TOP 6: Inexpensive retro watches that tell stories

Tags: Selection of the best | Classic | Retro

24.6.2021 | 7 MIN

It might be ten, maybe fifteen years since interest in vintage-style watches began to grow rapidly. Surrounded by digital time always and everywhere, on the phone we carry in a hand all the time, on the PC screen, it's like we are suddenly longing for something more classic. For something that reminds us of the good old times, when the function of a watch to show time was generally valued.

There are not so many watch brands that didn't react to this trend. Some reached into the true depths of their history and reminded us of models sometimes even a hundred years old. But I agree with the opinion that retro begins sometimes in the 1990s. The biggest attraction seems to be authenticity, or rather an immediate feeling of nostalgia. And it must be said that many brands have done more than well.

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Often, new retros are not exactly cheap. We buy them out of nostalgia, indulgence, or even as an investment. But we can even find pieces that tell stories and it is not needed to save for them that long. Here are some bright examples from recent times.

(1) Timex Pac-Man: two symbols of the 80s in one

On May 22, 1980, the first gaming computer with Puck-Man was installed in Japan. It was created by game designer Torah Iwatani when he was 24 years old. He probably had no idea he would revolutionize the world of  video games by a chase in a maze.

Until then, games involving shooting were more popular and Iwatani allegedly wanted something cuter that would be acceptable for women as well. Before the game was released in America, it had little response, but then it literally became a symbol of the gaming industry and an icon of 80's pop culture. The American distributor was worried the original Puck-Man name would be misused (replacing P with F) and the name was unified into Pac-Man.

Pac-Man and ghosts have appeared on a variety of product materials, and to this day the game has literally cult status. Choosing this motif for a retro digital watch was a perfect game move made by Timex.

Two symbols of the eighties in one and for a smashing price is the dream of every fan, collector and actually everyone who likes a bit of playfulness in the collection. Plus, it was not just the design that was well-made, but the watch also offers practical functions such as stopwatch, alarm or Indiglo backlight. And best of all, it can play the Pacman theme song when you press a button! Timex Pac-Man is just an amazing piece.

(2) Swatch 1983. The Swiss watch that knows life should be an adventure

The last century brought a fundamental revolution, which became a crisis for Swiss watchmaking. The century-old tradition of watchmaking was threatened by the Japanese production of cheap mass-produced quartz watches. It was necessary to make something new that could compete – it was necessary to make cheap swiss quartzs.

With this goal, a small team of visionaries got to work in the early 1980s; the main engineers were Elmar Mock and Jacques Müller from ETA. And the secret project "Revolution 51" was successfully completed. They created a watch case from a single piece of plastic, where the lower part formed the base for the movement, which consisted of only 51 components. That is how Swatches were born. The name was created by marketer Franz Sprecher as a combination of Swiss Watch and Second watch – the Swiss watch that knows life should be an adventure. At least that is what the slogan said.

In 2020, Swatch brought us back in time and introduced us again with its "1983" collection, the year when the first Swatches were officially introduced in Zurich. At that time, the design of almost all models was created by the pair Marlyse Schmid and Bernard Müller. The collection returns to their designs for a different reason than just trying to be retro.

The development team knew at the time that an innovative approach and materials would be needed. And watches made of plastic on a belt in the factory were a real change from the fine watchmaking of the watch back then. Swatch hasn't forgotten the importance of innovation even after forty years. In 2020, they presented their first watch made of biological material Bioreloaded.

All plastic components have been replaced by material derived from biological raw materials, namely castor. It is a first series production of this kind in the watch industry, and the models from the "1983" collection were the first to be made from Bioreloaded. Swatch nicely captured this connection with the motto of the collection „Born in 1983, Made in 2020“.

For the organic thinking, but also for their never-aging design, Swatch deserves to be on the list.

