cool but COMPLICATED 50-year Calendar Keychain From Temu
By The Treasure-Sharer
The 50-year calendar keychain from Temu is cool, and for the most part works, but is not exactly as advertised, and you need to be aware of a few things in order to use it properly. It's handy and practical to carry with you wherever you go, if you familiarize yourself with its quirks, and use it with those in mind.
We wear watches for a portable, easy way to ensure that we are able to check the time quickly, as it isn't convenient to carry around a clock; and portable electronic devices like cellphones and tablets can regularly run out of batteries at the times you need them most.
The 50-year calendar keychain functions in a similar way, by giving us a portable way to check the date and day of the week, within the 50-year span identified, without relying on an electronic device, or even a power source.
I liked the idea of them so much that I ordered one for my man before the first one I had ordered for myself had even arrived.
What I didn't know when I ordered it is that what you receive does not come with red months indicating leap years as advertised, and I didn't discover why this would prove to be an issue until I had ordered two from the same seller. It also doesn't come with instructions to help you understand how it works, and what to keep in mind to be able to use it accurately. If you understand its particular qualities (which I will attempt to explain in this article), then I still think it can be useful and worth using and having, especially at the low price you can get it for on Temu. It requires a reasonably good memory and patience -- and if you have those, then you'll probably be fine using it -- but if those aren't your forte, then you might not find it worth bothering with, especially if you don't mind relying on other sources for your date-checking.
How the 50-year Calendar Keychain Works
The inner face of the 50-year calendar keychain is movable, and you need to rotate it until the year and month you are wanting to look up line up. This will automatically adjust the bottom window so that it shows the correct days of the week to match the calendar days being checked.
It's not so simple that you can leave it at that, however. Because the dial shows 31 days, you need to remember whether the particular month you are looking up has 28, 29, 30, or 31 days, and change the calendar to reflect a new month at the end of the month, if you plan to leave it set at the current year and month like you would with a regular calendar.
You can also adjust it to check past and future dates by realigning the years and months to the ones you want to look up. Or, if, for example, you want to plan a weekend trip or party and want to look up when the next or future Saturday will be, you can also use it for these and similar purposes.
Missing Leap Year Indicators, and Why This is a Problem
However, as I mentioned, the calendar keychain does not have special leap year months indicated in red, even though it says "RED MONTH FOR LEAP YR" on the keychain itself, and even though a photo of it in the advertisements shows red months and days of the week. See the image to the side for the advertised leap-year indicators, which I have circled in red.
All of the months and days of the week in the two calendar keychains I received were black-colored.
There are doubles of the January and February months, and one set of these are supposed to be red to indicate leap years, but because none are specially indicated in red, you will have to note which ones are leap-year ones, and remember which ones are the leap year ones, and which ones are the regular-year ones, going forward. The leap year February is the first one on the left, while the leap year January is the second January on the left. If you can't remember this and need to figure it out on your own, you can look up a leap year and determine the correct February to use by checking which one ends up matching the correct day of the week. Once you figure it out, you can try to remember to use those for leap years, going forward.
Below are images of the calendar rotated to the leap year 2024 (the previous leap year), first with the February that is meant to be used with leap years, and then with the February meant to be used with regular years, so that you can see how the 29th day falls on a different day depending on which February you use (the one on the left being the correct one to use for leap years).
You could maybe try to mark the leap year months with a dot or piece of colored tape or something to help you remember that those are you ones you need to use on leap years. I don't have anything at the moment that I can think of that is small enough or will stay on it, so I've left it as it is for the moment. That is really only an issue every leap year (every four years), anyway.
If you have a bad memory, can't be bothered to stay on top of leap years and which months to use, and/or live somewhere where it is difficult to look up and double-check leap years and the exact dates they fall on, then you could get your dates and days of the week wrong if you accidentally turn the dial to the wrong month, which can potentially make you plan and schedule things wrong, if you end up using dates from the wrong configurations to schedule appointments.
Partly-Passed 50 Years
The calendar is advertised as a 50-year calendar, but if you look closely, it covers the years between 2010 to 2060, which means that if you were planning to use it for the next 50 years, you can actually only use it for 35 and a half more years, as 14 and a half of the years covered have already passed.
I know it sucks that it doesn't start from the current year, but I've seen other platforms that sell it that start at earlier dates, and nothing that starts later than 2010. I think that at the very least, it can be used to look back into the past, so it's not a complete loss. Because it's not an annual calendar, I don't expect them to make new ones every year. And because of the low price, I don't mind that there are only 35 and a half years remaining on them, though I might care more if I had to pay the more expensive prices they go for on Amazon, etc.
It shows the 50-year calendar time period in the advertisement, so if you don't like the dates covered, then I suggest you skip out on this and search for a more recent one elsewhere, or wait for a newer one to come out.
Practical Uses
I think that the design is well-thought-out and useful. It actually makes sense to be carried as a keychain.
Even if you get calendars for free from businesses that give them out as promo items at the start of the year, it's still handy to buy these calendar keychains to be able to carry with you, which is harder to do with bulkier and bigger calendars.
It's even less likely for us to have access to calendars as it is for us to have access to clocks in public places, so unless we want to rely on always carrying around a device that is always charged, or asking other people for the date, it's more reliable and convenient to bring around a portable calendar keychain. At the very least, it can be used as a back-up calendar.
The 50-year calendar keychains are practical for scheduling events, activities, and appointments. I think they are very useful from a business standpoint, as they allow you to choose meeting, flight, trip, and deadline dates accurately and efficiently, without needing to flip through calendars, etc.
