Timex Standard 40mm – $89
On the one hand it looks like a affordable/comparatively cheap option if you like the look of Omega’s Seamaster 300 heritage model. Simple dial, old-school “faux-tina” colored indices and hands, Arabic numerals at 12, 3, 6, and 9, big crown, and Timex even borrowed the broad arrow hour and lollipop seconds hands:
You can see where Timex borrowed some style elements.
Please excuse the crummy photoshop job. Fairly certain Omega wasn’t gonna send us a loaner.
On the other hand, it’s nothing more than an inflated baseline $35-weekender, both in terms of price and size. Same case/lugs only larger, and it even has that loud “TICK” so many cheaper Timex movements are stuck with. That TICK is a dealbreaker for some. And this one has it.
Same polished case and wire-style lugs, only bigger. Same TICK, just as loud.
But unlike the Weekender, the Standard costs $50+ more.
There are a few other perks compared to the baseline weekender. That onion style crown is a cool vintage-inspired touch. The two piece fabric strap is comfortable right out of the box thanks to a leather backing. And that strap comes with quick release pins for easy strap change outs. But a two piece strap on wire lugs can look a little funky to some eyes. Like a pocket watch has been adapted for wrist wear. Which is… precisely how wrist watches came to be.
40mm case diameter, 20mm strap.
Case diameter is an easy to wear for most 40mm. Crystal is the expected mineral. Water resistance is a just-fine 50m, which is an upgrade over the splash-resistant-but-that’s-it 30m the cheap Weekender comes with.
Comfortable, leather backed two-piece (not NATO style) strap.
Quick change pins.
The polished case doesn’t really fit the rest of the casual/rugged aesthetic. A brushed option would have looked much better, and probably would have avoided that inflated-Weekender comparison.
Big, onion-style crown.
Operation of that big onion-style crown feels good. Not wiggly, wobbly, or weak. But that may vary from watch to watch. It can on the slip-thru weekenders.
Polished case doesn’t fit with the overall rugged/casual style.
But y’know what it’s got? IT’S GOT INDIGLO BABY:
Have some of THAT, Omega!
It looks good but could look better. The TICK is gonna be a dealbreaker for many. It’s a nice option, but stick with the cheaper Weekender with the slip-thru strap. It’ll save you fifty bucks.
They’re just not that different…
and they certainly sound the same.
