1966 white dial TIMEX Sprite.
Made in Great Britain. (Confirmed to have been marketed as a kids' watch, see far below catalog.)
Hi this is Alan. Contact information at the bottom. Thanks for reading. This is a pretty nice UK-made TIMEX Sprite model. The seller said his father worked for TIMEX, owned this, and has stated that it is from 1966. The WATERPROOF in dial would seem to support this, rather than WATER RESISTANT. Watch is in great condition, and runs perfectly. Size is about 30-31 mm, typical for the Sprite model. Probably has the #24 movement. I didn't open it up.
See far below: confirmed that this was marketed as a kids' watch, see catalog pics
/end
The photos which show a cream or eggshell color to the dial were taken indoors, but in real-life, especially outdoors, the dial looks mostly white. The dial/hands combo on this watch is very pleasing, to me. High contrast, with black (not silvery, and potentially reflective) minute/hour hands against the white dial. Nice, tapered red seconds hand. Sixty outer hash marks, and MADE IN GREAT BRITAIN, at bottom.
But perhaps most enjoyable, to me, is the lettering selected for the hours. I initially called watch dial numbers and letters a "font," but was informed by expert @FontsInUse on Twitter, that: "Clock faces from that era are usually lettered, i.e. these numerals are probably custom drawn, not a font." And furthermore, from that expert, "Fonts are meant for multiple purposes, come in a specific format, and generally have a fuller character set. This is technically called 'lettering'."
The lettering for the hours is quite pleasing. I like how the 9 and 6 are not closed, the serif on the 7, the flat top of 4, and the somewhat exaggerated upper, curved part of the 2. Just seems "fun." I want to say it has some features of a Modernist aesthetic, but I'm not certain of any possible derivations. Let me know. Notice in this view how great is the contrast between the black hands and the white dial.
Several more pictures, below of this watch. I haven't seen it show up much, at the usual places. From 1966, maybe not many survive, or more likely not many were made, probably all for home (UK) market. If anyone knows more about this model, please let me know.
Nice drilled lugs. Whatever happened to drilled lugs? You still sometimes see them, but TIMEX had so many with these holes through-and-through. Much easier to change straps.
Maybe that was the problem, and jewelers complained: people could change their straps on their own, and didn't come into have it done. People could buy their own straps at the dime store and other places, and were not reliant on the jeweler. Not to mention the decrease in foot traffic and other related purchases for the jeweler that went down because people would come in less often. Just a wild theory that I just thought of now, but wouldn't it be wild if jeweler's complained to TIMEX about drilled lugs, and they changed the design because of that?
1966 WATERPROOF white dial TIMEX made in Great Britain, virtually certain at the Dundee, Scotland factories. High contrast dial/hands setup. Has a "classroom clock," or "office clock," look to it, very utilitarian and simple. Excellent condition, runs very well.
I hope you will like it.
Alan
Contact:
Website: Alan's Vintage Watches
Above and below, from a page of a British Timex catalog, 1960s. The above pictures watch is this watch, and it is on the page marked "Timex Youngster's Watches," confirming that this was a watch that was marketed to kids.