Why I Chose the Stainless Steel Version vs. the Alloy Versions of the 50-year Calendar Keychain
The version I bought of the 50-year calendar keychain is made of 304 stainless steel, though most versions being sold are made of alloy, and I had to look hard to find a stainless steel version. I always choose and look for stainless steel versions of jewelry, kitchen tools, and other items for multiple reasons. Stainless steel is higher quality, rust-resistant, and more durable. I try to find 304 or 316 stainless steel in particular, as they are higher grades of stainless steel, and are better for you and your body. I was really pleased to see that the stainless steel version I found indicated that it was made of 304 stainless steel, which is the second-best grade, after 316 stainless steel. See the description to the side to see the product details, and stainless steel material, of the version of the 50-year calendar keychain I bought.
The section holding the calendar part of the keychain to the keyring section is also thicker and stronger than most keychains. See below for a close-up of the keyring attachment, an image of the back of the calendar keychain, and an image of the whole keychain.
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Peel-off Protective Plastic Covering
Something that will probably surprise you and annoy you when you first receive the calender is that it will appear to have a lot of scratches on the surface. Both my man and I felt that way when we received ours, but I realized that the front of the calendar part of the keychain was actually covered with a very thin sheet of plastic, so that the scratches were actually on the plastic, rather than on the calendar face itself. So, in reality, the calendar face is probably safe (unless it has been bought and returned, and had the plastic covering already peeled off). It can be hard to tell that there is plastic on it, and find the edges of the covering to peel off.
I just left the plastic on mine on it, to continue to protect the front of the calendar keychain. I've had a stainless steel necklace badly scratched before, so I prefer to leave the plastic on my keychain surface to protect it for as long as the covering stays on it. See the image below for my attempt to show the plastic covering, although it's very hard to capture in a photograph. You can see part of it peeling off under the "Tu/W" part of the dial window.
Review:
Pros:
-good for checking important dates
-portable
-light-weight and sturdy
-made of high-quality stainless steel
-compact way to carry around a calendar
-no need to buy a new calendar every year to be able to check the date
-allows you to be able to check the date without a calendar or electronic device
-comes with a plastic film on the front to protect it from scratches during transport
-like a long-lasting calendar
-can be used as a back-up or emergency way to check dates
Cons:
-need to spend time fiddling with it to get it to the right dates
-has no instructions on how to use it
-comes with two Februarys and Januarys, with one set supposed to be used during leap years, but the leap year days and months are not colored red as indicated on the keychain and as pictured in the advertisement photos, so that you have to figure out and remember which ones are meant to be used for leap years on your own
-doesn't start on the year you buy it -- started in 2010, so 14 years have already passed, with only 36 years left to use on it
-the numbers are very small
-need to remember which months have 28, 29, 30, and 31 days in order to use it properly
Gem or Junk?
For us: Gem: 3 stars out of 5
The 50-year calendar keychain from Temu is practical and cool, but the missing red indicators for leap years, and lack of accompanying instructions on how to use it, makes it complicated to figure out. It is multifunctional, able to keep your keys organized, and your days and schedule organized, but people with bad memories may find it to be too much work to have to try to keep so many little details in mind. For some people, it might not be that big a deal to double-check for leap years and which settings need to be used for those, but others might find it bothersome, annoying, and not worth keeping up with.
I don't mind taking a few minutes to look things up to check and remember, so I will continue to use it for its utility and uniqueness. I am happy that I was able to find it made with high-quality stainless steel at a similar price range as those made of poorer-quality alloys, as I am pretty much always willing to pay more for stainless steel over alloy options, and more for 304 and 316 steel over non-specified or lower-grade steel, but didn't have to spend more for this 304 stainless steel version.
The compact design allows it to be easily carried in a pocket or attached to a bag or lanyard, making it easy to bring it with you wherever you go. It's particularly useful for people who prefer to refer to a tangible reference, over digital alternatives, and don't mind fiddling a bit to arrive at the information they are searching for.
The complications from it not arriving with the advertised red leap year indicators really made a huge difference in my assessent of the product, as I believe that it makes it more confusing to use than it needs to be, and I was annoyed that it didn't mention that it didn't have them in the ad, which might have made me look for a different one.
Gems For Who:
1) People who want a pocket calendar to take with them wherever they go.
2) People who want a back-up calendar for in case they don't have access to a paper calendar or electronic calendar.
3) People who want a calendar they can use for multiple years, without having to buy new ones to replace them every year.
4) People who need a keychain.
5) People who like unique things.
6) People who want a good-quality keychain.
7) People who can't remember the date.
8) People who collect cool keychains.
9) People who want a multi-purpose keychain.
10) People who want to try 50-year calendars for a cheap price.
Conclusion:
The 50-year calendar keychain from Temu caught my eye for being both unique and useful at the same time.
However, not everything you get from Temu matches the advertisements, and this was one that did not, missing the red month leap year indicators. I didn't notice or think about it initially, since the next leap year won't happen for another three years, but it's an unnecessary complication that shouldn't have been there, if it had been sent as advertised in the photo.
I lose track of the date and day of the week all the time, so I like having something that I can carry with me to help me check what day it is when I don't have access to paper and electronic calendars.
Honestly, besides the practical utility, I just think that perpetual calendars are super-cool, and I would have bought one just for the sake of owning one because of this.
Before noticing the missing red months and days, I was ready to recommend buying them for yourself and others, but, because they don't match what was advertised, and are more complicated than they need to be as a result, then I think you should decide for yourself if you are okay with the differences, and how much work it will take to use them.
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