TIMEX Marlin California
The first ever TIMEX with a "California" dial!
November 2019
Hi, this is Alan. Thanks for your interest in these pages. My contact information is at the bottom.
Here are two watches from TIMEX Japan, taking the design of the "California Dial" made famous by 1940s Rolex "Bubble-Back" automatics, and giving it their own interpretation. Other watch houses have emulated this dial design, but this is a first for TIMEX.
Exclusively available through TIMEX Japan. (Two pics from their website, at the bottom.)
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This Japan-exclusive watch comes in two versions, white dial and black dial. The white dial version has a black leather strap, and the black dial version has a brown strap. The watches use the same case that was manufactured for the November 2017 Marlin Reissue, a flawless re-creation of a 1965 TIMEX. The Marlin reissue had a mechanical movement. These watches, called "Marlin California," have Philippines-made quartz movements.
You can see the 12, 3, 6 and 9 hours are indicated by a triangle and batons. Hours 9, 10, 1 and 2 are indicated by Roman numerals, and 4, 5, 7, and 8 are indicated by Arabic numerals. Here is an article with an explanation as to why this dial is called "California." It may be that no one knows for sure, but it seems the dial was named California because during the vintage watch boom of the 1980s, Rolex watches with this dial were highly sought by buyers at the vintage shops on Melrose, in Los Angeles.
The white dial version can look "cream" colored in certain lighting as in this pic, but is mostly white.
I had long thought that this Romans / Arabic mix was an aesthetic feature, with no real purpose, a stylistic flourish to the Art Deco dial designs popular with Rolex watches in the 1930s and 1940s. But according to the Rolex patent, "It will be seen that this layout gives a clear and simple turn of the hours, easy to realize with luminous material and allowing an easy reading of the time especially for wristwatch cases whose dials are relatively small. In fact, the fact that the Roman numerals occupy half the dial and the Arabic numerals the other, clearly distinguishes these two halves. In addition, the Roman numerals chosen are those which are the easiest to read."
I am skeptical about whether mixing Roman and Arabic has a functional advantage, as put forth in the patent application. But after all, it is a patent, and they are allowed to claim any advantage they wish. Maybe they thought they would be more likely to get patent approval, if there was a claim to functional advantage to the dial, not mere aesthetics.
Both watches as I received them, in foam packaging, with their crowns pulled out.
The Rolex watches used applied luminous paint for the hours. The TIMEX watches use applied metal elements, as is well shown here. An off-white filler material is present in the hands, which is not luminous.
1940s ad, from this article, showing a Rolex Oyster Perpetual, with Roman / Arabic dial.
Black leather strap, embossed TIMEX.
Notice the drilled lugs, a feature of the 1965 Marlin, replicated for the 2017 Marlin case.
No dial text, except TIMEX. Notice that there is a nice "railroad track" at the dial periphery. You may also notice that the original Rolex design had horizontal bars at 3, 6, 9, the TIMEX design turns the bar vertical at the 6.
The caseback does not disappoint, lots of engravings, including THE MARLIN COLLECTION. Model is TW2U19600. The M901 I presume means movement #901. Made in June 2019.
The hands are a mild eggshell color. The dial marks are silver color, but in certain lighting, appear black, as in this photo.
Figure 1, from the Rolex patent. Applied for, May 1941, patent granted June 1942.
Steel buckle, signed TIMEX
White dial version, in the sunshine.
Black dial version, photo taken through a 10x loupe.
Japan-exclusive TIMEX Marlin California watch, in white and black dial, featuring their updated interpretation of the famous "California Dial" from 1940s Rolex. First-ever TIMEX with this dial design!
Two more images from TIMEX Japan, below. Thank you for reading.
I hope you will like it.
Alan
Contact:
TIMEX Tokyo Instagram (for distribution questions).
Website: Alan's Vintage Watches
Above and below, white dial version taken through a 10x loupe. (The red margin is the plastic housing of the loupe.)
The above and below images are from the TIMEX Japan sales site.
