Description
Black and white 10″ x 13 1/2″ ad that answers the question “How to make this $12.95 Timex sell for $50.00″. The headline sits over the only thing in the picture, a Timex watch sitting on it’s banding. The ad tries to answer that question but it does not have too much luck. First it suggests an effort to “Redesign the Timex movement. Add more parts”. These suggestions are deemed unsuccessful because it will make the watch more expensive. Second they suggest putting “a mirror-like finish on every part”. This idea is suggested but not really because it will look prettier and it would cost more. Third they should “Revamp the Timex factories. Clear out the precision machinery. Go back to inefficient handwork”. That would result in more time in assembly. Fourth of they follow these rules conscientiously then they will find it acceptable to make a watch for, maybe, $50.00. Fifth they feel they have a good product and they want to keep the price of a good watch down. Sixth is the fact that they believe that this is the only way to make a watch. Maybe so, because there are more Time‘s sold than any other.
Source: November 3, 1961 Life magazine.
