Post Your Micky Mouse Watch... Learn More Here!

[BNA/LION]

Please Post a Picture of the Mickey Mouse Watches You Have, Had or Want Here...

A Brief History of the Mickey Mouse Watch (Plus, the Best Mickey Mouse Watches to Buy) Sun, March 20, 2022

The world of horology is pretty stiff and staid, but there’s one novelty watch that has continually drawn adoration from the likes of both children and serious watch collectors: the Mickey Mouse watch. But of all of the novelty watches out there, what’s so special about the Mickey Mouse watch?

It was first introduced in 1933, meaning that it outlasted the Depression and World War II. Despite its friendly appearance, it has the kind of rugged pedigree (and complex history) that watch lovers adore. The design was special, too. The original Ingersoll watch was the first character watch to utilize Mickey’s arms as the watch’s hands. Of course, the watches themselves are not necessarily the most durable or complicated. They were made for children and retailed for less than $4 — not nothing in those days, but not a large enough sum to warrant high-quality construction.

These days, there are character watches for men for just about every franchise imaginable, ranging from Star Wars to Looney Tunes, but Mickey Mouse is the character that brands from Citizen to Swatch keep coming back to.

A Brief History of The Mickey Mouse Watch

In 1933, Ingersoll introduced the Mickey Mouse watch as part of a merchandising push by Disney. These watches were produced for Ingersoll by the Waterbury Clock Company. Neither Ingersoll nor Waterbury Clock Company are household names today, but the brand Waterbury became certainly is; the company is known as Timex. What set the original Mickey Mouse watch apart from previous character watches were the hands; this was the first watch where the character’s arms were part of the design, rather than just a static image.

These watches were ridiculously popular. According to the New England Historical Society, 11,000 Mickey Mouse watches sold in one day during a promotional event at Macy’s. When the United States entered World War II, the focus of pretty much anyone who made anything was on the war effort. But following the war, Mickey Mouse watches continued to be sold, and the 25 millionth watch was presented to Walt Disney in the late 1950s. These watches weren’t just collected by kids; according to Time and Tide, Emperor Hirohito of Japan was buried with his Mickey Mouse watch.

Other character watches were produced for Disney, featuring the likenesses of Donald Duck, Pluto and Bambi. Throughout the 20th century, other brands began getting in the Mickey Mouse game, including well-known brands like Seiko. The craziest of these was made by Lorus; it featured Goofy with arms that ran counter-clockwise. The numbers were also reversed, with the 1 located at the 11 o’clock position, 2 at 10, 3 at 9 and so on. So this watch was usable, technically, though it would be a head trip to try..."

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/brie...180012007.html

[BNA/LION]

This is it in my house. I do think there are some exciting new Mickey watches out there I could see myself wearing for sure.