CheckMag | Sub-$100 Timex watches with style as well as substance

Timex has been a pretty familiar name in the affordable-watch market for a while now. Founded in 1854 (as the Waterbury Clock Company) and now a global brand, Timex has a reputation for "quality watches at a reasonable price". Even its classic slogan - "It takes a licking and keeps on ticking" - is self-explanatory. In today’s sub-$100 segment, Timex competes with the likes of Casio and Citizen, but each brand brings different strengths. Casio basically pioneered cheap digital technology (its 1974 Casiotron was one of the first LCD-wristwatch calculators) and has a huge fanbase who go crazy for their G-Shocks. Citizen, meanwhile, is famed for Eco-Drive solar calibers and solid sports/diver watches (the Promaster diver is "one of the best ISO-compliant" budget dive watches on the market).

By contrast, Timex is more analog and classic. Its priorities are legible dials (often with 12/24-hour scales), user-friendly Indiglo night-light backlighting, and reliable quartz movements in heritage-inspired cases. Consumers generally see Timex as an "American heritage" label that has a broad style variety and dependability for the money. The watches below shed some light on Timex’s range - from field and dress styles to digital sport models - each a strong value under $100.

Timex Weekender Chronograph

The Weekender Chronograph (curr. $80 on Amazon) is a casual, field-inspired analog watch with a built-in stopwatch. Its ivory dial features three subdials (for elapsed seconds, minutes, and 1/20th seconds) arranged at 2, 6, and 10 o’clock. The Arabic hour markers are bold and surrounded by a 24-hour scale, and the date is tucked discreetly at 4:30. Uniquely for its price, the dial can be fully lit by Timex’s Indiglo night-light on demand. A tan leather NATO-style strap and brushed-brass case give the whole watch a rugged look. At roughly $80, this Watchender Chronograph packs plenty of features (date, chronograph, Indiglo) into a sub-$100 package.

Timex T80 (Digital Retro)

The Timex T80 (curr. $59 on Amazon) is a retro-styled digital watch that pays homage to Timex’s first 1980s LCD models. Its vintage feel is due to the compact stainless-steel case and seven-link bracelet. The LCD screen displays time, date, and a simple animated graphic. Behind the scenes, it’s a modern quartz digital unit: four push-buttons on the case operate a 1/1000-second chronograph (stopwatch), customizable alarms, and a month/day/date calendar, all of which are readable on a green Indiglo backlit display. (There are even special editions with Pac-Man graphics on the dial.) The T80’s standout feature is its faithful retro look combined with useful functions. For about $70, it offers the charm of a classic Casio-style digital watch plus Timex reliability – excellent utility at a low cost.

Timex Ironman Original (Digital Sport)

The Timex Ironman (roughly $50-70, curr. $48 on Amazon) is a purpose-built sport watch that’s become a legend in its own right. Housed in a resin case, it’s water-resistant to 200 meters and uses a large digital display with big digits for easy reading. The Ironman offers all the training tools a runner or triathlete might need: a stopwatch with lap/split timing, a countdown timer, daily/weekday/weekend alarms, and even a 99-lap counter with a 30-lap memory recall. Its Indiglo backlight is great for visibility in low light, and buttons on the front clearly label "Start/Split" and "Stop/Reset" for simple use. Famously worn by President Clinton and endorsed for its toughness, the Ironman’s features (including that unbeatable 200m rating) were once certified even by NASA for spaceflight. In short, for around $70 you get a fully loaded athletic digital watch – a bargain compared to multi-hundred-dollar fitness watches.

Timex Expedition Scout (Field)

The Expedition Scout (curr. $50 on Amazon) is Timex’s classic field-watch design, updated for today. It looks at first like a beefed-up Weekender: a 40mm brass case (matte finish) with a traditional 12/24-hour military-style dial. On closer inspection, you’ll find vintage-style syringe hour and minute hands (filled with lume) and a useful date window at 3 o’clock. The Scout’s case and bezel are wider, and its lugs are slightly shorter, giving it more of a contemporary look. Most importantly for everyday usefulness, the dial is clean and very legible, and it glows bright blue-green under Indiglo illumination. A sturdy fabric (or leather) strap completes the whole look. With 50m water resistance and Timex reliability, the Expedition Scout gets you the essential utility of a true field watch for just ~$70.

Timex Standard Sub-Second (Dress)

The Standard Sub-Second (approximately $99) is Timex’s take on a simple dress watch with a vintage look to it. It features a polished brass case and a silvery white dial bordered by an old-school railroad-track minute marker. The hour is indicated by slender baton hands and clean Arabic numerals. Uniquely, instead of a regular second hand, the watch has a small seconds subdial at 6 o’clock (hence the name) with a contrasting sunray finish. This model often comes on a honey-brown leather band made from an apple-leather material. In terms of design, the Standard Sub-Second punches well above its weight - at just under $100 you get a watch that looks far more expensive, has classic dress styling and solid build quality at this price.