(3) Timex Q Reissue. They made sense 40 years ago and they still make sense today

Timex made quite a bit of noise in 2019 when they introduced the Q Reissue model. It returned to the collection from the 1970s, where they produced quartz models with a proudly highlighted "Q". Quartz watches were still a rarity at the time, so they felt the need to show the uniqueness of the watch. The Q Reissue model then pretty faithfully copied the watch released in 1979.

Some people blamed Timex Q Reissue for the cheap copying of the Rolex GMT Master, but it is hard to deny, that this Timex looks great and is affordable. The pepsi version in particular received global success. The retro model is not deprived of the original type of bracelet, which looks great but simply plucks your hairs out.

The watch will also fit, thanks to the smaller dimensions, on women's wrists, but Timex has also prepared a few exclusively women's models. Especially colorful Malibu with an elastic bracelet is made for summer lovers.

Women's Timex Q Reissue Malibu in golden-orange version.

(4) Casio F-91. Cool even without an assassin

Worn by the American president and the world's most famous terrorist. You can write a whole article about the Casio F-91W. Oh wait, we've actually written about it in our magazine.

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Their retro style as well as their cultural influence is undeniable. But if there is a thing I really like about the F-91, it is the absolute practicality for a few bucks. The watch has everything: clear display of time, alarm clock, light (maze, but enough to read the time), stopwatch. Anything else would be almost unnecessary.

Casio wouldn't even have to change anything for this iconic retro model to work today. But apparently the marketers found out that just a black version may not be enough and by adding color variations it can hit an even wider target group. And it worked. Now you can have an outfit matched with a cool accessory.

The idea of making skeleton straps and something like a shiny styled case brought the Velvet Revolution model closer to the younger generations and members of the fair sex. And yet not a one important function is missing so you just have to fall in love with it on your hand.

If not any other retro watch, every good fan should have this retro digital watch at home. And the new color collection from 2020 offers a very much appreciated diversity in choice. I am giving it a thumbs up.

(5) Timex Navi XL. Military-styled America

American Timex has always been well known for their affordable watches. It is not for no reason that untill today, people remember the watches (at that time pocket watches) that made a dollar famous. Simply because they only cost around 1 dollar. This is how we have Timex fixed in our minds across all the historical escapades of the brand. If they had started with making expensive models, they probably wouldn't have broken through.

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Nevertheless, in recent years Timex has been aware of the importance of qualitative improvement and, among other things, has noticed and, in my opinion, correctly grasped not only the growing popularity of mechanics, but also the vintage style of watches. Both is combined in the very sucessful model Merlin. And recetly also in the Timex Navi XL model.

Navi XL is not based on any specific model from the history of Timex. But it found a strong inspiration in the old school military and diving watches and brought them in it's own concept. The military style is refered in the 24h scale on the dial and diving style is seen for example in the minute bezel. There is also "fauxtina", intentionally yellowish luminescence on the typically shaped indices and hands.

The main reason you should pay attention to this piece is not just the nicely done design but also an above average workmanship for this price category and mechanical movement. I appreciate Timex is not pretending to be anything else here and immediately admits the origin in a very basic movement from the Japanese Miyota. It does not offer any decoration, nor an above-average power reserve, but for a retro stylish watch where you're trying to keep the price low, it's a great choice.

In addition, the models are also available in a quartz version, which also works very well. Navi XL series is one of the most interesting deeds in recent years, and the skeleton clock hand is definitely entertaining.

(6) Casio CA-53: calculator for the 21st century

Almost as if someone waved a magic wand, the calculator on the wrist with mini buttons returns us to the eighties. The Casio CA-53 is another model Casio has been dusting for years in its production. And we still cannot get enough of it. That's why Casio left them essentially unchanged, only introducing them in new colors.

It is not just the calculator that gives the watch an iconic look. It is mainly the movies and shows in which CA-53 appeared and which gave them even more charm. Breaking Bad, Back to the Future, The Big Bang Theory, Stranger Things and more.

That's why I appreciate Casio's efforts to keep these models alive and to help a little here and there, but with minimal functional or structural sacrifices.