Each Timex watch made after 1963 has numbers inprinted on the dial which denote the catalog number, movement number and year of manufacture. These numbers are printed on the face of the dial and is usually visible. In some instances, it will not be visible until the movement is taken from the case. Watches made before 1963 are much harder to date. Sometimes the inside of the caseback will still have the original rubber stamp – the last two numbers represent the year of manufacture.

Watches manufactured between 1963 and 1970:

1. The last two numbers represent the year of manufacture.

2. The two numbers immediately preceeding the year of manufacture to the left represent the movement model number.

3. The first four digits represent the Timex sales catalog number with the last digit omitted.

This what it states on Tom Voigt’s site "The origin of the watch was eventually traced to a military post, possibly in England." However, if it was traced to a military post, why would the country be in doubt.
In Zodiac Unmasked Graysmith states "The Timex had been purchased at a military base exchange."
Inside Detective Magazine stated "It was determined that the watch had been sold in an Armed Forces PX at an overseas military base."
An exchange is a type of retail store found on United States military installations worldwide. Originally akin to trading posts, they now resemble contemporary department stores or strip malls.
Base Exchanges sell consumer goods and services to authorized patrons such as Active Duty, Reserve, National Guard, Retired Members of the U.S. Uniformed Services and their dependents. Other authorized patrons include Honorably Discharged Veterans certified 100% disabled and/or Totally and Permanently Disabled (TPD) by the Veterans Administration, Recipients of the Medal of Honor, Military Transition Personnel[clarification needed], DoD Employees when stationed outside the United States, Red Cross Personnel who are U.S. citizens assigned outside the United States with the Military Service. Authority to use these facilities is normally determined by presentation of the U.S. Uniformed Services Privilege and Identification Card, either when entering the store or when paying for goods and services. Wiki.

By the mid 1960s the Timex facilities in Dundee were massive — 240,000 square feet at Milton of Craigie, 190,000 square feet at Dunsinane Avenue and the flagship factory at Harrison Road was the UK’s largest supplier of watches. This was in Scotland. https://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/2015 … times-hit/

Michael Cole wrote a good article on the Swindle connection. But whether the two watches are connected is anyone’s
guess. Sorry, can’t find anything more relevant to your search.
http://zodiacrevisited.com/a-san-diego- … onnection/

http://www.ebay.co.uk/gds/When-was-my-T … 487/g.html

While interesting, the origin of the Timex watch is not definitive. After purchase, it could have been sold, stolen, lost or given away. I was told by a Bates case investigator that RPD’s suspect had earlier been painting a small building on his parents’ property in which he lived. Anyone know if RPD matched the paint on the watchband with the paint on the suspect’s living quarters?
Cheri’s time of death has, to me, always been questionable. If the watch were still running when confiscated by police the time registered at confiscation would be useless. Only if it were stopped, as if by a blow at the time of the murder, would the time be significant. Further, the night of October 30, 1966 is particularly significant, as the date time changed back an hour which adds an element of uncertainty to witnesses’ recollection of the time they heard Cheri’s blood-curdling screams.

Here is an exact copy of the Timex watch found at the Bates crime scene:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1963-Timex-Arab … 0012.m1985

There are more photos of the watch in the link.

Item specifics
Condition: Pre-owned :
Seller Notes: “This 1963 Timex Waterproof Mechanical Manual Wind 33mm Mens Watch Is In Good Cosmetic Condition. The watch runs a bit when shook but has a broken stem and missing crown making winding/time setting impossible. It could probably use a service as well due to its age. The crystal has a bunch of very minor scratches. The face is in great shape. A goldish tinge radial brush dial. See the pictures for full condition/color details. The watch measures 33mm case diameter (without crown) x 40mm lug to lug and has a 17.5mm lug width. The date code seems to indicate 1963. Please ask with any questions or for further details and thanks for looking!”
Gender: Men’s Brand:
Timex
Watch Shape: Round Case Size: 33mm
Case Color: Chrome Lug Width: 17.5mm
Movement: Mechanical (Hand-winding) Style: Casual
Water Resistance Rating: Not Water Resistant Year of Manufacture: 1960-1969
Features: 12-Hour Dial, Acrylic Crystal, Arabic Numerals Age Group: Adult
Case Finish: Polished Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
MPN:
Does Not Apply
Case Material: Plated Base Metal
Display: Analog

Some years ago I bought an exact copy and I posted pictures and detailed info on that watch (might have been on the old forum), but I have the photos and info on a computer that is not accessible right now, so maybe some members here know where to find the photos and info I used to post?

just wondering if the hair and (skin)? found under Cheris finger nail was from her attackers arm as she ripped the watch off.

just wondering if the hair and (skin)? found under Cheris finger nail was from her attackers arm as she ripped the watch off.

