Zorro by US Time wrist watch, vintage no-jewel silver-gilt mechanical manual-wind movement with dust cover and regulator, mint black dial with fancy white Arabic numbers, red Zorro on lower half of dial, fancy white steel wedge-style hands, heavy white base metal (WBM) stepped bezel cushion-shaped case with classic extended lugs showing normal even wear, measures approx. 21mm wide x 34mm lug to lug, fancy black leather band with white painted designs and engraved silver-tone buckle, band showing even moderate wear and a fair amount of the white painted designs are worn off, original plastic crystal is starting to yellow. A handsome early Zorro watch to wear or display in excellent condition!
- Age Description:
01Antique (pre-1940)
- Company:
US Time
- Jewels: 280
- Setting/Movement Type:
manual-wind
- Movement Finish: gilt
- Dial Material: metal
- Dial Color: black
- Dial Details: Zorro
- Hand Style:
wedge
- Case Style:
cushion-shaped
-
Case Material:
Base Metal - Silver/White
-
Case Width, without crown:
21mm (0.83 inches)
-
Case Length, lug to lug:
34mm (1.34 inches)
-
Case Thickness:
10mm (0.39 inches)
-
Interior Lug Width:
13mm
(1/2")
-
Band Size:
5in. to 5.99in.
(measurement range includes watch length & band)
- Band Material: leather strap
- Crystal Material: acrylic
- Condition:
Excellent
-
Gender:
Children's, Unisex
This watch is in good running condition, unless otherwise noted in the description. This means that on receipt, pending any item-specific running conditions noted in the description, you can expect the watch to be winding and setting properly and to run smoothly while keeping reasonable time. We consider "reasonable time" to meet these basic guidelines:
- Railroad Grade Watches will be keeping +/- 5 minutes per day
- Pocket and Wrist Watches with 15 or more jewels will be keeping +/- 10 minutes per day
- All key wind watches and watches with 14 or fewer jewels will be keeping +/- 15 minutes per day
The above guideline is the lowest standard in which we would ship out a watch, however in most cases, you will see much better timekeeping. Most of our watches have been in storage for many years, so if you plan on carrying/wearing them everyday, you should consider having them cleaned and oiled soon, and then once a year thereafter to keep them in top running condition. If the watches will be for occasional use or display, they should be cleaned and serviced every 3 to 5 years depending on use.
As of September 30th, 2023, we are not offering a cleaning and service option through PM Time Service. While we do hope to offer this again in the future, we are unfortunately unable to meet customer requests for watch servicing at this time. Please note that, unless otherwise mentioned within the "Full Description" tab, this watch is being sold in good running condition and is ready to wear or carry on arrival.
At PM Time Service, we refer to a "character watch" as any watch that has a dial, and possible other components, that have a cartoon character, public figure or a fictional character printed on them. There were many companies, such as US Time, Ingersoll and Timex, that were commissioned by the character-owner (such as Disney for example) to produce watches with these images, and in most cases, the characters watches were completed at the factory and not as an after-market addition. While most of the PM Time Service character watches are vintage, this type of watch is still in production today, albeit with updated
quartz movements.
Character watches were primarily targeted towards children and as such, a large number of the watches produced were of lower quality or "
dollar watches" and were also considered ladies' or mid-sized. While the original focus group for sales may have been targeted at children and young adults, we do see many purchases today by adults for their own use. If you need a longer band than the one currently fitted to this watch (5in. to 5.99in. in overall length, including watch, for this particular item), please
contact us with your desired length and we'll get you a quote on a replacement band. In most cases, you can also take the wrist watches to your local jeweler to fit you a new band as well.
Unlike modern quartz watches, most vintage watches need daily winding in order to keep the watch functioning for timekeeping. Additionally, there are a number of different ways to set the time other than simply pulling the crown away from the watch body. We are happy to provide an overview of each of the different setting types on our
"How To Use" page, where we also provide information on proper winding techniques for each style and some suggestions for the proper long term care and storage of your watch.
The production of dollar watches (which, by 1896, did actually cost exactly $1.00) began in the 1870's in an effort to offer a more affordable watch that nearly anyone could purchase. These watches often utilized dials made of inexpensive materials, utilized fewer parts, were non-jeweled or single-jeweled movements and often were simply finished with no damascene, engravings, etc.
Due to the manufacturing process, if this style of watch is damaged and needs repairs, it is often cost prohibitive to locate the parts (and a willing watchmaker) to make the attempt. During the design process, it was not a high consideration to accommodate repairs and in many cases, movements were completed with spot-welds instead of screws and it is nearly impossible to disassemble these watches without damaging them.
While a lower overall quality than most of the jeweled movements of the other American watch companies, with proper care a dollar watch can be expected to be in use for decades. We offer this overview of the potential repair issues so that a new owner can make an informed purchase and be aware that this style of watch should be treated with a little extra care when in use.
For your gift giving convenience, please find a consolidated overview of the information on this item, with no reference to the price, on this
printer-optimized page.
