She couldn't lay a finger on the watch!
In 1990 Simpsons fans got to rot their teeth for a good cause -- owning a nifty promotional watch from Butterfinger candy bars.

Time for a snack? Butterfinger candy bar promotional watch from 1990.

The watch was part of a mail-in offer advertised in Simpsons Illustrated magazine and elsewhere. "To get your official Simpsons Wrist Watch," the ads instructed, "send 3 Butterfinger candy wrappers (2.1 oz. or larger), $14.99 (check or money order) and the order form below." The ads gave a retail value of $30 for the watch.

The watch is a favorite in our Simpsons collection -- although not everyone has viewed the promotion so sweetly.

In a story headlined, "All this for a lousy Simpsons watch," Adweek columnist Laurie Petersen wrote in March 1991 about the trouble her magazine's research director had in obtaining the Butterfinger watch she saw advertised on Baby Ruth candy bars.

It seems Roz Moore ordered the watch Oct. 20 for her husband as a gag Christmas present. Although her check was cashed Nov. 7, she didn't get the watch within six to eight weeks, as promised. Moore then wrote four letters and made two phone calls.

Nestle Foods eventually sent her a $1 coupon with a letter saying that due to "very enthusiastic response" the company was temporarily out of watches. There was no timetable given for delivery or instructions on how to get a refund.

Petersen noted that such premiums are supposed to promote customers' emotional attachment to a product. Although sales of Butterfinger and Baby Ruth bars did rise 60 percent in the last three months of 1990, Nestle couldn't count on at least one repeat customer, even after her spouse eventually got his Simpsons premium.

"Roz Moore's husband loves his watch," Petersen wrote. "But she won't eat another Baby Ruth for a long time."

Value Guide: Typical prices for watches
Welcome to the portion of our Value Guide devoted to watches. Listed in the column directly below are brief descriptions of available Simpsons digital and analog watches, as well as typical prices in U.S. dollars that a buyer will pay for them at the moment.

The first dollar amount listed with each item is an approximate value in mint condition without packaging. The second figure is the value of the item in mint condition with near-mint original packaging, if such packaging exists. Our Site Explained page offers more details on how we determine values.

Please note that items in the Value Guide are NOT for sale from this Web site. If you're interested in buying Simpsons merchandise, visit our Q&A page for possible sources.

Fossil
In May 1999, Fossil released two Homer Simpson watches, the first in a series of collector watches featuring characters from "The Simpsons." Two Bart Simpson watches from Fossil followed a few months later. There's no word yet whether Fossil plans more Simpsons watches. Fossil watch photos.

• Bart gold-plated, 1999. Fossil. Limited edition of 500. Comes with two-piece tin box with a blackboard picture frame that measures about 4-1/2 by 4-1/2 inches. The frame includes an easel stand and a piece of chalk. Boxed. $100-$120.
• Bart silver stainless steel, 1999. Fossil. Limited edition of 3,000. Comes with two-piece tin box with a blackboard picture frame that measures about 4-1/2 by 4-1/2 inches. The frame includes an easel stand and a piece of chalk. Boxed. $70-$90.
• Homer gold-plated, 1999. Fossil. Limited edition of 3,000. Comes with hefty storage case that's ceramic figure of Homer on a sofa. Boxed. $70-$90. Photo of Homer Fossil watches.
• Homer silver stainless steel, 1999. Fossil. Limited edition of 500. Comes with hefty storage case that's ceramic figure of Homer on a sofa. Boxed. $100-$120.

Itchy & Scratchy
The comic violence might not make these appropriate for young children.

• Barbershop scene, 1993. Big-Time. The watch shows Scratchy the cat's head floating around in a bubble. The back of the dial face shows headless cat  in a barber chair with Itchy the mouse behind him with cutting tool. The display card shows Scratchy leaping off a high-wire tower toward a big bucket of water that Itchy is moving out from under him. This is a 5-function quartz watch with adjustable strap and a battery. "Collect them all." Carded. $7-$20.
• Sitting at a table, 1993. Big-Time. Although not yet part of our collection, we've seen this watch listed for sale. Carded. $7-$20.
• Eating hot dogs, 1993. Big-Time. Although not yet part of our collection, we've seen this watch listed for sale. Carded. $7-$20.
• 14 different animation cels on the band, 1992. Big-Time. Although not yet part of our collection, we've seen this watch listed for sale. Carded. $7-$20.

Nelsonic
These cheap-looking watches from Nelsonic are strictly for the kiddies -- or those grown-up Simpsons collectors who really do want too much time on their ... er, wrists.

• Bart, 1990. Dial face shows Bart, arms wide, saying, "Don't have a cow, man!" The watch comes in at least two styles -- one with an 8-inch black band and one with a 9-1/2-inch blue band with a slightly larger watch face. Digital display not visible until you open a cover on the face. Carded,. $5-$12.
• Bartman, 1990. Dial face shows Bart dressed as Bartman "Avenger of Evil." The watch comes in at least two styles -- one with an 8-inch black band and one with a 9-1/2-inch blue band with a slightly larger watch face. Digital display not visible until you open a cover on the face. Carded. $5-$12.
• Family dancing, 1990. Dial face shows five family members dancing away with "The Simpsons" printed overhead. The watch comes in at least two styles -- one with an 8-inch black band and one with a 9-1/2-inch blue band with slightly larger watch face. Digital display not visible until you open a cover over the face. Carded. $5-$12.

