Arguably the most significant release from Timex in recent years has been the Q Timex from 2019 that faithfully reimagines one of the brand’s quartz-powered sports watch from 1979. While the original revival model offered quick access to a secondary time zone with its rotating blue and red bezel, Timex has expanded upon the modern Q platform over the years and now offers the collection in a number of different designs and configurations. The latest release from the brand for 2023 is the Q Timex Three Time Zone Chronograph, which pairs a set of independently adjustable hour hands with a quartz chronograph movement and a rotating 12-hour bezel to create a highly practical (and affordable) timepiece that promises quite a lot of travel-ready functionality for what is still very much a budget-friendly price.
The case of the new Q Timex Three Time Zone Chronograph is crafted from stainless steel and measures 40mm in diameter by 11.5mm-thick, with 18mm lugs and a rotating 12-hour bezel. A mineral glass crystal sits above the dial, while a screw-on caseback is fitted to the reverse side of the watch with a separate hatch for the battery that can be opened by using the edge of a coin or your finger. A signed crown flanked by a pair of pushers offers access to the quartz chronograph movement, while water resistance comes in at a fairly standard 50 meters, although I would have zero hesitations about wearing the Q Timex Three Time Zone Chronograph for a quick swim considering that the brand considers 50 meters to be suitable for “washing hands, light swimming, snorkeling, and poolside diving” (based upon the literature available on its official website).
At the time of launch, Timex offers the Q Timex Three Time Zone Chronograph with the option of either a black, white, or green dial, and while the standard models are fitted with black rubber straps, the black and white dial variants are also available with the option of a stainless steel flat-link bracelet. Regardless of dial color, all of the new Q Timex Three Time Zone Chronograph watches are fitted with black 12-hour bezels, and while the rubber straps are completed by standard stainless steel pin buckles, the metal bracelet features a folding clasp with a double push-button release. Additionally, while the rubber straps appear to be fitted with standard spring bars that are accessible via cutouts on the underside (aka the normal method), the stainless steel bracelet attaches to the case with quick-release spring bars, meaning that it can easily be swapped out without the use of any tools.
The layout of the dials for the Q Timex Three Time Zone Chronograph watches all feature three registers in a 6-9-12 formation, with a date window at 4:30. The register at 12 o’clock displays a 24-hour representation of the time in the reference time zone, while the register at 9 o’clock is a 60-minute totalizer for the chronograph. Meanwhile, the register at 6 o’clock measures seconds, as does the centrally mounted seconds hand, although it’s not quite clear which one is the seconds totalizer for the chronograph, and which one is the running seconds for the time (as both are moving during the various promotional videos for the watch). Other than listing the movement as a quartz chronograph, Timex doesn’t specify which caliber is used to power the new Q Timex Three Time Zone Chronograph, so this is likely one that I will want to get my hands on in the metal to flush out some of the finer details about its functionality.
At the center of the dial are four hands, with two independently adjustable hour hands for displaying the time. After emailing Timex to clarify their functionality, it has been confirmed that the two centrally-mounted hour hands are both 12-hour hands and that the 24-hour time displayed by the sub-dial at 12 o’clock is linked to the thin arrow-tipped hour hand, which allows it to serve as an AM/PM indicator for reference time. Therefore, two time zones can be displayed by the pair of centrally-mounted independently adjustable hour hands, while the third time zone can be quickly accessed by rotating the 12-hour bezel to correspond with the number of hours offset from the reference time zone.
What still remains unclear about the functionality of the new Q Timex Three Time Zone Chronograph is whether the date is linked to the local time (the Mercedes style hour hand) or the reference time (the thin arrow-tipped hour hand). Similarly, it’s also unclear which of the two hour hands can be adjusted independently, and whether this feature takes the place of a quickset for the date (like on a Rolex GMT-Master II), or if the hour hand and date are set in opposite directions, such as on “caller” style GMT movements like the ETA 2893 or Seiko NH34. Despite emailing with Timex to clarify certain aspects about the watch’s core features, I still have some remaining questions about the finer points of its functionality, so I will definitely try to get my hands on a sample of the new Q Timex Three Time Zone Chronograph to put it through its paces for a proper hands-on review.
While it may offer a wealth of travel-oriented functionality, the new Q Timex Three Time Zone Chronograph is still a battery-powered quartz timepiece that is made by the number-one selling watch brand in America, and as such, it is firmly priced on the affordable end of the spectrum. With an official retail price of $219 USD when purchased on a rubber strap, or $239 USD should buyers opt for the stainless steel bracelet, the new Q Timex Three Time Zone Chronograph is less expensive than a MoonSwatch, while simultaneously offering significantly more functionality and a more elevated on-wrist experience. Provided that the various features are implemented in a local and efficient manner, this new model may be a contender for the perfect budget-friendly travel watch for summer, although I will have to reserve my final judgments until I get a chance to check one out in the metal and flush out some of the finer details of its operation. For more information on the Q Timex Three Time Zone Chronograph watch, please visit the brand’s website.
