Falling In and Out of Love With Timex Watches.

My wife and I have been married for more than 50 years, and when asked the secret to our longevity, I usually answer “I keep on falling in love with her.” You could say a similar situation exists in my relationship with Timex watches. There are times when I am in love and times when I want to break up. Let me explain –

Deep in my collection of vintage watches lies a humble Timex mechanical date watch with a dial reference 16560-2572, apparently from 1972. It has a gold plated case, simple baton hour markers, and the original Croco leather strap. I can pick up this watch, wind it and wear it with confidence that it will be accurate within 30 seconds per 24 hours. For an un-serviced, basic hand wind movement, without jewels, probably costing $10 in it’s day, and now nearly 50 years old, this is a remarkable achievement and I love this watch. (see photo above)

In a large tray nearby, lies some 6 or 7 similar style Timex watches with 21 jewel movements, in various states of dismantling. Some of them have a gorgeous cross hair dial design and look unused, but none of them work, and this is when I want to break up with Timex. I have not yet found a reliable old 21 jewel vintage Timex, although they may exist.

I also own another Timex – a modern Quartz watch from their Weekender collection. It is the most easily read watch I own, with a clear 24 hr marked cream dial, large numerals and a stunning feature called Indiglo which lights up the dial when you press in the crown. It beats my lumed watches hands -down for night time reading. It is also one of only two watches in my collection that have been commented on in public. A nurse prepping me for an operation wanted one for her duty rounds and insisted on a full rundown. But I digress.

In 2017 Timex reintroduced the Marlin, a mechanical watch from the 1960’s. The hand wind version (there is an automatic as well) bears a striking resemblance to the early mechanical watch in my collection. It is not clear what movement Timex use in this re-issue and this raises my concern about longevity. Apparently Timex do not divulge the source of the movement although it is stamped “Made In China”. One online blogger claims it is definitely a Seagull ST movement.

So, I am left with a deep respect for some Timex watches but a lingering concern about some of their mechanical offerings. Logic tells me that cheaper watches (certainly the $10 variety) are not designed to last forever. The famous Timex motto “It takes a licking and keeps on ticking” might be true, but there is another motto that might apply here – “you get what you pay for”.

One thing is for sure – Timex don’t mind innovating, and the way they embrace modern promotional methods, including a direct to the public sales model, appears to be working very well for them. Add in some high profile associations (Peanuts characters and the Todd Snyder special releases) and Timex are a force to be reckoned with in the very competitive watch world.

Just when I thought I had clear picture of my love/hate  relationship with Timex they released a watch that is magical in so many respects. The Giorgio Galli S1 watch has been designed from the ground up by a noted watch designer. It has some unique design features, most notably an injection moulded skeleton style case that I find very striking. It has a unique watch strap that clips to itself and might be more suited to an Apple watch or something similar. And it does all this with an un-cluttered traditional watchface that would be considered classy on watches three times its value.

Timex gave their Design Director, Giorgio Galli, a free hand in designing this watch and that is unusual. It is a brave move for a corporate giant like Timex to balance creativity and innovation with an historical design ethos.

The result is a watch that proved very popular and the first release sold out quickly. It has been re-released with a blue dial version added in the last few weeks.

So, can I fall in love with this watch? The appearance is innovative and striking. The top down view reveals a classic un-cluttered vintage style watch face but it is the side view that mesmerizes me. That skeletonised look is so different and traditional at the same time. It is fresh, clean, well-balanced, and I keep wondering why I haven’t seen it in a watch before (more knowledgeable readers may tell me it has been seen before).

And the kicker for this watch is the movement. They have used a Miyota 9039, slim automatic (no day or date.) It is called a “higher-end” Miyota. Various watch writers put it in the same class as the ETA 2824, Sellita SW200, and Seiko NH35 which is a re-assuring endorsement. All in all, this appears to be an innovative design, at a reasonable price (US$450), with a respected movement that should prove reliable.

I could definitely fall in love with this new offering from Timex.