1983 TIMEX Mechanical Children's Watch - From FUN TIMERS series, and in style of TIMEX Camper!
Hi. This is Alan. (contact: email). Here is a review of a new-old-stock mechanical wristwatch for kids, from 1983. The watch is small, as shown in the below photo with an ordinary, standard-sized pencil for comparison, measuring 25 mm across without the crown. The watch is housed in a case made from a single-piece of injection-molded plastic, with fixed lugs. [NOTE: New from an earlier version of FUN TIMER, from the Sixties! Here is the 1968 FUN TIMER in red, but 36 mm, different dial, crazy]
I have another watch like this, in an identically case in terms of size and design, but in an offwhite color. Here is a link to that watch. The review was written before I knew for certain that this red watch was a kids' watch, and in it I speculated wildly about the purpose of the white one.
Below, the two watches are side-by-side. the white one appears larger, but that's a fakeout because the hour numbers on the white one are more to the periphery, giving the illusion. The case and dial diamter are identical. The white one has luminous dots at 12, 3, 6, 9, and on the hour and minute hands. The red one has no luminous material.
The watch came with its original red/white/blue nylon strap, 10 mm width. The watch and strap were in perfect condition, appeared never used. There was no box, but there was a folded paper with instructions, warranty, repair info, etc, and also this congratulatory comment about my active lifestyle.
Above, from 1983, showing my exact watch, retailed for $17.95. There is another one in blue or black. Probably blue. My white case one does not appear, and may have been a model from a year before, or after.
/end
Back view of the case. I cannot detect an openable caseback. Like other solid lug TIMEX watches this appears to be a single piece of plastic injection-molded through the little belly-button port in the center of the back, where the hot plastic was injected into the mold. ASSEMBLED IN PHILLIPINES, WATER RESISTANT. The crown is well shown here, and appears to be steel, unlike millions of TIMEX watches from earlier years, where the crown was brass with chrome plating. This smaller "Camper" case is the direct descendent from a 1964 military contact watch, please see 1968 FUN TIMER watch for more details!
Crystal is acrylic and instead of sloping gradually from the edge like many crystals, it has a sharp rise. Not quite vertical, but a steep angle.
Why do I keep calling these watches "Camper." Well, they are not the Timex Camper, for sure, but the case very much resembles the Camper in both design, dimension and construction. The cases on these little watches look very much like a scaled down version of the Camper. See this pic, which superimposes the little white one on a black case Camper variant from 2018. There is much more that can be learned about Timex Camper, and many resources for those wishing to learn, but I'll mention that the Original Camper, both case as well as dial, was based on specifications for a military-issue watch drated by the US government in the mid-late 1960s, and that specification was MIL-W-46374. I love the Camper and many of its variants (for example, this and this), and I just find it kind of fun that this kids' watch, nothing at all military-related, has a case that is like a mini version of the Original Camper! Here is link to my review of three Campers from 1989-1991!
Below, one of these Campers, from a collaboration between TIMEX Japan, Engineered Garments, and BEAMS BOY, next to the two little ones.
Couple pics of the strap on the watch, and also one fun and silly one...
I wanted to have a little bit of silly fun, and put the two of these Little Campers in tandem on the strap. I set the lower watch to London/GMT, and the upper watch to GMT-6, for a WORLD TIMER GMT watch for the serious world traveler. I don't need your two-tone gold 'n' steel $5000 GMT with a diamond bezel, thanks.
TIMEX has always ruled.
Cover of booklet for watches having TIMEX movements 23, 100, 101, 105, 114, and 116. No idea which movement these watches use.
Steel buckle, on the length-adjustable strap.
As always, thank you for reading this review. If anyone knows more information about these little watches, please let me know, or any questions or comments, I can be reached by email.
Thanks, Alan
