If you're like us, you often admire elite watches, fully aware that you'll likely never allow yourself to pay more than $1,000 for one.
Yes, they're beautiful. Yes, you could consider them an investment. But you have rent and car payments to make.
However, there's a way to acquire a classic style watch without the excessive cost and pretentious prestige that comes with it. Timex. This brand has been around since the 1940s, and they've been making timekeeping devices even longer (think pocket watches and clocks). Timex positioned itself advantageously in the market earlier than other watch companies by producing affordable, attractive, and accurate watches. This trifecta of qualities caught the attention of post-war America and cemented the company's name in people's minds. Now, as watches come back into fashion, Timex is being rediscovered by both consumers and designers. To help guide you, we've compiled a list of the best Timex watches.
Overview of the Best Timex Watches
A Brief History of Timex
Few brands are as closely associated with their products as Timex. This is, of course, no accident. It's largely the result of a hard-earned legacy that began way back in 1854.
Originally, this small company was called Waterbury Clock Co. (named after its hometown in Connecticut), and initially, it focused on clockmaking (you can still find many of their old 1800s pieces in vintage watch shops or on eBay). This was more or less all that Waterbury Clock was involved in for 90 years. During World War II, like most American manufacturers, Waterbury was involved in the war effort, producing fuses for British bombs. Around this time, a refugee named Thomas Olsen, fleeing the Nazi advance on Norway (and trying to find a safe place to store his money), bought a controlling share of the company. A few years later, Olsen renamed the company Timex - reportedly after his favorite magazine and fabric, Time and Kleenex.
After the war, Timex expanded quickly. Thanks to low prices and changes in distribution methods, the wristwatches produced by the newly minted company became more widespread than any others. It was at this moment that Timex, as we know it today, truly made its mark. Since then, the company has experienced its share of ups and downs. Over the years, not only have watches come in and out of fashion, but technologies and material preferences have changed. However, more recently, Timex has once again become a reliable choice for those wanting to wear classic and affordable watches.
Why People Love Timex
- Style: More than most other brands, Timex places its eggs in the heritage and retro-style basket. While there are modern models among them, the old-school inspired models are arguably the brand's best.
- Versatility: As you'll see below, Timex knows how to create virtually every type of watch - from divers to chronographs, from field to dress watches.
- Affordability: It's the low prices that make Timex watches so appealing. In other countries, you'd have to spend over a thousand dollars to acquire similar watches. The company favors quartz movements over automatic ones (although they have many of those too) and economical design. Most Timex watches would never let on that they're considered "cheap."
Timex Expedition Scout
These Expedition Scouts are very affordable watches with good durability and the classic appeal of field watches.
Best Affordable Timex: Looking for quality Timex watches at an affordable price? These Expedition Scouts are among the best watches under $100. These field watches, designed to go anywhere, feature a dial adorned with Arabic numerals showing civilian and military time, as well as an Indiglo night-light for visibility in low light conditions. But unlike some other inexpensive Timex models, the Expedition Scout boasts angular hands, a date window, and more robust water resistance up to 50 m. Additionally, the watches are available in several color and strap options, but we particularly like the ones with sturdy NATO fabric straps.
- Diameter: 40 mm
- Movement: Quartz
Huckberry x TIMEX IRONMAN Flix Reissue
The Ironman Flix watches are an exact reissue of a fan favorite from the late '90s, featuring high readability, a 10-lap memo pad, and 100-lap memory.
Best Digital Watch: Earlier this year, Timex, with the help of online retailer Huckberry, released an exact replica of the 1999 Ironman Flix watch. This digital watch, an iconic favorite among endurance athletes, outdoor enthusiasts, and first responders, features a 44-mm resin case, 100-meter water resistance, a highly readable display, and INDIGLO Night-Light. Additionally, the watch is equipped with a hands-free backlight activation feature. The 5 alarms, countdown timer, and 10-lap memo pad have also made a return. However, the lap memory function has increased from 30 to 100.
- Diameter: 44 mm
- Movement: Quartz
Timex Expedition North Traprock
Sturdy Timex field watches are distinguished by their eco-friendliness and versatile dial due to the absence of 24-hour markers.
Best Field Watch: If you like the Expedition Scout watches but want something more upscale, check out the Expedition North Traprock series. With a 43-mm eco-ceramic case adorned with a fabric strap made of 100% recycled plastic and vegan apple leather, these watches are lightweight, durable, and come in three different color options. These watches have foregone the 24-hour dial, making them more suitable for wearing after you've hit the trails, and wide hands with luminous coating provide even greater visibility in low light.
- Diameter: 43 mm
- Movement: Quartz
Timex Marlin Chronograph Tachymeter
Timex has introduced a racing-inspired chronograph feature to the Marlin line, along with a quartz movement.
