Hey everyone,

First post! I’m a 35 year old who just got a nice Casio DBC-32-1A watch as a present. I don’t believe it’s an original design from the 80’s but it sure looks retro (check my avatar)

It got me thinking. What’s so fascinating about these retro-style watches? What’s it for you? For me I think it’s the nice memories I have as a teenager in the 90’s since I used to own a similar Casio back then.

What’s it for you? And are most of you 30 something guys like me?

Cheers,

Time Traveller

Welcome Time Traveller

Ages vary I think, because of the relevance to todays technology, the early digital watches are popular with a lot of younger tech savvy people who recognize the pioneering spirit of the early watch developers as well as us old boys who actually remember the first watches being released and how exciting it was at school seeing the first Seiko World Time A239 arrive in the classroom or the Casio GM-10 missile game. I think everybody from that era(late 70s) and into the 80s had watches that now bring back happy memories.

You can also get caught up in the collecting side too. as there are many genres you can collect and quite affordable still, depending on your genre.

I have too many watches, but my favourites probably ere on the side of case design rather than the technology, Although I am sucker for the Casio AT-552 and any digital watches that have been in films.

Hope to see lots more posts from you about your findings

regards

ADam

DWL - 01 April 2015 02:42 PM

Welcome Time Traveller
...a lot of younger tech savvy people who recognize the pioneering spirit of the early watch developers as well as us old boys ... I think everybody from that era(late 70s) and into the 80s had watches that now bring back happy memories.

Hey Adam!

Thanks for the welcome 😊 Casio AT-552 Looks great! I might try to get a Casio CA-53W just because Marty McFly had one in Back to the Future :D

Funny you mention the younger tech savvy people, I believe these must be the “hipsters” that appreciate all kinds of old good stuff. I actually met a younger guy, the other day waaaay too young to have experienced 80s digital watches. It’s interesting to see people appreciate “old fashioned” watches instead of the fancy smart watches that no doubt will become more common in the near future.

Good choice. I have the set, including the correct calculator Doc wears on his other wrist.

Did you see this? The original screen used(supposedly) CA-50 for sale

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Back-to-the-Future-SCREEN-USED-Original-McFly-CASIO-CA-50-WATCH-Movie-Prop-/261537691712?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3ce4dc7840&nma=true&si=bUDqeUApLhZyvDpdsKM3dLxTj8Y%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Hi there, welcome!

I’m more than 5 years older than you, so I remember getting my first digital watch around 1983 or so. I was fascinated by it at first, but when the battery died, I got another one for a present and have no idea what happened to my first one.

For me , I like the pioneering 1970’s watches such as the Seiko Lemon Drop (which I was lucky to have found with a working module and the original band.) Like Adam, I like case designs too, but I also like collecting watches for their features. For example, I’m currently searching for an early solar-powered digital from the pre-1980’s era.

Have fun collecting and learning! -LCD_seeker

DWL - 03 April 2015 02:02 PM

Did you see this? The original screen used(supposedly) CA-50 for sale

WOW.

I realize my watch is probably based on that model by the way. What do you guys think about those newly designed/inspired by the 80s models by Casio? I’d love to have an original.

Do Casio and Seiko still make watches? 😊 Only joking. I like the pioneering spirit from the early models where there were no rules I also prefer the build quality. The early Seiko, Casio and Citizen where all superb case build quality, even the modules where pretty special build wise, if a little backwards by todays technological standards.

Hi to all and new member…

Re the above question I think that all the above are fair comments.  For me it stems back to schooldaze in the 1980s.  This was a time when the Argos catalogue was the highlight (for many) of seeing new tech bearing in mind NO internet, 3 TV channels and no I-phones etc.  Take Casio as an example (or indeed Citizen or Seiko), which is where my heart lies.  The various watches that were released say between 1981-1989 all had various special features that were both handy and practical (think calc watches, timers and stopwatches, temp watches, gaming watches the list is endless).  The designs of these watches will never be replicated   A phone now has so many apps that are downloaded in seconds it kind of takes the “magic and mystery” away.  Without sounding really old (just celebrating my 40th) I can remember waiting 2 years for certain films to be released on VHS video, now one click and you have it, for free!!! 

Vinyl is making a comeback along with other 70s/80s/90s tech, look at the way some products are increasing in price and also rarity.  This is also true with certain watches.  On another point I cannot see one Seiko or Citizen watch made in the last 10 years that I actually appreciate, they appear sterile and businesslike which I guess is just changing times.  Casio still produce G-Shock but even these don’t have the same appeal, and I ‘m not gonna comment on any new Casio’s…............

Also a factor would be that we buy things being adults that we could’nt afford as kids and nostalgia is a funny thing…..... Just a memory to make ya laugh or think we were a little sad at school whatever, me and my mates used to cut the faces of Casio’s out of the Argos and stick them on our crappy digi watches, we though we were way cool and this was before nerd culture.  Also my gm40 game watch was confiscated whilst playing it in school, and after the teacher saw what is was he showed the whole class and we discussed its merits as a Computer game wristwatch…

Steve