Timex offers a little bit of something for everyone, which is one of the reasons I am such a big fan of the brand. The breadth of Timex's line of products is astounding; it includes everything from digital sports watches made from plastic to classically styled analogue watches with mechanical movements. Although the bulk of Timex's clients are made up of the general public or ‘watch-casuals’, it also caters heavily to the collector and enthusiast market with a wide range of distinct models that follow current watch trends. A good example is the new Timex Expedition North Titanium Automatic, which, despite being made by the best-selling watch company in the US, is exactly the kind of timepiece currently being developed by some of the industry's most enthusiast-driven microbrands.
The Timex Expedition North Titanium Automatic - Image credit Timex.
Following the current watch trend the new Timex Expedition North Titanium Automatic comes with a bead-blasted titanium case, measuring 41mm in diameter by 12.5mm in thickness. The watch has an anti-reflective sapphire crystal over the dial, and it has a signature screw-down winding crown with a green mountain logo together with an exhibition-style caseback that combined offers consumers a generous 200 metres of water resistance. The Timex Expedition North Titanium Automatic is advertised as being shock-resistant, featuring a titanium pin clasp and quick-release spring bars for its 20mm Ecco DriTan leather strap.
The Timex Expedition North Titanium Automatic - Image credit Timex.
A date window is situated at the 3 o'clock position on the matte black dial of the Timex Expedition North Titanium Automatic. The words "Timex" and "Automatic" are visible below the mountain logo that replaces the 12 o'clock marker, while the words "Titanium" and the watch's depth rating are displayed on the lower half of the dial. Three centrally positioned tapered baton hands, finished in white with black centres to give them a slight floating effect, display the time. The dial's bottom, between the hour marker at 6 o'clock and the outer minute track, reads "Shock Resistant"as you would expect from a professional field watch. The hands and markings are also lumed with a luminous coating.
The Timex Expedition North Titanium Automatic - Image credit Timex.
The Timex Expedition North Titanium Automatic is powered by what looks to be a Miyota 8xxx series automatic movement that works at a frequency of 21,600vph and has a power reserve of roughly 42 hours. Although Miyota's entry-level range of movements is the Cal. 8xxxx series, it nevertheless benefits from a hacking and hand-winding function, in addition to a quickset option for the date display. The Miyota 8xxx series is, first and foremost, known for its reliability, and a variation of this movement can be found inside countless other watches from a wide range of brands throughout the watch world, despite the fact that it is largely undecorated and won't be winning any awards for its precision or intricate finishing. This movement makes great sense as a tough field watch priced on the lower end of the spectrum, and it can be easily repaired or even outright replaced, if necessary, by nearly any watch repair shop.
The Timex Expedition North Titanium Automatic, with an official retail price of £329, is a step up from the brand's standard products. After all, Timex often offers watches for considerably less than £100. Nevertheless, the new model unquestionably provides good value for money, especially when you consider that you are getting a shock-resistant automatic watch from one of the most renowned watch manufacturers in America with a titanium case, sapphire crystal, screw-down crown, and 200 metres of water resistance. If you would like to find out more about the Timex Expedition North Titanium Automatic, you can check it out on the Timex website.
