As the watch world has been riding this trend for several years now, the broader fashion community is beginning to experience a 70s revival. Looser silhouettes, natural tones, and classic rock-inspired looks are infiltrating fashion consciousness, fueling additional energy into the disco-era stylistic movement within the watch industry, trickling down these elements from enthusiast-focused brands to the widest mass-market offerings. Few brands are as mass-oriented and democratic as Timex, and the evolution of The Waterbury Traditional Automatic line is a demonstration of 70s spirit in miniature. Combining a clean everyday look with enough sporty vintage flair to attract attention, the new Timex The Waterbury Traditional Automatic far exceeds its looks and value in both finish and style.
While previous versions of the Timex The Waterbury Traditional Automatic utilized a 42mm case with a narrow bezel reminiscent of pilot's watches, the new model has downsized to a more comfortable 40mm diameter with a heftier and sportier shape. The overall form remains simple, with traditional tapered lugs for a sports watch and a wide beveled bezel, but Timex uses this simplicity to its advantage. The case lacks decorative lines of symbols, no optical illusions to compress the case on the wrist, and no complex angles or smooth curves. The simplicity of the Waterbury Traditional Automatic is precisely what makes it so versatile and comfortable to wear, while also highlighting Timex's strengths, such as the polished bevel around the bezel and the crown, signed with an intricate vintage logo of the Waterbury brand ancestor. The only weak point here is that due to the simple shape and case height, it may appear a bit dull on the wrist, but this is a kind of nitpicking in this market segment. Timex also brings back the mineral glass display caseback for the Waterbury Traditional Automatic. This is rare for this price range, and while the Miyota movement inside isn't a beauty queen, it still provides a glimpse into the beating heart of a mechanical watch. Given the overall market appeal of this line, it could be an early source of inspiration for young or novice enthusiasts. In line with the sporty everyday vibe of the watch, Timex rates this case at 100 meters of water resistance.
As for overall design trends, the 70s were an exciting era of maximalism, and in an attempt to capture the spirit of the decade, the new Timex The Waterbury Traditional Automatic offers an impressive amount of visual detail without feeling cluttered or overly constructed. Almost every surface here is intended to reflect light differently, from the fluted azure finish of the outer minute track to the light vertical brushing of the main dial surface. A brightly polished accent ring separates them and adds a touch that draws attention to the indices and minute track for easier reading. Speaking of indices, these simple polished elements have a double groove. This gives them a distinctive character but also ensures that the indices reflect light at nearly any angle. The enhanced second hand, adorned with the decorative letter W from the Waterbury Watch Company. Although the use of the Waterbury brand here is more than a bit anachronistic, with the Timex factory plate having been in use by the early 70s, it's a fine example of intricate detail with clean and elementary design. The cool malachite hue of the second hand is also a welcome accent that pairs well with the dark blue dial and represents a glossy counterpoint to the satin-finished surface below. However, such use of color is undermined by the date and day complication at the 3 o'clock mark. With a matching blue set of day and date wheels, this would have been a welcome and functional addition to the dial, but the standard set of black wheels here disrupts the visual flow and feels almost like a hole in the dial. This impression is not helped by the lack of a boundary between the day and date displays. The gap between the two wheels is quite visible, and as a result, it looks more like an unfinished spot on an impressively designed dial than an intentional stylistic choice.
Timex does not confirm the exact identity of the automatic Miyota movement with 21 jewels inside the Timex The Waterbury Traditional Automatic, but the power unit is likely the Miyota 8205. The finishing here is clean and simple, with matte and bead-blasted surfaces, topped with a signature "rotor." High performance and reliability, a 42-hour power reserve, and a speed of 21,600 semi-oscillations per hour.
Like the rest of the watch's design, the strap of the Timex The Waterbury Traditional Automatic looks better than its competitors and will serve you well. The texture of this distressed brown leather strap gives it expressiveness, and the color smoothly contrasts with the cool blue and green tones of the dial. Timex also adds quick-release spring bars here, simplifying strap changes and allowing for experimentation with different strap types.
Embodying the colorful and charismatic spirit of the current 70s watch revival, the Timex The Waterbury Traditional Automatic creates a fun and versatile summer wristwatch fashion for everyday wear that belies its humble origins. The Timex The Waterbury Traditional Automatic will be available through authorized retailers and the brand's e-commerce platform in June 2021 at a manufacturer's suggested retail price: $259 USD.