Nostalgia is such a powerful and lucrative force — vintage-inspired watches are the hottest genre in watchmaking. I have a hunch it does something to our brains that impairs our faculty of logic. And one brand that has been successfully capitalizing on this phenomenon is Timex. After hits like the Q and Marlin, Timex is back with another piece that draws inspiration from the 1970s. This is the new Q Timex 1978 Reissue.
Judging from its name, the Q Timex 1978 appears to have been inspired by a watch that Timex made in the late 1970s. Unlike the Q Timex that you are familiar with, this new model has a cushion-shaped case and short but prominent lugs. The watch comes with a plain black strap with quick-release springbars. If that’s not to your liking, you’ll be happy to know that lug width is a thoughtful 20mm, which means plenty of third-party strap options.
Case size is a period-correct 37mm, and enhancing its retro looks is a domed acrylic crystal. I can hear the masses moaning, “Acrylic? Not again.” Well, yes, while acrylic is more prone to scratches, I’ll argue that it enhances the vintage vibes of any vintage-inspired watch. Besides, it’s nothing a bit of soft cloth, elbow grease, and Polywatch can’t fix. Water resistance is 50 meters.
The Q Timex 1978 is a slim watch thanks to the quartz movement that’s powering it. What? You didn’t know? It’s written on the silvered dial at 6 o’clock, in bold. At this price, I have no qualms about the watch having a battery-powered movement. Furthermore, it has a functional coin battery hatch that makes it easy for owners to replace the battery on their own.
Speaking of the dial, it’s a wonderfully simple but balanced and coherent design with large easy-to-read indices, bold baton hands, and a clear day-date display at 3 o’clock. Together with that slim vintage-inspired cushion case, the entire package is, I think, seriously well-considered.
Like all other vintage-inspired Timex watches, I suspect what will really seal the deal is the price. I struggle to think of many other handsome vintage-inspired watches for $179 from a brand with cachet. Sure, it’s quartz, but are practicality and functionality really such a bad thing? At least it’s guaranteed to be fairly accurate, and changing batteries will be a cinch. No, like its predecessors, the Q Timex 1978 will surely be one of the hottest watches this year. For more information, visit Timex.com.