TX Watches – 730 Series Leather $370.01
| 700 Series Stainless $280.38
They’re new, they’re on the upper end of the middle class affordable price range, and they are stunning. But there’s also more to the story.
TX watches are produced by… Timex. Yes, that Timex. The same brand that appears in every single Target and Walmart you’ve ever walked into. A bit of digging around on their press site reveals that they’re part of the Timex Group. And if you jump over to timexgroup.com you can see a long list of brands. Not only do they produce Timex and TX, they also produce Guess watches, Nautica, and timepieces for Versace. That’s a hell of a range.
First, the look. I’ll try to avoid hyperbole here, but… most are nothing short of a perfect blend between sport and refinement. (Translation: They look really, really good.) Especially the 730 Series with the leather strap.. The face and dial on that particular watch have a perfect checker board pattern that’s almost something close to Burberry. Drool worthy. Their ad campaign is quite slick and screams of James Bond:
Now on to the guts. The official word from TX is that these watches were designed in Italy and engineered in Germany. Where they were actually manufactured… who knows. It’s disappointing that the reviews are nothing short of mixed, with a large portion of Amazon purchasers giving the brand three stars. Most of the complaints are about the watch bands, and still many of those reviewers can’t help but comment about how incredibly attractive the pieces are.
So the aesthetics are good. Got it. But can that really carry the brand through its initial bumps? Would you lay down an extra $100 for a watch that is at the top of the style pile, but also carries some potential baggage? Or would you stick with a tried and trusted brand like Citizen or Bulova, that might not look quite as good?
All interesting questions, and certainly a credit to the TX design team for making a lot of us ask.
Take a look at some of the TX Watches below and then if you would answer this: Are they worth the extra cost?
Hmm I’m not sure I’m sold on them. Maybe they must be seen in person, but they look a bit too busy… like they’re trying a bit too hard to cram unique details in. However, I generally prefer minimalism in watches, so perhaps it’s just me. To answer to the question posed, I would pay 100 more or so for that extra style quotient, but for me personally, this wouldn’t be the direction I would go.
I see what you’re saying. They do have a lot going on. And being that this chronograph by Burberry is my current “if I win the lottery” watch, I also like more minimalistic.watches. But there’s just something about these TX’s…
Did the first comment get deleted somehow? I’m not seeing what you’re replying to, but it sounds like someone who thinks a lot like me. They’re just a little busy for my taste. I would probably think either of these was pretty cool if I saw someone else wearing one, but I’m not sure that I’d want to own one myself, or at least spend my own money on one. I’m not saying that Timex doesn’t make a good watch, but I think you’d have to really be in love with the way it looks to spend $370 on a Timex considering all the other options you have once you get into that price range.
Uhhhh. Yeah, that’s weird. The comment was about how they’re a little busy and he preferred the minimalist. Well anyway… I don’t know if I’d drop that much on one, but… I still think they look great. (And I’d be more than happy to wear one…)
UPDATE FOR EVERYONE: Found it (it being the comment) the first comment by Ben got lost in the shuffle. How the hell could I ever dream of running a watch with that many options, when I can’t even manage this little old website??
Well, I’ll add my 2 cents. The watches look cool, but I agree they are a bit busy. Also super expensive. I don’t think I could spend that much money on a watch unless it was really classy looking and for special occasions.
That said, it isn’t right to hold anything against it or assume baggage because it is a Timex. It’s the same thing with cars. Acura is owned by Honda for instance, and it is that way with many of the luxury car lines in one way or another. These “TX” watches do not look like they have any actual Timex branding on them, and 99% of the population would have no idea they are Timexes. Timex probably produces watches of all level of quality and luxury, as evident in the number of companies they produce for, and just puts them out to different price points and demographics. Buying one of these TX watches is like buying an Acura, while buying one of their Walmart brands is like buying a Honda Civic or something.