Quartz 'Count Down' Wrist-Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1995-1999
This quartz digital wrist-watch is a mass-produced, battery-operated timepiece manufactured in Hong Kong between 1995 and 1999. It is presented in its original retail blister packaging, which identifies it as a 'Millennium countdown watch'.
The watch features a prominent digital display module intended to count down to 1 January 2000, although the source states it can be configured to track any user-defined event. Constructed with a basic resin or plastic housing and a matching integrated strap, the timepiece includes standard functional features such as a calendar, chronograph, and alarm. The product was marketed with claims of water resistance up to 30 meters and anti-allergic properties.
The watch remains in its sealed promotional packaging, which includes multilingual instructions for its operation, The maker of the watch is not identified in the documentation.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Date
- 1995-1999
- Type
- Digital quartz wristwatch
- Maker
- Unknown maker
- Functions
- Countdown, calendar, chronograph, alarm
- Marketing
- Millennium countdown watch
- Place recorded
- Hong Kong, China
- Water resistance
- 30m
- Place of manufacture
- Hong Kong, China
Design
- Visible features
- • Digital LCD display • Integrated strap • Blister pack retail packaging
- Design and Functionality
- The digital module is housed within an octagonal case integrated into a standard flexible strap. The front of the display features a high-contrast panel, visible through the clear plastic aperture of the blister packaging. The watch operates on a quartz movement, supporting a range of utilitarian functions including an alarm, a 1/100 second chronograph, and a multi-year calendar spanning from 1997 to 2099. The primary advertised feature is a countdown function, which is factory-set to reach zero on 1 January 2000. This countdown capability is user-adjustable for other time-based events. The watch is marketed with additional physical properties including an anti-allergic composition and water resistance rated to 30 meters. The user interface allows for toggling between 12-hour and 24-hour display formats, providing basic flexibility in how time data is presented.
- Packaging and Presentation
- The watch is preserved in its original point-of-sale blister pack, which doubles as informational literature. The card backing features gold-toned printed text in multiple languages, including English, French, German, Italian, and Dutch. The text identifies the item as a 'Count Down Watch' and outlines its 'Special Features', confirming the inclusion of an instruction manual within the packaging. The design aesthetic uses celestial-themed graphics and bold typography to emphasize its purpose as a millennium-themed product. The packaging serves as the primary source of technical specifications for the object. It indicates a pre-set target date for the millennium countdown and mentions the inclusion of an Internet address, reflecting the growth of digital connectivity in the late 1990s. The packaging confirms that the watch, while unbranded, was produced in Hong Kong for international distribution.
- Provenance and Documentation
- The watch entered the collection of the Science Museum Group as object 2000-1288. The provenance documentation indicates an origin in Hong Kong, although no specific manufacturer is named on the object or the packaging. The date range for the object is established as 1995 to 1999, which encompasses the lead-up to the turn of the millennium. The item remains in its original, unopened state, making it a record of contemporary commercial horology. The documentation provides specific details regarding the watch's intended use and design limitations.
Identification
- Accession number
- 2000-1288
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: Maker is not explicitly identified
- Research required: Specific components internal to the module are not detailed