Heavily corroded early 1950s "Hopalong Cassidy" TIMEX watch.
I believe this watch was fully submerged in water. Maybe for a long time. I find a certain beauty in its decay and dysfunction.
This is an amazing thing. I bought it not at all for the Hopalong Cassidy character. Nothing against him, but I've seen this watch over and over again, and I was never interested in it. Until I saw this one, which is more like archeology than horology. Or maybe both. Just have a look at this dial, hands, everything.
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I was purchased from the UK, sold for 99 pence, about $1.25, non-running of course. Most of the pictures on this page are mine, but the above picture is from the seller. It has an almost dreamy quality, somehow appearing eloquent in its decay and dysfunction.
What happened to this watch? What went wrong, for it to wind up looking like this?
It helps to first consider what this watch should look like. The dial is white/eggshell color, with red hour and hash-mark paint, black paint for the HOPALONG logo and character, ad red hour and minute hand. The case is chrome plates base metal. This particular example seems to be in excellent condition.
One more pic, above, from the seller, showing the whole watch, including the scratched crystal. All of the rest of my pics are my pictures, with the watch partially taken apart. Have a look at the corroded lower left lug. This watch has experienced considerable corrosion.
Inside of the case. Look at all the green. This is from a result of corrosion of the copper component of the brass case. Often called "base metal," the cases of watches that were chrome plated (like this one) were made from brass. With time, in spite of the chrome plate covering the brass, there will be corrosion. It is quite extensive, much more than usual. In fact, many watches of this age don't have much at all. I'm not sure I've seen a watch quite so involved.
The movement is thoroughly knackered, loaded with corrosion. All this green, much of it hidden by the plate. Look at the green throughout the mainspring, a small bit peeking through that round hole just below the CO in SCOTLAND. The hairspring has been partially pulled out. Crown and case all corroded.
TIMEX movement 22, made in Scotland, at the factory in Dundee.
What exactly happened to the dial? You can see, much of the dial paint has been chipped off. What dial paint remains is a kind of turquoise color. More blue-y than the green corrosion on the case and movement. The metal of the dial is shown, and it looks irregular, maybe rusted. But it's weird how the paint of the dial is uniformly turquoise. The paint isn't metal, and should not corrode. But I think the "color of the corrosion" of other parts has seeped into the paint. Which is one reason why I think this watch was submerged in water. Also, note the red paint of the hands has mostly peeled away. Through it all, Hopalong Cassidy, just smiles away.
The metal parts to the leather strap are heavily corroded. See also the poor shape of the lugs. Notice how different the caseback looks. More later.
If this was flesh, we'd call it an ulcer. Look at the deep defect in the case and lug where the chrome cover is completely gone, and it looks like a part of the case has been eaten away, gouged out. The adjacent chrome is buckling, coming off. Terrible condition
The buckle must have some iron component, as it looks more like a traditional brown-colored rust. The "tongue" of the buckle is missing altogether.
I just can't get over this dial. Like a strange piece of accidental beauty, in its dereliction.
The caseback stands out as having zero visible corrosion. STAINLESS STEEL! Everything else about this watch has undergone corrosion, but the caseback is in very good condition.
Caseback has stamped in script lettering, GOOD LUCK FROM HOPPY, and TIMEX GREAT BRITAIN. There is also 7Y in between those parts.
They say this Hopalong Cassidy character is the only Hollywood character who wore a black hat, but wasn't a villain.
This concludes my page on this heavily corroded TIMEX watch. Who knows its story. We will almost certainly never know. Owned by a child in 1950s England. Purchased from a seller in Nottingham. Nothing more is known about this watch.
It has, to me, a kind of beauty in its decay, dereliction, and obsolescence.
Thank you for reading.
I hope you will like it.
Alan
Contact:
Website: Alan's Vintage Watches
