A Historic Watch Company

Whether you’re a watch enthusiast or not, you would’ve most certainly seen, or heard of Timex. Founded as The Waterbury Clock Company back in 1854, the company was renamed and reformed into the Timex that we know today in 1944.

Timex is a brand known by many but understood by few, and have been producing reliable and accurate timepieces to the masses for countless decades. From analogue mechanical watches to functional and practical digital watches, Timex has it all. While few watchmakers dabble in both mechanical and technological advances in watchmaking, the only other mainstream one being Citizen and perhaps recently, Tag Heuer and Hublot with their foray into smartwatches. Timex offers their range in a much more accessible price point for the masses, especially for a practical daily watch. Today, we’ll be taking a look at seven of our favourite pieces from the brand, and finding out more about these rather unique and affordable timepieces.

TIMEX EXPEDITION RANGER TW4B10900 MEN'S WATCH

Of all the watches today, that are field watches (and mind you there’s quite a few of them), this is the one that fits that term the most in the traditional sense. Well visually at least, this is the Timex Expedition Ranger TW4B10900. You don’t name a watch with the words ‘Expedition’ and ‘Ranger’ if you don’t intend for it to be brought to harsh environments, or at the very least, as a daily field watch. The TW4B10900 strays away from the traditional minimalist and simple designs that the brand is so known for and opts for a more, conventional (albeit still large and bold) almost dive watch like design. With a rounded case, bold blocky numerals, and a simple matte black dial, the watch has an almost spartan approach in its design, and I think that was the point. It’s a simple and reliable tool watch that certainly fits the bill very nicely, throw-in, an additional date complication for added practicality and it’s the perfect everyday beater. The bracelet is a simple 3-linked affair too fitting the purpose and aesthetics of the watch nicely.  Powering the watch is of course, a reliable quartz caliber which adds to the otherwise no-nonsense tool watch personality of the TW4B10900. All in all, if you’re looking for a reliable, practical and affordable field watch to accompany you in the jungle or just a simple, dependable everyday beater, the TW4B10900 is certainly the right watch for you.

TIMEX TW2T20000 MEN'S WATCH

The Timex TW2W20000 is a stylistically vintage timepiece that you should certainly pay attention to and it’s a properly charming watch too. First off, it’s a simple watch, with a simple round gold case, simple lugs that links to a simple brown leather strap and of course, a simple deep blue dial with 3 hands telling only the time and not even the date. So why is this simple (and borderline boring sounding) timepiece worthy of your attention? Well because it’s simply oozing with vintage charm and it’s executed wonderfully. The dial, simple as it is, has a lovely almost dégradé effect with the blue fading to black along the radius of the dial. The painted numerals really remind me a lot of vintage Omegas and Glashutte Originals, (albeit mechanically speaking and pricing wise, they’re on two completely different planets). The dial being like a simple canvas telling nothing but the time and the degrade, imitating the time that has passed for this watch. I’m a sucker for vintage styled pieces like these, my favourites being the aforementioned 1950s Omega Seamaster, and A Lange & Sohne’s 1815. But these are incredibly cost inhibitive watches and unless you’re willing to shell out 4-5 figures for them, the TW2T20000 Analog is a fantastic substitute, and a neatly charming one at that too. 

TIMEX EXPEDITION FIELD TW2T73000 MEN'S WATCH

The Timex Expedition Field TW2W73000 is a field military watch that addresses the need for a field watch that can not only reliably tell the time in the well, field, but look properly good everywhere else too. And in terms of practicality and functions, this watch packs one hell of a punch. It features a chronograph, a tachymeter scale to measure walking speeds, as well as Timex’s proprietary Indiglo lighting system for easily reading this information even when the sun is down. If you’ve been in the Army and have been thrown out in the field, you’d certainly love a watch like this. And even if you’re not, it’s still a superb tool watch to have. Being an Indiglo, night visibility is, of course, the brand’s specialty, activated with a push of the crown, a neat backlight illuminates the dial allowing you to read the time and any other information you may need through almost any lighting condition. Though the odds of the watch (and you) getting thrown in at the deep end along behind enemy lines are rather slim, it’s still nice to know that it will be able to survive all of your life’s adventures and still look fantastic doing it.

