Timex’s Affordable New GMT Dive Watch Feels Like a Missed Opportunity

With a years-long string of acclaimed enthusiast-aimed releases on its resume, I think Timex has earned the benefit of the doubt.

The brand rarely misses these days, which is why I was a bit surprised that I didn’t immediately fall in love with the new Timex GMT dive watch, the Deepwater Reef 200 GMT.

While I don’t think it’s fair to call the new GMT diver a complete whiff — and the fact that it’s nearly sold out after just a couple of days strongly suggests it would be wrong to do so — the watch does feel to me like a bit of a missed opportunity.

Here’s why.

Timex

Timex Deepwater Reef 200 GMT (Rubber Strap)

• $249 at Timex

Not All Deepwaters Are Created Equal

Last week, just ahead of the release of these new divers, Timex released another dive watch with the Deepwater name. I wrote about that release and called it the best dive watch Timex has ever made. I stand by that.

The Timex Deepwater Reef 200 Titanium Automatic is just what it sounds like: a titanium dive watch powered by an automatic movement (from Miyota) and water-resistant to 200m. It also boasts a sapphire crystal, a stellar design, a wearable 41mm case, a sapphire crystal and a premium rubber strap.

Timex

It’s a hell of a value at under $500, as indicated by the fact that the watch is already sold out.

So when I saw that Timex had made a GMT version of the watch with the same basic design, I initially got excited … until I saw the price. At just $249 on a rubber strap and $269 on a bracelet, it quickly became obvious that the Deepwater Reef 200 GMT was neither titanium nor automatic, and that’s a shame.

Timex

Instead, the watch has a stainless steel case and a non-descript quartz movement. Technically, there’s nothing wrong with either of those specs. Stainless steel is cheaper and heavier than titanium, but some people also prefer its heft, and it’s also more resistant to scratching and has more luster. And, of course, quartz movements, while cheaper than automatics, are also more accurate.

So what’s the problem? Well, to me, Timex had a chance to make a really special GMT dive watch here, something that could serve as a brand flagship and go toe-to-toe with Seiko in the category, just like the Deepwater Reef 200 Titanium Automatic is doing in the dive watch space.

All of the ingredients were right there. The brand already had a great design and the titanium case, and it has recently sourced automatic GMT movements from Miyota and Seiko for other watches, like the recently launched (and very cool) Expedition GMT Titanium Automatic, which, while not a dive watch, is still easily one of the best GMTs at its $549 price point.

Timex

Instead, Timex played it safe by going with steel and quartz and pricing the watch like a Timex of old. Don’t get me wrong, the Deepwater Reef 200 GMT is still a decent watch for the money. It carries over several features from the non-GMT titanium automatic, including the AR-coated sapphire crystal with cyclops date window, Super-LumiNova on the hands, indices and bezel, screw-down crown and caseback, and loopless rubber strap. It even adds a bracelet option, which is lacking on the automatic.

But it still feels a little phoned in, at least compared to the Deepwater Reef 200 Titanium Automatic. Maybe I’m expecting too much from Timex too fast. After all, sub-$300 price points remain the brand’s bread and butter. Still, I always appreciate it when Timex swings for the fences, so hopefully we’ll see a titanium automatic version of the Deepwater Reef 200 GMT in the future.

Timex

Timex Deepwater Reef 200 GMT

Specs

Case Size	41mm
Movement	Quartz GMT
Water Resistance	200m

• $269 at Timex

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