In the current materials arms race sweeping across the watch industry, one of the most unique and eco-friendly concepts to emerge is the implementation of reclaimed ocean plastics. Over the past several years, usage of ocean-sourced recycled plastic for cases and dials has spread across the industry, spearheaded in many cases by Swiss plastic reclamation specialist #tide. Timex is the latest brand to jump aboard the reclaimed ocean plastic trend, with a new series of affordable, classic styles in bright and appealing colors. With summery colorways, handsome details, and an environmentally conscious core message, the new Timex Waterbury Ocean series brings the ocean-sourced plastic trend to a new, democratic segment of the watch market.
Available in both 37mm-wide and 42mm-wide sizes, the reclaimed ocean plastic cases of the Timex Waterbury Ocean line follow a classic profile in images. The overall shape should be familiar to enthusiasts, with tapering athletic lugs, an unguarded stainless steel pillbox crown, and a broad fluted bezel, but Timex’s novel material reframes this shape in a new, more casual light. The reclaimed plastic material itself, manufactured by #tide, is smoothly matte in images with a dynamic array of lighter flecks adding complexity to the darker base hue. Although initial images are limited to models in navy blue and a lighter sky blue, the brand has also announced case variants in gray and pink. Despite the maritime materials and oceanic inspiration, however, Timex rates the Waterbury Ocean series for a disappointing 30 meters of water resistance.
Like the cases, the dials of the Timex Waterbury Ocean collection keep the overall look simple and classical, with clean, bright highlights. The dial surfaces themselves match the colorways and textures of their respective cases for an attractively cohesive monochrome look in images. Timex tops these surfaces with elemental polished baton hands and matching faceted applied indices. With only two lines of dial text and a symmetrical no-date layout, the brand dedicates as much visual real estate as possible to preserving the visual texture of the plastic material, while keeping the design light and airy in images.
Timex powers the Waterbury Ocean collection with an unspecified quartz movement. While details on the powerplant are scarce, the brand’s quartz options have traditionally offered solid, affordable performance, albeit with a notoriously loud ticking sound. To complete each colorway, Timex fits the Waterbury Ocean models with three-link oyster-style bracelets in case-matching reclaimed ocean plastic, preserving the overall trendy monochrome look in images.
With classic styling, charming colorways, and innovative, environmentally conscious materials, the new Timex Waterbury Ocean collection should be a popular way to bring reclaimed ocean materials to a broad new segment of the watch market. The Timex Waterbury Ocean series is available now through authorized dealers. MSRP for each model in the Timex Waterbury Ocean line stands at $99 as of press time. For more details, please visit the brand’s website.