TIMEX EXPEDITION KATMAI TW4B16800 MEN'S WATCH

What Timex does really well in my opinion, is making modern watches that feel like they’re from a time long before us. Old fashioned may be the wrong word, more like old school. Charmingly vintage and immensely durable and practical for today’s world. The Timex Expedition Katmai TW4B16800 is a modern update of those watches Ana-Digi watches of yesteryear during the golden era of the technological shift to computers. The result? It’s a stout, handsome watch, and thanks to its size and relative slimness sits really nicely on the wrist too. Being an analogue/digital hybrid, the watch is more than a chronograph with its additional two-time-zone and alarm function as well. The watch measures in at a modest 41mm in diameter and in this particular colour and design certainly looks like a proper desert exploration field watch. If you’re looking for a field watch with plenty of vintage pre-modern charm, with a conventional almost borderline left-field design, then the Timex Expedition Katmai TW4B16800 is certainly the watch for you. 

TIMEX ORIGINALS TW2P88800 UNISEX WATCH

A classic minimalist dress style watch should be a staple in everyone’s closet, whether you’re a man or a woman. A dress watch that is versatile enough to be worn for almost any occasion, is a welcome bonus too, and that’s what we’re looking at today: The Timex Originals TW2P88800. Its, a simple watch, with no frills in its design whatsoever, and that’s what makes it such a versatile accessory. With slim silvered baton hands and applied markers, on a clean silvered dial, there’s nothing to throw off the symmetry of this minimalist timepiece, not even a date window. The case is a similar affair too, it’s a slim, svelte design with a slim bezel and slim lugs that leads to a rather subdued cream white Nato strap which adds a touch of casual chic too. Subtlety is the name of the game with this watch, it doesn’t shout for attention or demand that you look at it, it does its job well quietly, telling the time and always being there without you noticing it when you don’t need to. And that’s what makes this watch work so well for me, with the trend of overtly minimalist timepieces from the likes of Daniel Wellington, Paul Hewitt etc. It is nice to see a more refined take on that design which is distinctly Timex and also, a great every day wear dress watch as well. 

TIMEX Q WEEKENDER x PEANUTS 70th ANNIVERSARY TW2T61000 UNISEX WATCH

Sticking with the casual and minimal aesthetic, we have the Timex Q Weekender X Peanuts edition TW2T61000. And if you’re in the market for an easy to wear, every day watch, then this is certainly the one for you. The watch is finished in a polished brass case and fitted on to a brown leather strap with cream white stitching for a nice vintage contrast. The dial is a simple affair with painted numerals and a slim unobtrusive minute track too. It is an otherwise very minimalistic, sober timepiece apart from the impossible to miss baseball and bat wielding Snoopy taking center stage on the otherwise plain white dial. The hands are of course, Snoopy’s with the hour’s being the one holding onto the baseball and the minute’s the one holding onto the bat. It is a lovely collaboration with the iconic Peanuts series of cartoons and certainly a much-needed alternative Snoopy collection of timepieces. The only other historic and famous timepiece bearing the Snoopy mascot being the very iconic and expensive Omega Speedmaster. One last thing I’d like to add about this timepiece is its execution of its design, a watch with a giant Snoopy on the dial may seem to set itself off to be rather childlike. But with the Weekender, thanks to the sober and minimalist dial and case, it is an incredibly wearable timepiece and a refined one at that too thanks to the level of finishing on the case, dial and bracelet.

TIMEX EXPEDITION ACADIA TW4B08200 MEN'S WATCH

Last and certainly not least on our list is the Timex Expedition Acadia TW4B08200 and it may not sound or look like it, but this is the most affordable watch we have on our list today coming in at well under $100. For a proper no-nonsense daily field watch, it certainly sounds like one hell of a deal, but how will it actually stack up in the real world? Let’s find out. On paper everything checks out nicely, the watch is cased in resin making it incredibly lightweight and very durable too, it is also powered by a reliable quartz caliber, nothing to shout about but it certainly won’t give you anything to complain about too. Timex also fitted it with its trademark Indiglo backlighting for uncompromised visibility even in the dark. As the name implies, this is a field watch and a rather practical one at that. Though one might argue that it may feel too light or cheap due to the lightness of the Resin case, but that’s what you’d want for a field watch. To be light weight and immensely durable while sitting on your wrist, and practical too. If my previous reviews haven’t already given it away, I’m a fan of field watches so this one is definitely up my alley. And for a tool watch that you can depend on and put-on day in and day out without thinking about it, the Expedition Acadia TW4B08200 will certainly not let you down.

Perfect Every Day Watches

Here it is, our 7 favourite that deserves a place in your collection. Whether they’re functional no-nonsense field watches or elegant and fashionable casual dress watches, there’s certainly a watch to suit every style and occasion.