One of the Best Affordable Timex Watches in Years Just Got Better

New colors, new complication, new hype.

Published October 15, 2024

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Earlier this year, Timex released one of its most exciting affordable watches in recent memory.

Dubbed the Marlin Jet Automatic, the new model was a sporty dress watch rooted in the Space Age design principles of the 1960s. But instead of being a reissue of a vintage Timex watch from that era, the Marlin Jet was actually a brand-new design.

Chief among the watch’s many distinct features was the crystal: an oversized Hesalite dome that covered not only the dial but the bezel, too, recalling the sapphire crystal seen on TAG Heuer’s popular Carrera Chronograph Glassbox.

I thought it was a damn cool watch, and the public clearly agreed, as the initial Marlin Jet Automatic sold out in a flash. Timex finally restocked the watch in July … and it promptly sold out again.

Now, Timex has brought back the Marlin Jet Automatic once more, but this time in new colors and with a slightly different design. Frankly, it looks like the best iteration yet.

Timex Marlin Jet Automatic Date

$289 at Timex

Tiffany Who?

Timex’s new Marlin Jet houses a different movement compared to the original iteration. (Though, as is often the case with the brand, Timex isn’t offering up specifics on the calibre used.)

Now, instead of featuring a 24-hour counter at 9 o’clock, the watch has a date window at 3. This, to me, is a big improvement. Not only is a date complication a lot more useful than a 24-hour counter that’s tied to the main timekeeping (i.e., you can’t use it to track a second time zone), but it’s also a lot less intrusive and takes up less space on the dial.

That last bit is especially helpful with one of the two new dial colors available, as Timex has launched a robin-egg blue version of the Marlin Jet Automatic.

Although the gorgeous new dial color is arriving a few years after the Tiffany Blue trend peaked in the watch industry, the color remains as gorgeous as ever even if it’s no longer the hottest thing around.

The other new dial color is also attractive but far less eye-catching. It’s a sort of smoky-tan color that Timex refers to as “Wheat,” and it offers plenty of retro vibes to go along with the rest of the watch’s mid-century design.

Speaking of which, that design is the same as before, with the crosshair dial, retro hands and applied indices, repeating concentric circle patterns and, of course, that big ol’ Hesalite dome all returning.

timex watch with a tan dial — If the blue version is too loud for you, the Marlin Jet Automatic in “Wheat” offers a more demure alternative.

Pricing and Availability

The two new Timex Marlin Jet Automatics are both available exclusively on a black perlon strap (the original silver dial came on a blue perlon) and are priced the same as before at $289.

If recent history is any indication, these watches will sell out fast and probably won’t be back for several months, so I suggest pouncing on one now if the new Marlin Jet strikes your fancy.