TIMEX x SOPH. x END Camper Watch White Dial, Autumn 2019
Hi, this is Alan. Thanks as always for your interest in these pages, and for reading. Here is a triple collaboration TIMEX Camper / Mk1 watch, made in collaboration with SOPH. and END. Clothing. More on these brands, below. It was purchased in October 2019 at the END. store in London.
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This watch is yet another iteration of the mighty "Original Camper," a revival of a 1980s TIMEX watch, by TIMEX Japan in 2015. It is quite an origin story if you wish to read it. This revival (as a quartz watch) was based on the 1980s "Camper Watch," the original version of this watch, which was mechanical. Since 2015, there have been innumerable "takes" on the Original Camper, some highly celebrated, all a bit different, and most having had collaboration with others (designers, department stores, streetwear labels, other brands.)
If you want to see a master page of al the Campers I have, click here (work in progress, not avail yet)
The dial is bright, of high contrast, and has a fun and pleasing splash of color. Black resin case, white dial, black dial markings (with the exception of light grey hour triangles) luminous minute and hour hands, and a bright, orange seconds hand. The dial is not luminous.
Nice presentation box. Notice the Broad Arrows.
Who are SOPH. and END.?
SOPH:
From their website: "In 1998, 『SOPH.』 was founded by Hirofumi Kiyonaga. Under the concept of minimal design, it has started its business seeking for the sophisticated daily wear. With focusing on the surplus details for multi-usages and the quest for the high-tech materials, it has created and developed the collection of functional casual clothes for daily use. After that, SOPH. has been trying to convince that you can feel a kind of Japanese aesthetic beauty through the cloth material containing Binchotan. The philosophy that the comfortable clothes good for urban dwellers should be functional-oriented has so far affected not a little the trend of street fashion and such innovative point of view of 『SOPH.』 has received widespread attention."
END: Essentially, "globally sourced menswear." They offer "a contemporary, unique and world leading brand mix." They have three shops, and an online presence, and they source men's clothing from multiple brands and labels for sale through their system.
The watch also comes in a black dial version. (This pic is from the END. website.) The watch was not available through TIMEX, or through SOPH., only through END. online, or in their stores.
The project was meant to commemorate the 20th anniversary of SOPH.
What does this shirt have to do with the watches? Read on...
Classic 36 mm Camper case, in black, fixed lugs. Although the ad copy says it is an aluminum watch, the case is resin.
The orange hand is a really strong orange, and is probably what "makes" this watch. A really great design choice. Better than red.
Also, worth mentioning the SOPH. dial signage is placed above TIMEX. This happens from time to time, but is actually kind of rare. Pretty cool.
Label on the bottom, with all the usual good stuff.
From the END. sales page.
I wasn't necessarily planning on buying this watch. Not that I didn't like the look of it, but I'd bought a few watches lately, and thought I'd exercise some "restraint," haha. So, I admired it from afar, online.
As it turned out, we were in England during the October half-term, visiting some family in Bristol. Aside from airports, London this time wasn't meant to be part of the picture. Then my son found out that one of his friends from Birmingham was to be in London with family for a few days, so we arranged to meet on a Thursday. Took the train from Bristol, met them, and did a variety of things for several hours. Was quite rainy, but we made the best of it.
Then the two kids (both 13) hatched a plan to get the parents to take them to "some clothing store." Eye rolls all around, but we agreed. Let them have a little fun window shopping. I wasn't really paying that much attention to where were going, as the other family knew their way around a bit better. Then suddenly we round a corner and see that the shop they were interested in was END. Clothing's London shop in Soho!
I'd bought watches from END. before, including another triple collaboration TIMEX x END x NEIGHBORHOOD, and was familiar with their brand. But I had never been to any of the stores (London, Glasgow, Newcastle) so this random and slightly hilarious situation brought about by two hopeful 13 yr old kids made it happen. They went to look at clothes, and had no interest in watches. But I spotted the two TIMEX models in the showcase, then we left the kids in the shop to go out around the corner to get a coffee. When we got back, my son had found a shirt (the black one pictured above) and hoped I'd get it for him. Well, this is a long story, but he did get the shirt, and I decided to buy this TIMEX as well. It seemed to have kind of culminated in that.
Cover of white box has embossed SOPH. (The black dial one also has the same white box).
(Image from the SOPH. website).
