end/
Front cover of the catalog. Many features of the TIMEX watches that were considered "selling points" are listed.
BACK COVER. "Begin planning your Timex promotion now. Order from your Timex distributor today." This makes me wonder if maybe TIMEX watches were not quite available yet, in March of 1950, as they seem to be encouraging sellers to "stock up," and "get ready" by making a preorder, so that when TIMEX watches are ready for prime-time, you'll be on the list to receive them. Notice that US TIME would provide free window displays as as "traffic stopper," for the shops. Shops knew, as did US TIME, that getting someone to come in to the store was key. Even if they bought something else, but it was the TIMEX display that attracted them. Also, notice that three photographs are missing from this back cover, and it looks like this catalog went to print before the pictures were ready. One was an illustration of 19 TIMEX models, another a diagram about shock-proof, and another about waterproof. Albert Walker appears to be one of the distributors of TIMEX. Presumably, US TIME would ship a bunch of watches to Albert, and they would re-ship them out to all the shops that ordered them.
Inside page 1 above, and 2 below. There will be closeups of these pages, but I wanted to show the full pages as well. Notice none of the watches have model names, just letter codes, and broad categories like HANDSOME ROUND MODEL, SMALL SPORTS, MODERN DESIGN, WATER RESISTANT. Interesting that they were not called WATERPROOF then, in 1950. The Marlin, the watch that proclaimed WATERPROOF on the dial, came out later in the 1950s
All of the prices on the catalog appear to be the retail price. The wholesale prices will be listed on the price sheet, found at bottom of this page, Again, all the letter codes. Prices vary with strap, whether or not a seconds hand is present, whether dial is Radiolite, etc.
Notice that all they say is TIMEX. Nothing about water resistance, shockproof, anything. Now of course these are drawings and not photographs, and the real watches may have said MADE IN USA like many TIMEX did.
Here are the water-resistant ones. Again, differentiated and priced by strap, seconds hand, Radiolite dial and hands.
Three dollars more for the one with gold filled and a bracelet.
Curved crystals. Of course the dial and movement are not curved like the Gruen Curvex, but it has that sort of appearance.
These are Distinctive, with gold cases and a gold color track.
The only watch that is not a wristwatch, in this catalog. The "professional pendant watch for nurses, etc." I have written an extensive page about this watch. Also, do you notice something funny? The watch is drawn incorrectly. The way it is hanging from its chain, everything on the dial should be upside-down. The artist must have just made a mistake.
This may be one of my favorites of the bunch. It's from the HANDSOME ROUND MODEL. It is indeed handsome.
Price list. Dated March 15, 1950. This page came along with the catalog. Notice you have to buy at least 10 of any model of watch. Also, notice it lists the price to the consumer and the price to the retailer.
March 1950 TIMEX distributor/retailer catalog.
Hi, this is Alan. Contact info below. This is a rare catalog from the origins of the TIMEX brand. The accompanying price sheet is dated March 15, 1950. Drawings of many watches, none of which yet have actual model names, only letter codes! Catalog not even finished, they left blank spaces for photos on the back. This was not meant for the public, but for retailers, encouraging them to stock the new TIMEX. The copy touts many of the features of the new TIMEX meant to be attractive to the retailer. I'll reproduce the full sheets, with magnified pics below them. Running out of room on this box, I'll have more comments at the very bottom. Pics are full res, download and mag to see more if you wish.
This is an interesting document and I think sheds some light on the origin of the TIMEX brand. It is a "catalog" as I've called it, but maybe a sales sheet, or other lingo, I'm not sure the exact term for it. It likely was sent out to hundreds of retailers; proper jewelers, but also drugstores, tobacco stands, hardware stores, department stores, and other places where inexpensive goods are sold, and probably ones also where US TIME also had sales relationships with. The goal appears, based on some of the language, to get the retailers to "preorder" the TIMEX watches, so they can have them ready for when they went on sale. Some of the language is about increasing traffic in the store, with attractive window displays (which are not shown, as they omitted the photos on the back!)
Interestingly, at the onset, watches were either chrome or gold plated. It seems like in later years gold plating was less common with TIMEX.
I'm not sure I've seen many of these watches, especially the black round ones, but to be honest most of them! Maybe few survived. I do have the nurse one, which is kind of funnily drawn here with the dial upside-down. Dials, at least in the drawings, have no text except TIMEX (though I would guess that at the dial periphery MADE IN U.S.A. might be written on them.)
Thank you for reading.
I hope you will like it.
Alan
Contact
Website: Alan's Vintage Watches
