Vintage Alba Digital Quartz Watch - Y749-5090

I had wanted to feature my first watch but somehow couldn't find the original one which my mother kept in my old room at our home in Cainta. The last time I saw it, it was in my mini shelf where I kept my old CDs that I had collected while living in Yokohama in the 1990s. The watch had survived the floods of Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) and I remember it being repaired as the buttons were stuck so you couldn't adjust the time or use its other features. My brother promised to look for it.

Luckily, I found this piece from a seller in Turkey. I snapped it up and despite the current pandemic situation, it was shipped immediately and I got it within 4 days (via UPS). The watch itself was cheap but this has a lot of sentimental value to it. Earlier, I found another one of the same model but upon inquiring was told by the seller (politely) that he wasn't shipping to the Philippines.

This Alba chronograph has many features that I would have to get reacquainted to and familiarize with. All seem to be functioning and I didn't have problems setting the watch.

Side view showing the buttons used to adjust the time and date (right in the photo), and set the alarm and use the chronograph (left)

The button on the left is for the light (when you need to check the time in the dark). The one on the right is for selecting the mode.

The watch came with the original bracelet and luckily, too, it fit well with my wrist.

Close-up showing all the different features of this digital watch

An even closer look to see the condition of the watch body.

Case back showing the serial and model numbers. The serial number is read the same as Seiko watches (i.e., Alba is a subsidiary of Seiko). This watch was manufactured in May 1981 making this watch a newer version of the watch I got likely for Christmas of 1980.

Close-up of the model number on the case back

The obligatory wrist shot.

I remember this was water resistant enough that I could use it while taking a bath or washing things. I don't recall though if I tried using it for swimming (PE class mostly). I eventually outgrew this watch and Tatay got me a Seiko analogue quartz watch. That was in high school and I recall that Seiko to be so thin that people were comparing it to the Swatch watches that were the in thing at the time but were more expensive than the cheap Seiko quartz watches. I didn't get my first Swatch until 2001, 13 years after I graduated from high school.

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