Flashback 1996: Americans were tuned into watching ER, Seinfeld and Friends on TV. Independence Day, Twister and Mission Impossible were the popular films in movie theaters and Macarena was the top song on the radio.
Online shopping was new and revolutionary at the time and many Americans still did not even have personal computers in their homes and relied on computers at work for online surfing and shopping.
1996 marks the year of the origin of WorldofWatches.com, a revolutionary site in both the worlds of retail and timepieces. Numerous retailers at the time barely had an online presence, not to mention one that offered online purchases as well.
WorldofWatches.com featured hundreds of popular brand-name watches at prices far below the costs shoppers would normally find at traditional “brick and mortar” stores. Hundreds of watches from popular watchmakers were featured at WorldofWatches.com, including highly sought-after styles from Omega, TAG Heuer, Breitling, Cartier, Seiko, Citizen, Raymond Weil, Ebel and Bulova.
The Omega Seamaster James Bond timepiece, the Movado Museum his and hers strap watches, along with the TAG Heuer Formula 1, S/EL and 2000 Series and Ebel Sport Classic were among the top-selling watches in 1996 at WorldofWatches.com.
Compared to today’s models, men’s and women’s watch styles were considerably smaller in scale 20-years ago. Men’s watch styles ranged in size from 38mm to 40mm, while women’s watches were well under 30mm diameter in size.
Interestingly Omega, Ebel, TAG Heuer and many other prominent watchmakers offered midsize versions of their popular watch styles. You could purchase the Omega Seamaster James Bond automatic watch with its signature blue wave pattern dial in the standard 39mm diameter size, as well as 36mm diameter midsize.
Women’s watches were also available in two sizes: standard and mini. In 1996, the Cindy Crawford “My Choice” Constellation watch collection was introduced featuring 28mm standard size cases and 25mm mini cases. The “My Choice” collection featured an updated version of Omega’s popular Constellation series, with both the cases and bracelets in lustrous highly polished stainless steel or 18K white gold.
Although many of the timepieces popular twenty years ago no longer in production, new updated models of the Omega Seamaster and Formula 1 are being produced. Meanwhile the TAG Heuer S/EL and 2000 Series have been updated and renamed into the Link and Aquaracer Series respectively.
The TAG Heuer Link Series Automatic Men’s watch in stainless steel is bold, rigorous and ideal for today’s man. The highly pronounced 42mm diameter case is presented on the signature Link bracelet in brushed and polished steel.
An exhibition case back lets you see the Swiss-made automatic movement inside. The black dial has baton hands and hour markers, an automatic day and date window above the 6 o’clock hour.
Features include a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, a locking screw-down crown and case back for water-resistance to 200 meters or 660 feet.
Free shipping and free returns are included on all domestic watch purchases at WorldofWatches.com.