Utterly brilliant,
Snoopy in the house!
No its not ‘that’ Snoopy, this is much older and much rarer. Here it is.
It is the Citizen Independent 1481010 D400 Limited Edition Snoopy watch, dating from 1999. It has a double layered crystal, with an engraving of Snoopy operating a computer and an engraving saying “www.snoopy.co.jp..................now loading”. Uniquely the crystal engraving continues seamlessly onto the bezel.
‘Ahh......but the watch is dead’ I hear you say. Well actually this is an LED watch and operates when you push a button.
This is a real throwback to the first digital watches from the early Seventies. Instead of just red though it is multi coloured and can also show the date with a double press of the button.
It also has that old fashioned battery ‘coin’ hatch on the caseback.
Why did Citizen produce the watch, the technology is clearly inferior to LCD watches? The battery can drain quickly on these LED watches, though this one is said to be good for two years normal use. Well this Independent range was issued only in Japan and was about producing funky unusual watches a mile away from a traditional analogue.
Why did I buy it? Well it is unusual and rare, which I like, I didn’t possess an LED watch and the watch was much larger than the first LED’s. Also, strangely, I found the design quite attractive for some reason it has something like a Fifties sci-fi USA TV about it. Also the bracelet had all its links, which is important with these Japan issued watches, quite often a sized bracelet is too small for Western wrists.
The watch is 42 mm wide and a mighty 62 mm long including the first fixed link making it an extension of the case. This is the exact size of the top of my pretty flat wrist. The bracelet is very comfortable actually, the huge first links curve down sharply and really hug the wrist. The watch is in good condition and is very ‘shiny’, hard to photograph with all the reflections of it. Also it is hard to photograph the LED screen, the numbers seem to shimmer a bit when lit. The curved crystal following the exact curve of the case makes it look like a window into the watch. The crystal is unmarked but because of the double layers is not the clearest.
As well as the time and date, it has an am and pm indicator, the watch has a ‘display’ mode, which you can activate at a push of a button and which also activates every time you push the time button, the time shows and then the ‘display’ shows for about 3 seconds before shutting off. This ‘display’ also turns on on the hour for three seconds. The actual composition of the display varies depending on the time of the day.
It flashes a red signal every ten seconds to show you it is alive. When the battery gets low the signal turns orange.
Here are a few wrist shots.
So any thoughts on this twenty year old watch, which itself is a throwback to a fifty year old watch, I like the retro look and feel of the watch, makes me want to throw some vinyl onto my turntable.
Last edited by Mitch; 13th October 2019 at 00:27.
Utterly brilliant,
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
I’m not quite sure if I’d like to wear that, but it’s certainly the most interesting watch I’ve seen in a good while. Thanks for posting!
I really like that. I wasn't even aware such a thing existed to be honest. Given the size of it it seems to sit well on your wrist as well for a fairly big lump. How long have you been on the hunt for one? Off to google it now.
That’s very cool and thanks for the detailed write up. Seeing Snoopy’s CRT screen and the message that the website is loading reminds me how different the World Wide Web used to be as well.
I’ve got a couple of LED watches for the nostalgia; my second watch as a kid was an LED in the early ‘70s.
Last edited by alfat33; 13th October 2019 at 06:56.
I just came across it whilst looking for another watch. Something about it seemed to call me and as it appeared to be in great condition and would clearly fit my wrist, I thought why not. if I didn't like it, I thought, because of the Snoopy angle, there probably would be someone who would take it off my hands.
Mitch
that's really cool.
Really like Snoopy watches. Great pics and interesting write up. Thank you.
That is an awesome watch, great write up as well.
Hahaha cute - not the snoopy i had in mind though!
So this is the snoopy I keep hearing about? Nice one.
That’s an absolute stunner.
That. Is. ACE!
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Very interesting read and watch i suppose
Thanks for that.
It seems that the watch has hit a sweet spot with members on here. Pretty surprising really I thought it would be far more marmite.
Mitch
That's a rather unique piece, I like the playfulness of it :-)
I like it really cool piece!
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I'm going to attempt this now
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Success, though it's quite hard to catch the time with my meagre photography skills. Excuse the grubby fingers, black gloss paint is a nightmare.
This is the plastic version D400-L18340
Same coin back and made in 1988 I believe.
Cool Man
Best Regards - Peter
I'd hate to be with you when you're on your own.
Here's my D410 Citizen.. Different take on LEDs to show the time. It's showing 2:40pm (1440)