Metal Cased Retro Digital Watch

6863 Views 36 Replies 18 Participants Last post by CPTX, 1 mo ago

Cassady

Discussion Starter · 9 mo ago

I recently ordered an Armitron Griffy (the gold one with red LEDs since it looks so seventies) and this got me looking around for a metal-cased LCD watch.

This proved to be a bit of a challenge since all of the Casios currently available seem to be resin-cased. I found the Armitron Rubik and it looked pretty cool, but looking around led me to another Armitron. As far as I know, it has the catchy name of 40/8487, but name aside it was pretty much what I was after. A bit over $40 and should be here next week.

Just in case anyone else is looking for a retro-cool digital watch that's not the Rubik and has an apparently real metal case:

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Bad Juju

· #21 · 9 mo ago

The Adidas looks nice but I can’t get over the Adidas name on it. I don’t like brand names on my clothing and I only like the watch brand on the dial/face.

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Own2hands

· #22 · 9 mo ago

ShockMister said:
I would put the Adidas on a rubber or leather strap.

Do you have a vendor that sells that casio style endlink in rubber or leather? I have a couple watches that I'd like to try a different strap on. I think Hadley Roma does the casio endlinks, but I think they are all like the OEM rubber straps.

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ShockMister

· #23 · 9 mo ago

Own2hands said:
Do you have a vendor that sells that casio style endlink in rubber or leather? I have a couple watches that I'd like to try a different strap on. I think Hadley Roma does the casio endlinks, but I think they are all like the OEM rubber straps.

The Adidas appears to have standard lugs that could take any strap.

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grenert

· #24 · 9 mo ago

Tsarli said:
The Armitron Rubik was a decent attempt, ultimately let down by that unusable backlight.

I have no opinion on the Armitron Rubik, but if you're really going for retro, an unusable backlight is definitely more true to the original

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Sr.Meducini

· #25 · 6 mo ago

Hello all. Being into this niche too, I ordered the Adidas watch basically just to check it out and to compare it with the other currently available options out there (having already added some recent brass-cased t80s, Armitron Rubiks and Speidel digitals to my collection).

I went for the gold tone version. To my eye, the ”Three stripes” print does not appear as offending when printed in black on a golden background.

Some findings:
-the watch is pretty good quality and generally meets all expectations.
-sad thing to notice was that the QC seems to vary just as much as on the T80s - I received two examples and one of them has a tiny printing defect (aperture within the outer black cheatline) and some tool marks just next to one of the case back screws...not good in a brand new watch of this price range.
-the MODULE appears NOT TIMEX PROPIETARY but some custom work by chinese SZBaojie - the module is signed ”BJF374”. That also explains why the back light is not exactly like the Indiglo on other T80.
-the crystal appears to be PLEXIGLASS instead of mineral (glass). One of the exaples came with a hairline scratch on the glass - I was really frustrated because this was the ”better QCed” of the two. I was relieved to notice that Polywatch was actually able to take that scratch off in a minute -> plexiglass! Just like the T80s once again.
-accuracy: while all my T80s seem to lose anything between 0,4 to 0,6s a day, these watches (with the Baojie module) seem to keep better time.

Overall this is a very enjoyable modern digital watch. I just really hope TIMEX would improve some details in their manufacturing process and QC to ensure Casio-like consistency.

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Sr.Meducini

· #26 · 6 mo ago

Watch Clock Rectangle Everyday carry Gadget

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Sr.Meducini

· #27 · 6 mo ago

Automotive lighting Motor vehicle Automotive design Alloy wheel Rim

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Sr.Meducini

· #28 · 6 mo ago

Ps. I think I just found another all-new ”all metal digital watch” 🤔 Wait a minute - have I seen that LCD layout somewhere before..?

Maybe something for the fashion concious among us? But just once again - a perfectly good (and generously sized at 36mm) all-new stainless digital gets labeled / advertised as a ”ladies watch”? Also a perfectly masculine black/dark tone version with an inverted LCD appears to exist - still a ladies’ watch. They must have been after a similar confusion intending to discourage sales like when Casio released their initial A1000 offerings! 😂 I really don’t get this - why not just call it a ”digital watch 36mm” and let anyone liking the style buy/wear it???

