More Interesting Finds from the Outdoor Retailer
Time for some more EB. I have been holding off with some of my later Eddie Bauer finds. Its been a while since I have acquired any, but I still have some catching up to do. I’ve wanted to discuss some more of the Eddie Bauer label watches and the the crazy array offered over the years.
Other brands and types of watches pulled me in other directions recently. There were so many interesting watches sold by the outdoor retailer that I kept on finding little gems I could not resist. I had to stop looking for more. Like all types of watches, if I look long enough, I will find something! I am determined to cut-back this year on watch purchases of all price ranges. I am going to attempt to spend more time with the watches I already have and keep writing about them. I am also going to clear some room for more future finds.
All Shape and Sizes
Let me start this edition off with this cushion-shaped model, V8V135 1026. At its widest point the case is 32.5mm. Length is about 46mm. I Don’t think I have another watch in this particular shape? It just struck me as so different from most Eddie Bauer watches I have seen. It just shows how much the fashion watch had infiltrated the outdoor space. This is not about the outdoors but rather the scope of Eddie Bauer’s offerings as a general style/fashion for clothing an even home decor by this time. I haven’t got much better at identifying year of manufacture for these things. Finding catalogs has remained a problem. It feels like a late 90s, early 2000s look to me?
What a restrained and classic look but still bold in that 90s way. A off-white dial with polished roman numerals and hands. The hands are sword shaped and contain the only lume – none on the dial or numbers. A small silver print Eddie Bauer cursive wordmark under the 12. The minute/hour markers are very fine. The lug sections swivel! Never seen that before, but I assume it was for a two-side strap that came on the watch originally? Currently has a 18mm, tapering to 16mm black leather with top stitching that suits it.
If you look at the back of the case you see the 75-year anniversary logo. I know this was for 1995, so that means this watch is at least 1995-or later. I don’t know how many years this logo was used, but it is on a lot of their watches.
I haven’t opened the snap-on case back yet, but it will be interesting to see If I can identify the movement. For now I’ll just enjoy the shape, dial and hands.
Back Outside
I won’t spend too much time on this one. Its a little 33.5mm by 41mm with a blasted finish on the case, drilled lugs, backlight. This is a type of watch I have a soft spot for. Its also what you would expect to see at an outdoor outfitter, no?
I got a new crystal for it and gave it a new 18 mm strap that is probably too good for it, but hey, that’s what I do! Why did I rescue this? No reason other than I like this type of no-frills utility watch. That’s my credo, right, to talk about the watches that few take notice of. Actually, lots of people take notice of this type of watch, but just don’t think they are worthy of enthusiast discussion.
Notice the separate backlight switch. It is not really working, usually. There are tiny lume pips on the hour marks, but the hands are not lumed.
It has a more workman-like feel than the previous watch. Its a utility watch for taking outdoors; simple, no polish, 50m WR, and even a straight-forward name: “Light Up Field”. Battery number, and anniversary monogram logo on the screw on caseback. I really like this type of case back more than the polished and etched type.
Numbers on the case 1096 and 53202 could be date and model number? The 364 is the battery. I wrote about a similar watch in my Eddie Bauer Part 2, but it had a dark grey dial. I think this one is a bit older, so, probably dates to 1995-96 (1096 numbers; Oct 96)?
Full Digi
Now, I’m not really a digital watch guy anymore. I did wear a couple of Casios almost everyday in the ’80s and ’90s when doing military things. When the quartz fashion wave came in with Swatch and Fossil, I started getting analog quartz watches. Over the years I have become tired of LED screens and digital watches just seemed dated. I did wear a Casio in Iraq and up to about 2010. I can’t recall when I stopped wearing it? I didn’t think of it as a watch as much as a piece of equipment. You don’t see the physical passage of time with a digital watch. Since using a smart phone, a digital watch just seemed unnecessary. I’m even getting tired of a smart phone. I guess because of my age, I try to avoid any apps as long as I can so as to not be dependent on my phone for everything. I’m still a laptop user, and would rather use it. I absolutely refuse to get an Apple watch. The last thing I want is another device!