Other
This is a small selection of the numerous other Simpsons watches. New ones keep emerging all the time (no pun intended), including a glow-in-the-dark set from England.

• Bart and Lisa analog, "Get out of my face, man," 1990. Today Products Ltd. Analog watch with sweep second hand. Blue plastic strap with the words "Bart Simpson" is white letters. Design on face shows heads of Bart and Lisa. Bart is saying, "Get out of my face, man!" In both men's and women's styles. No packaging. $25.
• Bart analog, "Don't have a cow, man!" 1990. Today Products Ltd. Analog watch with sweep second hand. See-through watch (you can see workings inside) with clear plastic strap, on which is printed "The Simpsons" in dark letters. Design on face shows Bart, arms outstretched, saying, "Don't have a cow, man!" Men's style. Canadian. No packaging. $25.
• Bart analog, "Who do I look like, Father Time?" 1990. Manufacturer unknown, but looks similar to ones by Today Products Ltd. Analog watch with sweep second hand. Design shows Bart saying, "Who do I look like, Father Time?" It has black plastic strap, on which is printed "Bart Simpson" in white letters. Women's style. No packaging. $25.
• Bart analog, arms outstretched, 19978. Wesco. United Kingdom. This battery-operated men's-size watch shows Bart over a white background, his arms outstretched. The band is blue plastic, with "Aye carumba" printed on it. The watch comes in a 10-inch long clear plastic case with instructions. Boxed. $15-$30.
• Bart at chalkboard, 1998. Wesco. United Kingdom. This battery-operated men's-size watch shows Bart at the school chalkboard. Written on the board repeatedly is, "A burp is not an answer." The band is red leather. The watch comes in a 5-1/2-inch-long tin case with a design showing the heads of the Simpson family members. Instructions included. Boxed. $15-$30.
• Bart smiling face, 1997. Wesco. United Kingdom. This battery-operated men's-size watch shows a large image of Bart's smiling face. The band is black leather. The watch comes in a 5-1/2-inch-long tin case with a design showing the heads of the Simpson family members. Instructions included. Boxed. $15-$30.
• Butterfinger analog, 1990. Butterfinger. Analog watch with sweep second hand. Blue plastic strap with yellow trim. Face design shows Butterfinger candy bar at top, with heads of Bart, Maggie and Lisa circling the rest of the face. The watch originally shipped in a mailer with bubble wrap, with a thin plastic strip over the watch face. Bagged. $30-$35. See photo above.
• Characters, 1997. Wesco. United Kingdom. This battery-operated men's-size watch shows heads of 12 Simpsons characters in the place of numbers on the dial. They are Homer, Maggie, Flanders, Bart, Otto, Burns, Marge, Moe, Apu, Lisa, Krusty and Grampa. This is an analog watch with sweep second hand. Leather band. $15-$35.
• Family, 1990. Today Products Ltd. Analog watch with sweep second hand. Leather band. Dial shows family posing together, Bart with poised sling shot. Comes in 9-by-2-1/2-inch black pouch with "The Simpsons" printed on it in silver lettering. Canadian. $15-$35.
• Family, posing, 1997. Wesco. United Kingdom. This battery-operated men's-size watch shows family posing together, Bart with arms folded. The band is black leather. The watch comes in a 5-1/2-inch-long tin case with a design showing the heads of the Simpson family members. Instructions included. Boxed. $15-$30.
• Homer, "D'oh!" 1997. Wesco. United Kingdom. This battery-operated men's-size watch shows Homer slapping his forehead and saying, "D'oh!" The band is blue plastic showing images of Duff beer, chips, a bowling pin and other items Homer dreams about. The watch comes in a 10-inch-long clear plastic box with a paper insert on top showing the smiling faces of Simpson family members. Also sold originally with cardboard sleeve around box. Boxed. $15-$30.
• Homer donuts, 1998. Wesco. United Kingdom. This battery-operated men's-size watch shows Homer's head with a balloon over it showing him dreaming of donuts. The band is black leather. The watch comes in a 5-1/2-inch-long tin case with a design showing the heads of the Simpson family members. Instructions included. Boxed. $15-$30.
• Bart Subway hologram, 1997. Subway sandwich restaurants. Digital watch with black band on which is printed "The Simpsons" in small type. A cover over the watch face shows a hologram with two images of Bart -- one with him posing with arms folded, and the other, when you tilt the watch, that shows him making a face. Open the cover to see the digital clock around which it reads: "The Simpsons" and "The Subway Challenge" and "Special Limited Collectors Edition." Comes inside bubble wrap with instructions. $3-$8.