A lot of america has plunged right into a veritable Polar Vortex, with 1000’s finishing up their probably hazardous commutes to work and turning their heaters on excessive. Having simply returned from shoveling 6 inches of snow off my driveway, I’ve turn into envious of some who’ve skilled increased than common snowfall, and are capable of get pleasure from winter actions like sledding down the native hill or having snowball fights or hitting the slopes to ski or snowboard. With this, I felt there’s no higher time to look again on the Timex Skiathlom (sure, not Skiathlon), one of many model’s most formidable fashions to this point. A watch designed for skiers with all the brilliant and daring aesthetics of late 80s and early 90s design, it’s turn into a cult traditional amongst collectors’ circles and a chunk worthy of extra consideration. Right here, I’ll present some background on the Skiathlom’s historical past, element what makes the watch such a singular piece of horology, and supply some suggestions for buying one if including this bodacious retro oddity to your assortment appears proper up your alley.
Launch, Design, and Specs
The Skiathlom trademark was registered by Timex on March 5th, 1986––and finally cancelled on March 29th, 1993––whereas the earliest commercial for the watch was revealed in 1987. The Skiathlom was usually featured alongside different sporting-focused watches the corporate produced throughout this period such because the Victory, Hooks/Blazer, Tri-Prix, and Wave Rider fashions. These items had been bought in sporting items shops reasonably than the standard jewellery and malls, sometimes packaged inside giant plastic or cardboard containers containing manuals and extra bands. Whereas the opposite fashions on this collection are additionally fairly fascinating amongst collectors, the Skiathlom is by far essentially the most wanted.
Whereas its rarity undoubtedly contributes to its worth in the marketplace, I really feel its design is what takes middle stage. Although its colours aren’t fluorescent just like the neon featured prominently on skiwear of the period, the mixture of vivid white, purple, and blue is sort of equally as placing. The case measures 45mm throughout and 36mm lug-to-lug, barring the fastened steel shackles that bump its vertical dimensions to a staggering 57mm when totally prolonged. It must be famous that these measurements are arduous to rationalize when studying them on paper and are way more conservative when truly worn, particularly the shackles that are hinged and relaxation on the wrist when totally secured. It’s surprisingly solely 9mm thick and virtually weightless when placed on a normal strap. Its rectangular hexagonal form offers the watch a singular profile but additionally permits customers to simply press the big round buttons on its face with cumbersome winter gloves. The 2-tier LCD show reveals the time, date, and day of week when in its primary timekeeping mode. Different capabilities on supply are a timer, chronograph, alarm, thermometer, and––albeit faint by right now’s requirements like most older digitals––backlight.
The elastic strap is such a deal with. Its extremely lengthy size permits the proprietor to put on the watch atop their puffy snowboarding jacket to make sure quick access for timing functions. I’m unable to make it sufficiently small to put on with no jacket beneath sadly, however this can be a consumer error judging by photographs posted on-line of different house owners sporting theirs on this strap. Included within the authentic package deal for these was a rubber two-piece band and both this NATO-esque strap or a buckle strap, the latter being the rarest variant.
Market Availability and Shopping for Suggestions
The Skiathlom might be fairly a tough piece to nail down, however not as elusive as a number of the different fashions throughout the sporting assortment talked about beforehand. Just lately bought examples have gone for wherever between $175-$300 relying on situation, the inclusion of an authentic band, and any packaging or manuals included. For those who reside in a hotter local weather, snowboarding isn’t your factor, otherwise you choose water sports activities over winter sports activities, I counsel wanting into the Wave Rider and Okay-28 Chill Issue fashions. Each marketed in the direction of surfers, the watches sport an nearly an identical case form however with completely different colorways and no thermometer. These are much more uncommon in line with the analysis I carried out, however examples exist when you look arduous or wait lengthy sufficient.
If the bigger elastic band is of curiosity, pay shut consideration to its situation to make sure there aren’t any stains or unremovable put on on the material. Apart from the patriotic colorway seen right here, there exists one other variant of the Skiathlom with mild blue and purple options that seemingly pops up extra usually. The excellent news is that the interior shackle width on each fashions is 24mm and can settle for primary NATO straps in a pinch, although I ought to warn you that the shackles might shift extra continuously with out the additional, thicker materials of the unique strap.
Due to the Skiathlom’s rarity, components are additionally arduous to come back by. Only a few examples are listed for components or restore, so plainly these actions have fortunately withstood years of wear and tear and tear reasonably properly. As with all classic digital watches, I at all times advocate paying shut consideration to the LCD display to verify there isn’t any vital injury or liquid that has begun seeping into the show. These fashions settle for a conventional CR2016 battery and solely require a small screwdriver to vary, so taking a danger on an “untested” instance would possibly lead to a great deal.
Conclusion
This watch will definitely not be for everybody. The colourful shade scheme will in all probability not work with an Armani go well with or pair properly with a candlelit dinner, and the comparatively lofty price ticket because of its rarity might deter some from looking down an instance of their very own. If you’ll find one for the fitting value although––no matter what kind of watch collector you might be or the gathering you’ve cultivated––I can not advocate getting a Skiathlom sufficient. There are occasions I really feel slowed down within the conservative, elegant styling of my gown watches and the utilitarian nature of my divers. Proudly owning a number of watches that exist solely as enjoyable weekend items that sometimes see wrist time is completely justifiable and, for my part, important in having a well-rounded assortment. Although you gained’t be catching me hitting the slopes anytime quickly, I assure the gnarly Skiathlom will probably be on my wrist as I shovel the following completely radical six inches of snow arriving later right now.
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