Timex revives quirky 1976 watch inspired by a rotary telephone

Timex has brought back one of its quirkier designs from its archives. The new Timex 1976 Rotary Phone Dial Reissue revives a watch originally released five decades ago, complete with a dial inspired by the circular layout of an old rotary telephone from back in the day. A new SKU, TW2Y82100, is now available in the US and UK, with no sign of it on the EU store yet.

Its black dial is the obvious highlight, with each numeral set inside its own polished gold-tone frame, set against a white background and arranged around the dial to resemble the number positions on a rotary phone. Timex pairs the layout with a twin porthole day-date display at 3 o'clock.

Furthermore, the new Timex 1976 Rotary Phone Dial Reissue comes with a 37 mm gold-tone stainless-steel case measuring 43 mm lug-to-lug and 12 mm thick. It weighs 51.02 g and is topped by an acrylic crystal. Inside is a battery-powered quartz movement using an SR920SW cell, which should typically last a few years between replacements. It has 50 metres of water resistance, so you probably should avoid getting it wet. 

Timex finishes the TW2Y82100 with a 20 mm brown leather strap embossed with a crocodile-grain pattern. The strap uses quick-release spring bars and leather sourced through the Leather Working Group. Timex says the band can be adjusted to fit wrist circumferences between 150 and 205 mm (5.9 and 8.1 inches).

The watch is currently listed as a new arrival on Timex's US store for $219. It is also available in the UK for £180.