The Southampton
The Specs
Model Number: 12371
Year: 1958
Case Diameter: 33mm
Case Height:
Lug Width:
Movement: Model 22
This is the first and only mechanical chronograph that Timex (U.S. Time) ever made. And I mean chronograph in a very basic sense. The Southampton used a Model 22 movement with an added lever that would release the second hand to “fly-back” to the 12 o’clock position. A very fun watch, that along with its black dialed variation, did not see the light of day for very long. it sits just right on he wrist, and is truly a watch that translates well from vintage to modern.
The 1958 Southampton saw renewed fame just last year when Todd Snyder and Timex teamed up once again to release The Beekman. Although it now has a 40mm case, quartz movement, and no fly back chrono feature, this remains a faithful call back to original design.
Perhaps one of the biggest (welcome) changes in the new release, is the lack of radioactivity on the hands and dial. The level of detail and depth of color on the Southampton dial is stunning, but along with those beautiful deep greens also comes a bit of danger.
I’m talking, of course, about the radium paint all over the dial and hands. Radium paint was applied to the dials of watches and clocks from the early 1900s all the way through 1968 when it was officially prohibited by federal law. The goal here was of course, to be able to see your watch in the dark. This luminous paint did the trick, but at a great cost to those applying it to the watches (Please take the time to look up the many heartbreaking videos and articles online about ‘The Radium Girls’ ) Tritium, Radium’s replacement for several decades, while still radioactive, had a half-life of only about 12 years. It’s predecessor on the other hand, has a half-life of about 1600 years. This means that all the green radium paint you see on the dial of any Southampton you find is still hot, fresh, and ready.
Their are varying schools of thought on vintage radium dials. Most say that they are safe on the wrist, as long as the the radium dust is not touched or inhaled. The thought, originally, was that these dials only give off alpha radiation which mostly doesn’t make it past skin. It is now know that there is additional gamma radiation. More recent studies are showing that the off-gassing of radium produces an amount of radon much higher than is typically safe. Radon gas is the second highest cause of lung cancer, after smoking. Either way, I don’t give this thing much wrist time at all. I rather just look at it.
P.S. If you would like to see just how much radiation this particular dial gives off, take a look at this great video taken by a fellow collector