Having said all that, it is interesting to see the recent interest in reviving digital watches. I am slowly succumbing to digital nostalgia. I don’t feel the need to get a Casio or Timex reissue yet. Since I started collecting EB watches I have expanded the range of styles to the point where I almost want as many types as possible. I could not pass on this flying saucer/puck digital.
Its basically three things: polished silver, brown(almost olive) plastic, and numbers! Ultra minimalist. No details like the EB dressy desk divers that got me started. Its barely a watch. Well then, what is a wrist watch? Time on your wrist? There is nothing here but digital time and a way to hold it on your wrist. No detail on bezel or strap or buttons. No textures, extra contours, decoration or non-essential type. Just the button function labels and the small EB cursive logo type at the top. There is barely info on the case back!
It is a design that lends itself to shedding dirt and water. It is a 100m WR watch. I’m sure its some standard four-button LCD module. The functions by button are: Light, Start/stop for timer, Mode, and Set/reset. The case measures 40mm across and 13.5 thick. The strap is 22mm where it attaches with screws to the plastic case, then tapers to 20mm. It has a cool single polished keeper. The buttons are the same color as the case and are just about flush, protruding half a mm maybe?
I have seen another color version, a true green, where this is almost brown. So green and brown; outdoors colors. I actually like this color. I wonder if it came in bright colors? Many digital watches of the time and even now, are very simple, emphasizing the LCD and nothing else. But, this is almost sci-fi 50s space ship? Or early 70s Italian? The almost all-curved convex bezel does have a flat surface where it meets the glass. It makes me wonder if this was mimicking another design or was a practical choice. The Ikepod came out in 1994 but was not a digital watch. The Casio ABX-51, also of ’94 was round, but not so minimalist. Swatch had an early 90s Pop in a similar shape.
Why this shape, I don’t know. It’s pretty crazy that EB went there.
Ani-Digi
These next two bring something different to the table. What is more ’90s than a combination analog watch with small digital readout on lower dial? This style is called the Mt. Rainier. Its another in the line of EB named after northwest locations. I encounter views of Mt. Rainier daily.
There is a lot for me to like with these: first I really like the matte gunmetal color coating. The gold details are great, too. This rotating bezel with the gold tabs is very Breitling-esque and very ’90s. I got the white one first. It was in superb shape. Later I saw the blue one and could not pass it up! From case back data, I think they are dated 1995, again? It was a bumper year for Eddie Bauer.
The case measures about 40mm across but flairs out another 1.5mm at the crown. Lug-to-lug is about 46mm. So, its a nice compact size; only 11mm thick including the bezel tabs. The bezel is unidirectional with 60 clicks. It turns a but too easily. The crystal is flat. If I subtract the height of the tabs, the thickness is less than 10mm. Lug gap is 20mm.
I kept the old straps on. I love the look of old seasoned brown leather and the stitches. Both are signed with the EB cursive logotype. Compared the the previous watch, there are more details here to enjoy. The tabbed bezel, thin gold hour markers and thin gold hands are the center of attention. The digital readout is secondary. I usually keep it on Month/Date/Day mode.
Besides the crown at 3 o’clock there are push buttons at 8’oclock and 10 o’clock.
Inside the case back is an interesting combination of English, Spanish and I think Portuguese text regarding battery change with a digital module.
These are so ’90s. The Breitling look, sort of dressy. You get an analog watch, then the alarm/stopwatch/date features. Again, my favorite thing abut them is the case finish. I wish more brands, even Timex, would do some more of these PVD or DLC cases in something other than black? I think is is a great way to add some colors/effects to cases. Embrace the fashion/style aspect!
That’s all for now. There will be at least one more edition of the Eddie Bauer watches for sure.
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