Timex’s New Retro Watch May Be the Best Ultra-Affordable Chronograph You Can Buy

Everyone’s favorite budget brand is dipping into its archives once again.

Published September 3, 2024

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We all know the drill by now.

Timex rummages through its archives of 1960s and ’70s releases, digs up a forgotten banger of a design and uses it as a template for a knockout modern watch sold for a price so low it seems like a misprint.

But just because we’re all familiar with modern Timex’s M.O., that doesn’t mean we still don’t get excited every time the brand fires off a new retro release.

Timex Legacy Tonneau Chronograph

$229 at Timex

The Timex Legacy Tonneau Chronograph

The latest Timex is the Legacy Tonneau Chronograph, an ultra-affordable motorsports chronograph that takes direct inspiration from some of the brand’s 1970s racing chrono offerings.

The most striking feature of the new watch has to be the case. The 42mm stainless steel case has a distinct tonneau or barrel shape that was commonplace in the Me Decade but is rarely seen today. The radial sunburst brushing on the top of the case is another rare detail that hews closely to 1970s watchmaking norms.

The case sides have an abundance of detail I wouldn’t expect to see at this low price point.

Timex

But where the case really sets itself apart is on its side. Here, we see much greater levels of detail and finishing than we would’ve seen on a comparable vintage watch. There’s a nicely signed crown with a corkscrew grip, mirror-polished pump-style pushers, and numerous carved striations in the case that subtly up the automotive vibes.

The dial is pleasantly retro. It’s a black-and-silver reverse panda with the chronograph seconds hand and all three subdial hands executed in bright red. This classic “evil panda” dial is complemented by a color-matched black date window, a black inner tachymeter bezel and a contrasting silver minute track that gives just a hint of Rolex “Paul Newman” Daytona vibes. The Timex logo appears at 3 o’clock to keep the dial’s symmetry intact.

timex chronograph on a mans wrist — The classic “evil panda” dial layout is complemented by thoughtful aesthetic touches like the contrasting minute track and color-matched date disc.

The strap is an interesting and unexpected choice. I would’ve expected a black leather rallye strap here, and I still think that would be my preference for the watch, but Timex has instead opted for a black Tropic-style rubber strap. The strap does look good, even if it’s a style more traditionally seen on dive watches, and Timex says it gives the watch a “sportier edge.” I would agree.

The rest of the watch’s overall specs are nothing to write home about. Water resistance is an okay 50m, the crystal is made of mineral glass, and the movement is Timex’s typical unnamed quartz engine. But the styling of the watch is so on point that none of that really matters — especially once you consider that Timex is only charging 229 bucks for it.

That low price certainly puts the watch in contention for the best ultra-affordable chronograph (read: below $250) on the market. I think it’s considerably nicer looking than the previous colorways of the model that Timex has released before — and the first to draw my attention — and I’d rank it up there with the Q Timex Chronograph and Q Timex Falcon Eye Chronograph as the brand’s best watches in the segment.