Timex Group USA, Inc. appeared in the USA in 1854. The beginning was laid by the Waterbury Clock company, which began producing watches at prices affordable for the American continent with a fairly high quality. Small batches were sent to Europe, where they successfully competed with expensive brands. In 1895, the Ingersoll Yankee pocket watch was released, which gained great popularity. At that time, five pounds of candy cost 35 cents, and for one dollar you could buy a Yankee pocket watch. It was then that the sales of the brand increased and the expression “the watch that made the dollar famous” appeared.
During the First World War, precise and simple watch instruments were needed that could make life easier for artillery crews. The company got its bearings and offered a modified model. It had lugs for the strap, luminescent hands and numbers, thanks to which it was possible to navigate the time even in the dark. By agreement with the army command, soldiers could keep their watches after the war. This was a successful marketing move. After all, this approach promised free advertising.
In the 1940s, the company underwent changes. It was bought by Norwegian entrepreneurs Joachim Lehmkuhl and Thomas Olsen. In 1951, the company was restructured and became known as Timex.
Brand principles
The Timex brand is one of the world’s top five watch manufacturers. To stay so high for a century and a half, the company had to develop and implement the most advanced technologies. The products had to meet the requirements of ergonomics, practicality, be accessible to the maximum number of consumers, have a wide selection and remain prestigious.
The company makes certain efforts to keep up with the times and be able to offer customers new products that correspond to its traditional technologies.
The company’s engineers developed the “Indiglo” technology for watch illumination back in the early 20th century. A person needs a watch at any time of the day. This technology allows using electroluminescence to illuminate the dial. Blue and green tones were chosen, the most acceptable for the human eye. Currently, 80% of watches produced by Timex are equipped with this function.
Another technology at the heart of production is “Quartz Analogue”. Engineers have been working on it for almost four decades. It allowed combining the work of several devices in one device. This is a compass, world clock, perpetual calendar, chronograph, and stopwatch. At the same time, all processing is carried out using digital technologies, and is issued in analog form. The watch itself determines the date, day of the week, time zone, tide time and much more.
With the development of computer technology, there is a need for cooperation with specialists in this industry. The company enters into an agreement with Microsoft Corporation and develops software, combining the intelligent device “Data Link” of the watch with a personal computer. This allows the user to exchange data between devices and download special applications.
Later, engineers developed the i-Control system for watches, which allows remote control of various iPod models using an adapter. Cooperation with Motorola Incorporated allowed the development of the first watch pager, with which the user could exchange messages and use some Skytel services. These developments allowed laying the foundation for the emergence of smart watches with all the best qualities: reliability, durability, water resistance, a full-fledged operating system.
Q Timex
The first quartz watch was released by the company in 1972. And in 1979, Q Timex was introduced to the market, featuring a stainless steel braided bracelet, acrylic glass and a rotating ring with an insert reminiscent of the Rolex GMT-Master. The letter Q confirmed that Timex had joined the quartz watch manufacturers. Imitation of Rolex is not accidental. In those years, there was nothing shameful in imitating prestigious brands. There was even an advertising slogan: “Can’t afford a Rolex? No problem, buy Timex!
