

Side note: the inside of the caseback actually says Casio

I hope everyone is having a wonderful 2023, and I wish you all the best!

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

Really cool, I wasn't even aware of the original Casio model.

Can I ask where the seller was located and if he knew where it came from? Timex-branded Casios are a niche interest of mine, they are a little rare in the US, my best guess is they were made for some specific market.

 

[theretroshave]

Really cool, I wasn't even aware of the original Casio model.

Can I ask where the seller was located and if he knew where it came from? Timex-branded Casios are a niche interest of mine, they are a little rare in the US, my best guess is they were made for some specific market.

The seller is located in New York. The seller's write-up explained it better than I could so I've pasted it here. He/she had a bunch of Zulu Time, B-29 variants, and more standard Timex ana-digis of the time.

"This is what I believe is a Casio Altmeter watch licensed to Timex in the early 1990's and sold only in Switzerland. This is what the notes on the folder said..."

Also this-
"I'm listing a collection of Timex watches from a certain area (the 1990's and soon after) that were purchased from collectors and Timex employees (design and marketing) to be used in an industrial design / art book, the project was abandoned with the sale of the publishing company in the early 2000's, these watches were all working at the time, have been in a box in an air conditioned and heated office environment since, and include some of the most popular and some of the most rare versions of dual display watches by Timex from the era. Some may be prototypes or evaluation samples, everything was purchased with an unlimited budget and with connections to people working at Timex, but I don't know any more the story of any individual watch, it's been 20 years since I've even known the people who would know..."

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

 

[Deity42]

The seller is located in New York. The seller's write-up explained it better than I could so I've pasted it here. He/she had a bunch of Zulu Time, B-29 variants, and more standard Timex ana-digis of the time.

"This is what I believe is a Casio Altmeter watch licensed to Timex in the early 1990's and sold only in Switzerland. This is what the notes on the folder said..."

Also this-
"I'm listing a collection of Timex watches from a certain area (the 1990's and soon after) that were purchased from collectors and Timex employees (design and marketing) to be used in an industrial design / art book, the project was abandoned with the sale of the publishing company in the early 2000's, these watches were all working at the time, have been in a box in an air conditioned and heated office environment since, and include some of the most popular and some of the most rare versions of dual display watches by Timex from the era. Some may be prototypes or evaluation samples, everything was purchased with an unlimited budget and with connections to people working at Timex, but I don't know any more the story of any individual watch, it's been 20 years since I've even known the people who would know..."

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

Really interesting stuff. I did a quick google of "Timex Matterhorn" this morning that brought up an old thread here on WUS about that user's watch originating from Switzerland as well. Perhaps the seller did the same thing, who knows. The whole "art book" story only adds to the mystery!

I've acquired three Timex/Casios, and I've seen at least two others on ebay (and now I've seen yours, which is most interesting!). I've also acquired a Casio JC-10, which @Rocket1991 told me there was a Timex equivalent. When I went down the rabbit hole to find it, I only found one or two pictures of the Timex model, one from an auction years ago whose description said it came from a former Timex employee and was a prototype. All that to say, "Timex employee" and "prototype" and "samples" seem to be the most common terms I come across in my admittedly lackadaisical research on the subject.

The other perplexing thing is, all of the "Timex Casios" I've found come from a time when Timex had fully developed it's own digital watches. Which has me thinking, did Timex contract Casio to make watches for them, or did Casio license the Timex brand for their own watches in certain markets?

 

[Rocket1991]

Really interesting stuff. I did a quick google of "Timex Matterhorn" this morning that brought up an old thread here on WUS about that user's watch originating from Switzerland as well. Perhaps the seller did the same thing, who knows. The whole "art book" story only adds to the mystery!

I've acquired three Timex/Casios, and I've seen at least two others on ebay (and now I've seen yours, which is most interesting!). I've also acquired a Casio JC-10, which @Rocket1991 told me there was a Timex equivalent. When I went down the rabbit hole to find it, I only found one or two pictures of the Timex model, one from an auction years ago whose description said it came from a former Timex employee and was a prototype. All that to say, "Timex employee" and "prototype" and "samples" seem to be the most common terms I come across in my admittedly lackadaisical research on the subject.

The other perplexing thing is, all of the "Timex Casios" I've found come from a time when Timex had fully developed it's own digital watches. Which has me thinking, did Timex contract Casio to make watches for them, or did Casio license the Timex brand for their own watches in certain markets?

It probably was not huge batch. Some models come and go and later you won't find them. Especially outsourced ones ( i don't think Casio licensed it to Timex).
Web search is not as good as it was and many things of the past won't be there. Not scanned, never indexed or simply not complying with modern search standards (it downgrades a lot of things and seemingly shortens results compared to 10 years ago for example). So it not surprising thee is nothing there. Timex and Casio have a lot of dance around each other going on. They been selling watches in same price bracket and direct competition was avoided. Price is same but functions and styles are different. i won't be surprised if these been test batches indeed to test market and see is it worth it to sell these instead of another colour scheme of 8 lap ironman or datalink.... That kind of cut need to develop your own model and set up manufacturing. Timex was corporation which among first started cost cutting and outsourcing when it was not even starting as a trend. So savings theory seem to be plausible.

Marking on the dial is identical to ARW320 so it's not licensed it made by Casio with different brand print which is easy to arrange even for 10s of units. Opposite to producing custom watch. It even saying Japan there.

So if Timex ordered let say 10000 of them and sold them in one year of 1991... you probably won't find any to trace. Unless some influential blogger posts about it.

 

[LMS70]

2000 Camper

 

[Russ1965]

 

[LMS70]

1971 Electric

 

[Rocket1991]

Very Easy Reader

 

[Kenster21]

 

[dunedc]

View attachment 17182741

This is beautiful, I love it.

 

[Kenster21]

This is beautiful, I love it.

Thanks!

 

[schumacher62]

easy to read!

 

[Wolfsatz]

Marlin Snoopy by Wolfsatz, on Flickr

 

[LMS70]

 

[redSLED]

The girlfriend has 4 different watches: a 2006 Raymond Weil, 1980's Casio digital, 1961 Omega Seamaster and a Seiko SKX013 modded (by me). But the Omega is now toast (Swatch in Switzerland would't do a full service on the movement - long story) and not worth fixing with our budgets, rendering her dressy gold watch category unfulfilled.

So, after much frustration searching among women's new watch choices, avoiding fashion brands and trying to stay under $650-ish, she happily found a watch that I also believe is uniquely elegant (textured dial!) with interesting proportions and amazing value - arriving in the mail soon - the below Timex 34mm gold-finish "Metropolitan" with mesh strap. Will post wrist pics soon.

Unfortunately, I believe Timex has now discontinued this watch, and replaced it with other variations (the "Transcend" and "Midtown") which we found to be less desireable.

View attachment 17145703

So, the watch arrived almost 2 weeks ago, and didn't work. Sure enough, after removing the caseback and taking my voltmeter to the battery - less than 0.2V of juice left in the 1.5V battery. Finally, with a fresh battery put in today, she loves her new Timex, especially with that textured dial.