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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Wristwatch · Digital quartz wristwatch

Dick Smith LCD Digital Wrist Watch

Partially verified

This digital quartz wristwatch, accessioned by Museums Victoria under number ST 32356, dates to 1981. It features a stainless steel case and matching metal bracelet. The timepiece operates using a quartz movement and incorporates an LCD display set against a silvered background. The watch includes an integrated light function for the display and is configured for multiple digital functions, including hour, minute, and second tracking, date, weekday, dual time zones, and a stopwatch with a resolution of 0.1 seconds. The dial features a black surround marked with various operational functions and an inset labelled with the retailer's name, Dick Smith. The caseback is formed of stainless steel. This object was associated with the Australian retailer Dick Smith Electronics Pty Ltd in Melbourne and was manufactured in Hong Kong.

A digital wristwatch with a stainless steel link band, featuring an LCD display screen and marked 'Dick Smith'.
A digital wristwatch with a stainless steel link band, featuring an LCD display screen and marked 'Dick Smith'. — Museums Victoria. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
collections.museumsvictoria.com.au
Category
Wristwatch · Digital quartz wristwatch
Maker / attribution
Not established
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
ST 32356
Source-reported date
1981
Source-reported place
Hong Kong

Source-reported attribution and specifications are not independent authentication. A listing does not establish present ownership, current display, availability or permission to reproduce.

Object description

Case and Dial

The watch is housed in a stainless steel case with an integrated stainless steel wrist band. The front of the timepiece features an LCD display positioned against a silvered background. The dial surround is finished in black and contains technical markings for the watch's functions, including 'Melody Alarm', 'Dual Time', 'Chrono', 'Light', 'Time Set/Mode', 'Stop/Alarm Set', and 'Lap/Set Select'.

A black plastic inset on the dial is marked with the name 'Dick Smith' in white lettering. The digital display is designed to show the time in hours, minutes, and seconds, alongside the weekday and date. The interface also supports specialized modes such as dual time zones and a stopwatch function capable of measuring to a resolution of 0.1 seconds. The watch includes an inbuilt light for low-light visibility.

Evidence for this section
  • “stainless steel case and wrist band”
  • “LCD display on silvered background, with inbuilt light.”
  • “Black surround of dial is marked 'Melody Alarm', 'Dual Time', 'Chrono', 'Light', 'Time Set/Mode', 'Stop/Alarm Set' and 'Lap/Set Select'.”

Movement and Functionality

The watch is powered by a quartz movement. This movement facilitates the various digital timing capabilities, including the display of days of the week using numbers 0 through 9 on the screen. The watch offers advanced features for its era, including the ability to track two distinct time zones and record lap times via the stopwatch mode.

The integration of a 'Melody Alarm' indicates that the quartz module is equipped with a sounder component, allowing for auditory alerts. The operation of these various modes is managed through the side push-buttons, with the specific function of each button indicated by the labels printed on the dial surround, allowing the user to set the time, alarm, or manage the stopwatch and lap timer functions.

Evidence for this section
  • “Quartz movement.”
  • “Display can indicate time in two time zones, lap times, stopwatch mode (resolution is 0.1 second), hour, minute, second, weekday and date.”
  • “Black surround of dial is marked 'Melody Alarm'”

Identification and Retail History

This watch is documented in the collection of Museums Victoria with the registration number ST 32356. The timepiece is specifically linked to the retail activities of Dick Smith Electronics Pty Ltd in Melbourne, Victoria, during 1981. This association indicates its role as a commercial product available in the Australian market during the early 1980s.

The caseback of the watch provides specific manufacturing and material information, explicitly stating that it was made in Hong Kong and confirming the use of a stainless steel caseback. This marking corroborates the origin of the watch as a piece of Hong Kong-manufactured consumer electronics distributed through Australian retail channels.

Evidence for this section
  • “Registration number: ST 32356”
  • “Association: type: Retailer, name: Dick Smith Electronics Pty Ltd, date: 1981, locality: Melbourne”
  • “Stainless steel back is marked 'LCD Quartz, Stainless Steel Caseback, Made in Hong Hong'.”

Open research questions

  • What specific electronic component manufacturer provided the quartz module for this Dick Smith branded watch?
  • Does the 'Melody Alarm' feature produce a specific polyphonic sequence or a simple piezo tone?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Dick Smith LCD Digital Wrist Watch
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
Object NameWrist Watch - Dick Smith, 1981“Wrist Watch - Dick Smith, 1981”
Registration NumberST 32356“ST 32356”
MovementQuartz“Quartz movement.”
Case MaterialStainless steel“stainless steel case”
RetailerDick Smith Electronics Pty Ltd“Dick Smith Electronics Pty Ltd”
Manufacturing OriginHong Kong“Made in Hong Kong”
FunctionsLCD, dual time, stopwatch, alarm, light“Display can indicate time in two time zones, lap times, stopwatch mode (resolution is 0.1 second), hour, minute, second, weekday and date.”

Visible details

  • Multi-link bracelet with fold-over clasp
  • Rectangular digital display screen
  • Multiple side-mounted push-button controls
  • Integrated functional text on bezel surround

Research qualifications

  • Manufacturer of the quartz module is not specified beyond country of origin
  • Original battery state is not documented

Photograph identity and source facts were screened before import; rights clearance remains pending.

Consulted source

Wrist Watch - Dick Smith, 1981

Reviewed 2026-10-26 · Record 1efe41ae28

Terms in this record

Glossary explanations for terms named in this object’s record.

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