Trying to ID a Beltime

[Dave Matthews]

Hi folks,

This is a heck of a long shot...

Some time around 1980 or '81 I bought a Beltime LCD. I'm not sure whether this brand was ever held in high esteem but in terms of functionality, reliability and accuracy, it was a great watch!...

Tragically it met with an, ahem, untimely death under the wheels of a Land Rover, so I am now trying to find a replacement. Unfortunately I can't recall the model number, so I'm hoping that if I describe it, one of you kind souls might just have come across it...

I've recently stumbled upon an earlier version of the watch, as can be seen here:



The model in the photo is a 24877SHC. Manufactured in 1978, although visually very similar, it is much more basic in terms of functionality. (Incidentally the myriad notations around the dial are the abbreviations for major world cities and their respective time zones relative to GMT). The 1980 version that I am trying to find has 12/24-hour display, dual time, stopwatch (to 1/100s), countdown timer, alarm, hourly chime, day name displayable in five different languages and a feature that allowed you to switch off the display to conserve battery life!

So if anyone can suggest the model number of the 1980 version or can advise where I might be able to track one down, I would be very grateful indeed!

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Many thanks,


Dave Matthews

"New Avengers" and "Professionals" websites at:
http://www.mark-1.co.uk/

[Old Tom]

Pretty certain the model you are looking for is a Beltime Picoquartz, model 30502. Must admit, when it works, it is one of my favorite watches with all those functions and the odd hidden functions menus. Photo is on other computer but I'll fetch it across and post it tomorrow.

[Dave Matthews]

Thanks, Tom - the term "Picoquartz" rings a bell. A pic would be much appreciated.

when it works

Hmmm... were they unreliable, then? I had mine for about six years and the only problem I had with it was with the button contacts becoming worn. Indeed the 24877SHC model shown in the photo is working perfectly other than one of the buttons being a tad temperamental.

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Cheers,


Dave

[Old Tom]

Hopefully, here is the picture;-



This one works most of the time without problems but it is 25 years (possibly more) old and internally they are not the best made of Hong Kong modules (lots of tiny springs interconnecting board layers).

[Dave Matthews]

Thanks, Tom, but that is not it, unfortunately. The one I have in mind looks almost exactly the same as 24877SHC model.

I don't think the one you show even had the same module because it seems to show the backlight as being on the bottom-right button, whereas my watch, again just like the 24877, had it on the top-left one.

But, thanks, anyway.

they are not the best made of Hong Kong modules (lots of tiny springs interconnecting board layers).

Actually I've just remembered that my watch did suffer a problem - the display went completely, IIRC - only a couple of months after I bought it. However, once repaired, it then gave utterly reliable service for another five years.

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Cheers,


Dave

[Dave Matthews]

Well folks I've finally managed to track one down (it was the 30477 SHC model) and I'm almost delighted with it.

One slight problemette. Replacing the battery started the watch up in a rather funny state in which it displayed the time in 24-hour clock for one timezone but 12-hour clock for the other. So I just removed the battery, waited a few seconds and put it back in again. This sorted it out but later on when I was cleaning the button and battery contacts,.the same problem happened again and now I find no matter how many times I remove and re-insert the battery, the time and/or alarm times get confused over 12- and 24-hour display. Also the hourly chime sometimes gets switched off if I press the backlight!

I wonder if there could be some means of "rebooting" the watch. after the battery has been inserted. I've tried simply holding all four buttons in simultaneoulsly but this did nothing.

It is a tad frustrating because the watch clearly does work properly as long as it "clean boots" when the battery is inserted.

Any ideas gratefully received!


EDIT: Think I've found the problem: One of the screws that retains the battery clasp was a little loose. Tightened it up and hey presto everything was all fine and dandy!...

But the following day the watch went a bit beserk and the display could only be viewed at a very shallow angle - it fully recovered after about an hour, though. Weird! What would cause that? Anyway that was two days ago and it hasn't done it again since... fingers crossed.

All in all, ab fab considering its age (c 1980 / 81) and perhaps less-than-top-notch original build quality.

Oh, here's a pic. Note the "MICROPROCESSOR" narrative - woo, yeah!




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Cheers


Dave