Best Chronograph: Timex's Marlin line is known for its beautiful dress watches and retro design. Recently, the brand added a chronograph to this series for the first time, while managing to maintain a low price thanks to a quartz movement - another first for the collection. The result harks back to the heyday of racing in the 1960s and '70s and is a perfect choice for any car enthusiast. Doubling down on aesthetics, the watch features a handsome perforated brown leather strap, a slim tachymeter scale bezel maintaining a gentlemanly style, and rectangular vintage-style hour markers at the 3, 9, and 12 o'clock positions.
- Diameter: 40 mm
- Movement: Quartz
Q Timex Reissue
The retro reissue by Timex is an incredibly affordable option for vintage style lovers. The watch features an integrated bracelet and Pepsi-style bezel.
Best Vintage Style Watch: A reissue of one of the brand's earliest quartz models, originally released in 1979, Q Timex looks as if it's straight from the past at first glance. Released in 2019, these new versions are hugely popular among watch fans due to their retro-style woven steel bracelets, Pepsi rotating bezels, and modest size - just 38 mm across. Thanks to the 12-hour bi-directional bezel, these watches can be used as three-hand GMTs, allowing you to easily track time in a second time zone. Other features include hooded lugs, domed acrylic crystal, and a reliable quartz movement.
- Diameter: 38 mm
- Movement: Quartz
Timex Waterbury Traditional GMT
These sturdy GMT watches are equipped with a 24-hour rotating bezel and a beautiful color scheme.
Best GMT Watch: If you're looking for the perfect travel companion for under $200, these watches are worth considering. By adding a GMT function to the Waterbury Traditional line, named after the town where Timex was founded and the brand's original name, Timex allows you to track a second time zone, which is very convenient if you're traveling or keeping tabs on other parts of the world from the office. The watches feature a rubber tropical strap with a black dial, surrounded by a black and blue 24-hour bezel. These are great adventure watches: a 39-mm stainless steel case and 100-meter water resistance. Despite the functionality, these watches truly stand out for their simplicity.
- Diameter: 39 mm
- Movement: Quartz
Timex Legacy Tonneau Chronograph
Perhaps the most stylish chronograph in this price range: the gold-tone Legacy Tonneau recalls the '70s and incorporates chronograph registers into the black dial.
Best Dress Watch: You'd be hard-pressed to find a more sensible dress chronograph in any price range, but the Legacy Tonneau Chrono from Timex is simply delightful at around $250. Barely noticeable at first glance, the '70s tonneau-shaped stopwatch allows for cost savings on the quartz movement and gold-plated stainless steel case. The three chronograph registers blend into the contrasting black dial but perform their function thanks to the twin buttons on the outer side. Like the Marlin chronograph above, this model is equipped with a tachymeter in the dial.
- Diameter: 42 mm
- Movement: Quartz
Timex x Peanuts Marlin Automatic Snoopy Easy Rider
Timex released some of the most mature Snoopy watches: the Marlin Automatic with a silver dial and a subtle image at the bottom.
Best Graphic Watch: While Omega is known for its Snoopy Speedmasters, Timex has several collaborations with Peanuts of its own - and they're much easier to acquire. We love this Marlin Automatic "Easy Rider" version for its appeal as a dress watch and how its namesake beagle blends with the dial's colors. In other watches, the dial would be too cluttered, but Timex wisely chose stick hour markers over numerals. As the first automatic model on our list, the Marlin lets you view the movement through an exhibition case back.
- Diameter: 42 mm
- Movement: Automatic
Timex x Todd Snyder Utility Ranger Watch
One of the many Todd Snyder collaborative watches, these Utility Rangers boast incredible wrist comfort and a handy 24-hour dial ring.
Best Timex Collaboration: Given that his label truly leans into classic American style, it's no surprise Todd Snyder loves collaborating with Timex. However, these Utility Rangers are among our favorite Timex watches, collaboration or otherwise. Paying homage to the original Navi watches, this model combines both field and dive watch elements and has a serious look, partly thanks to the contrasting olive dial and fiery orange 60-minute bezel, as well as the 24-hour dial hand equipped with a ring for better military time reading. With water resistance up to 100 m, the 41-mm gunmetal steel case is complemented by a matching black fabric strap.
- Diameter: 41 mm
- Movement: Automatic
Timex Tiburon Automatic
The high-quality Tiburon Automatic dive watches from Timex are large but not bulky, corrosion and shock resistant, with 200 m water resistance.
Best Diving Watch: While most Timex watches are durable, the Tiburon Automatic dive watches are on another level. Designed to truly accompany you on aquatic adventures, these watches boast 200-meter water resistance in a large but not bulky 44-mm stainless steel case that is corrosion and shock resistant. The sapphire crystal on both the front and back is scratch-resistant, and the synthetic rubber strap offers increased durability. We also love the contrast of the red on the strap against the black and gunmetal on the dial and case, respectively - the former features a red Diver Down flag.
- Diameter: 44 mm
- Movement: Automatic