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grenert

· #29 · 6 mo ago

I can't really imagine paying that price when similar retro watches sell for <$40.
But to your point regarding size and "men's watch/ladies' watch", I totally agree.

magochrome

· #30 · 4 mo ago (Edited)

I ordered my Adidas Digital Two SST or AOST22072 last November in the german Adidas onlineshop. The Pictures in the shop show the watch with a module similar to the one Timex use in their T80's.
I wonder if the modules are swappable to recreate the look of this early(?) version - just for fun.

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SigDigit

· #31 · 4 mo ago

grenert said:
I can't really imagine paying that price when similar retro watches sell for <$40.
But to your point regarding size and "men's watch/ladies' watch", I totally agree.

There's always the Bulova Computron LED watch that sells for 300-350 USD depending on bracelet/case color. They must be mad thinking I would pay that much for obsolete tech.

magochrome

· #32 · 4 mo ago

Looking for a retro style LCD watch I came across the Sekonda 1816 some weeks ago. The module is a typical Casio copy with all the usual functions you would find on an A158 or F91 but with an electrolumiscent illumination. The case is made of alloy which gives the cheap watch a nice weight. The glass is acrylic. I like the PAN-AM design which gives the watch a nice retro vibe, it could however be made a bit more elaborate. What I don't like is the bead on the back cover which makes the watch a bit thicker, but it doesn't bother much when wearing. The bracelet is comparable to the cheap Casio watches. All in all, for 30 Euros, a watch made of metal (but not SS) with the functionality of a cheap Casio but with much better backlight. An appreciable attempt of Sekonda. The 1816 has a golden sister.

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cal..45

· #33 · 4 mo ago

magochrome said:
I ordered my Adidas Digital Two SST or AOST22072 last November in the german Adidas onlineshop. The Pictures in the shop show the watch with a module similar to the one Timex use in their T80's.
I wonder if the modules are swappable to recreate the look of this early(?) version - just for fun.
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Your pis are photoshoped or am I mistaken?

I own both watches and judging by the similar size and position of the buttons a module swap might be possible. However, the T-80 doesn't have a countdown timer, which makes the Adidas much more useful. YMMV but a timer is THE key element in a digital watch that sets it most apart from analogs, for me anyway. Still an interesting idea, should you do the swap, let us know the results.

magochrome

· #34 · 4 mo ago

cal..45 said:
Your pis are photoshoped or am I mistaken?

I own both watches and judging by the similar size and position of the buttons a module swap might be possible. However, the T-80 doesn't have a countdown timer, which makes the Adidas much more useful. YMMV but a timer is THE key element in a digital watch that sets it most apart from analogs, for me anyway. Still an interesting idea, should you do the swap, let us know the results.

The pics a grabbed directly from the stores website in November 2022. I can't tell for sure if they're photoshopped but for me they look quite real. I agree with you that the T80's module is inferior. Maybe I'll try the swap when I get a T80 cheap and post the results.

Watchnut1001

· #35 · 1 mo ago

Deity42 said:
Wow, I didn't know that. I have two of the T80's progenitors, "T78587" or similar, and those are chrome-plated resin. But you're right, timex.com says "Low Lead Brass" and the caseback looks different.

Interesting! All this time I thought all the new models were the same watch with new bracelet and faceplate. Now I have to check out these T80s.

As near as I can tell virtually all metal cased Timex watches are now brass cased based on those listed on Amazon. I have an older version with a stainless steel case. Brass cases if exposed to sweat or salt water and not promptly washed will eventually pit. I have a couple of old brass cased watches with pitting damage. If possible go with stainless steel cases for affordable metal cased watches.

Watchnut1001

· #36 · 1 mo ago

My classic Digital LCD Steel watch is a Pulsar PQ2001 from circa 2011. New enough to have a negative LCD display which I do not care for. Out of production but available on eBay.

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CPTX

· #37 · 1 mo ago

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