As I am a vintage watch collector myself, I have come across many of my acquaintances who have asked me about vintage Timex watches.
So, that made me think about people out there who might have been looking for information regarding vintage watches from this brand.
Here is a related article that might interest you on the Best 7 Timegraphers For Your Watch | Make your Watch Accurate.
In this article, I will guide you through everything there is to know about vintage Timex watches.
Table of Contents
Do Vintage Timex Watches Have Any Value?
Timex watches are not considered antiques because they are less than 100 years old. However, if they are in good aesthetic shape and still functional, some old items can fetch a considerable price.
Most Timex watches have poor market value. With a few exceptions, recent eBay sold listings range from about $10 to as much as $250. The average price of pre-1989 watches sold was in the $40 range.
Many collectors skip Timex watches because of the availability of these watches. Moreover, many of these watches contain no jewels, which is not an attractive prospect to many collectors. That’s why these watches do not have a very high price.
Can Vintage Timex Watches Be Repaired?
Without prior skill, it might be challenging to repair vintage Timex items. The majority of jewelry stores and watch repair businesses won’t accept Timex watches because of their average lower price point.
Simply put, it would be more cost-effective for them to repair a luxury brand watch than a Timex.
Do Timex Watches Have Jewels?
Yes, there are some models of Timex wrist watches that have jewels embedded in them. The number ranges from 17-21 jewels. But many Timex watches have no jewels in them.
The movements are made purely of metals instead of jewels in those watches. This is partly the reason why these are so affordable contrary to some other vintage watches.
How Do You Wind An Old Timex Watch?
- Firstly check whether your watch is mechanical or automatic.
- If your Timex watch is a mechanical one, then locate the crown first.
- After that, rotate the crown clockwise about 20-40 times.
- At one point, you will feel resistance from the crown. This will indicate that the watch is fully wound.
In case the watch you own is an automatic one, the method is slightly different.
- Similar to the previous method, you have to find out the crown of your watch first.
- Then, pull the crown slightly outward. After that, rotate it clockwise for 20-40 times.
- At some point, you will be unable to wind the watch anymore. This generally indicates that the watch is fully wound.
- Automatic watches can never be overworked, so you don’t need to be worried about that fact.
- Lastly, push the crown back in its place, and you are done.
How Do I Clean The Movement On My Timex Watch?
To clean the movement of your watch:
- you need to disassemble the watch first.
- Following that, you can use ammonia or ronsonol lighter fluid.
- Soak the parts in either one of these for about 5-10 minutes.
- Then, clean it off with a clean piece of cloth.
- Lastly, reassemble the watch.
Following these steps will be enough to clean the movement on your Timex watch.
When Did Timex Stop Making Wind-up Watches?
Timex was so popular that nearly half of all mechanical watches sold in the United States by the mid-1960s came from this brand. But, it stopped manufacturing mechanical movements in 1982.
Timex is now better known as a seller of reasonably priced quartz and smartwatches. In fact, Timex has however continued to produce new, reasonably priced automatic and hand-wound watches as well as fashionable vintage reissues.
What Movement Does Timex Use?
In vintage Timex watches, you can see the use of mechanical or automatic movements. However, it has been a long time since this brand stopped using these movements. Nowadays, Timex mainly uses its own in-house quartz movement.
How Do You Clean A Timex Watch Band?
Cleaning a watch strap depends on the band’s material. The most precise maintenance is required for leather watch straps because you’ll want to prevent water damage while cleaning the band.
- Firstly, remove the leather straps from the watch.
- Then, clean them as much as possible using a dry cloth.
- After that, use soap to wash the bands as precisely as possible.
- Be sure to use a soap that is not hard.
- Following that, remove any residue of the soap that may remain on your watch.
- Additionally, applying leather conditioner afterwards is crucial for prolonged usage.
You can apply the same cleaning technique to the watch face for cleaning rubber, stainless steel, metal, and bracelet bands. A gentle brush will help you reach the band’s crevices while a mild detergent or dish soap will remove grease, oil, and debris. For an extra shine, you can use glass cleaner to seal the deal.
You can clean your fabric and nylon bands in the same manner as other clothing by adding them to your next wash. Put the strap in a mesh bag to ensure that it is kept separate.
Alternatively, you might wash the strap by hand in warm, soapy water, rinse it, and then let it air dry.
Frequently Asked Questions [ FAQs ]
When Did Timex Start Using Indiglo?
Answer: In 1992, Timex first used Indiglo technology in its Ironman watch line. Since then, they have been using it in 70% of their watch line, which includes men’s and women’s watches, chronographs, and sports watches.
Are Timex Watches A Good Value?
Answer: Yes, Timex watches have made significant contributions to watch design and have a rich brand heritage. Though it’s important to recognize that Timex is not a luxury brand, you can purchase a Timex watch for a reasonable price and are quite stylish with excellent functionality.
What Brands Does Timex Own?
Answer: The companies that make watches for the Timex Group include Timex, Nautica, Salvatore Ferragamo, Guess, Versace, GC, Versus, Missoni, Ted Baker, and Furla, among other well-known brands.
Which Country Makes Timex Watches?
Answer: Timex Group USA, Inc., originally Timex Corporation, is an American multinational watch manufacturing corporation that was established in Waterbury, Connecticut, in 1854 as the Waterbury Clock Company.
Products made by Timex Group B.V. are produced in the Philippines, China, Hong Kong, India, France, and Switzerland, frequently using technology that is still being developed in the US and Germany. The organization conducts business in a variety of nations throughout Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Oceania.
Verdict
In this article, I have explained the market value of vintage Timex watches, their history, the movements they use, and how to maintain these. With this, you should be well informed about these watches.
As the company has a rich history of making watches, you can add them to your collection if you want. I hope that this article was of help to you.
Also, you have to check out my post on the Top 10 Retro Casio Watches That Are Making A Comeback.
As a professional trainer and a gadget lover, I’ve spent a lot of money and time buying wearable activity trackers, smartwatches, and gadgets, and checking them out. My site is focused on helping you with your activity tracking and smart technology journey. I try to provide the most helpful updated content on this subject. Hopefully, you will love my blogs and be a regular around here.