I’m not sure whether that can be determined, but it would seem to make sense.

I wonder if Z had bought the watch via mail order, e.g. after reading some ad in the newspaper?

QT

just wondering if the hair and (skin)? found under Cheris finger nail was from her attackers arm as she ripped the watch off.

It was my understanding that the hair found was a from a facial hair, like perhaps a beard or mustache? That made me think about the couple missing from the RCC reenactment , the guy had a beard.

The wrist watch was still working when found as you can tell by when it found and the later pictures with a different time.

Thank you Richard for the information you gave about how to know when a watch was manufactured etc. A girls Timex watch was left with the costume that was put in my car in Napa Sept 28th or 29th 1969.

Neither Napa or Riverside will answer my question if either victim was missing a wrist watch? I even went as far as to ask Bryan Hartnell if he remembered if Cecelia had one on that day?
I didn’t see one listed in evidence, most students wore watches.

Do we know cjb’s timex number?

QT

Do we know cjb’s timex number?

QT

We don’t know for sure if CJB had a watch or if hers was missing or not? I can’t get a answer from RPD. I was hoping that her brother Michael would show up to the meeting we had at RCC last Oct. So I could show him the Catholic prayer book that was planted in my car and the watch to see if he recognized either of them?
My guess would be that the tiny book could belong to CJB and the watch probably belonged to Cecelia, being the costume and other things were put there to tie to that crime.

The watch I have has"stainless steel" written on the back of it and only "Timex" on the front. I have never taken the back off to see the numbers.I think that Law enforcement should be the ones to do that. I keep it in a safety deposit box along with the dictionary with blood on it. There are very tiny specks of what looks like blood on the gray leather watch band. You would think that Napa would want to test it to see of it is a match to Cecelia’s blood type which was RH neg. I realize that what was put in my car that day and what I still have , sounds too good to be true , but forensics do not lie !
I haven’t looked at my thread lately ,to see if all of the pictures that Zam put on that thread for all of you to see are still there or not? If they are, you can blow up the picture of the watch band and see the specks of what looks like blood.

Here is a magnified image of the alleyway Timex.

Thanks, that is the best picture I have seen of the watch. Apparently the time 9:07 on the watch was when that picture was taken. Other pictures show later times.
The idea that the circumference of the watch being only 7 inches, indicates a smaller man than someone say like Art Allen. I wonder if that could be part of the reason that RPD didn’t think Zodiac could be the killer? I will always believe that the Lake B crime changed the course of the investigation in the wrong direction.

That was the main reason VPD walked away from looking more into Jim Phillips. They felt he was too short to be the Zodiac who was now believed to be a huge person weighing over 200 pounds and possibly being 6ft or better.

There were more witnesses who saw Zodiac, that said he was closer to 5 ft 8 or 5ft 9. The hood made Zodiac look about 3 to 4 inches taller than he really was. It was more stiff than cotton cloth and sat on his shoulders, you can see just how it looked by the copy I made and wore. It was made to look as if it was all one piece, but it wasn’t. Bryan even mentioned that he was able to see the killers jacket collar, that would be impossible if it were actually one solid piece. Bryan mentioned the bottom half as a dicky. Most of you are too young to know what a dicky is. It is something that goes over the head and covers shoulders and comes down the chest . I call the bottom half a poncho, most of you know what that looks like. I am getting off topic from the size of the watch,sorry.

Has to be DNA on that watch. I’m sure by now someone has tested it.

Has to be DNA on that watch. I’m sure by now someone has tested it.

Yes, that old worn out leather watch band must be loaded with DNA !

Has to be DNA on that watch. I’m sure by now someone has tested it.

Yes, that old worn out leather watch band must be loaded with DNA !

Believe it or not, if there is, and it can be extracted…..