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Timex Watches: A Buying Guide

Timex Watches: A Buying Guide

Timex has made affordable watches in Connecticut since the nineteenth century, and its range now runs from a $77 Weekender to automatic Marlins. Here is what each line is for and which models we would buy.

By Michael Chen

Watch 101 and Brands Editor

October 9, 2026·4 min read

Prices checked October 9, 2026Compared across brandsHow we choose

A white church steeple and clapboard buildings in a small New England town — Small town New England

Timex traces its history to the Waterbury Clock Company, founded in Connecticut in 1854, and for most of the twentieth century it was the watch American families actually bought. Its old television slogan, which still appears on Timex's site, says it takes a licking and keeps on ticking. The brand today is two things at once. One half is the inexpensive everyday watch, the Weekender and Easy Reader, sold for under $100 in department stores and pharmacies across the country. The other half is a design studio that has spent the last decade reissuing its own back catalog, Q Timex quartz watches from the 1970s and Marlin mechanicals from the 1960s, at prices up to around $300. Both halves are worth knowing. Prices here are from Timex's US store.

Watch Index · prices checked October 9, 2026

The watches in this guide, ranked

Every watch this guide mentions, ranked by Value Score or by what one watch costs today with each store's current offer counted.

Under $100: Weekender, Easy Reader and Expedition

These three lines are the Timex most people picture, and they share a few habits: a quartz movement, a case of 38 to 40mm, a strap rather than a bracelet, and Indiglo, the electroluminescent dial light you trigger by pressing the crown.

Weekender. The Timex Weekender 38mm at $77 is the casual one, with a slip through fabric strap that you can change in seconds without tools. It is light enough to forget you are wearing it.
Easy Reader. The Timex Easy Reader 38mm at $77 is the classic, with large numerals on a white dial and a leather strap. It is a deliberately plain watch, and it is the one to buy for someone who wants to tell the time and nothing else.
Expedition. The Timex Expedition Scout 40mm at $95 is the field watch: a 40mm case, a date, an arrow tipped second hand and both 12 and 24 hour scales on the dial. Of the three, it is the one we would pick, and it appears in our guide to the best field watches.

The limits are clear enough. These are inexpensive watches, with mineral crystals and straps that will need replacing within a few years of daily wear. For the price, that is fair.

Waterbury: the bridge between the two halves

Named after the town where Timex started, the Waterbury line is a step up in finish without a jump in price. The Timex Waterbury Classic 40mm at $149 has a 40mm case, a leather strap and the stylized W of the old Waterbury Watch Company on the dial and second hand. It is the Timex we would suggest as an inexpensive dress watch, and the line also includes chronographs, moon phases and, at the top, Waterbury Heritage automatics.

Q Timex: the 1970s reissues

Q Timex is the line that changed how enthusiasts see the brand. It brings back Timex quartz designs from the 1970s, often with steel bracelets and the original dial details. The Timex Q Continental 39mm at $179 is a 39mm steel watch with a day and date and a bracelet that flows into the case, and it is one of the least expensive integrated bracelet watches from an established brand. The Q Timex Chronograph 40mm at $259 draws on racing watches of the period, and the Q Timex 1975 Digital Reissue at $169 reissues an early LCD digital in a steel case with a brushed top and polished sides. For a two time zone version, the Timex Marlin Quartz GMT 40mm at $249 sits in the Marlin line.

Marlin: Timex's mechanical watches

The Marlin started as a 1960s Timex dress watch, and the modern line keeps that slim, rounded look. Two models stand out. The Timex Marlin 1965 Reissue Hand Wound 34mm at $259 is a 34mm reissue with a hand wound mechanical movement: you wind the crown each morning, and there is something pleasing about that ritual. The Timex Marlin Automatic 40mm at $299 uses a 21 jewel automatic in a 40mm case on leather, and it competes directly with the cheapest automatics from Seiko. If you are deciding between the two, our guide to the Seiko 5 Sports and its alternatives compares them.

Which Timex should you buy?

Line	Model	Price*	Movement	Buy it for
Weekender	Timex Weekender 38mm	$77	Quartz	Casual wear, strap swapping
Easy Reader	Timex Easy Reader 38mm	$77	Quartz	Legibility above all
Expedition	Timex Expedition Scout 40mm	$95	Quartz	A field watch for every day
Waterbury	Timex Waterbury Classic 40mm	$149	Quartz	An inexpensive dress watch
Q Timex	Timex Q Continental 39mm	$179	Quartz	A steel bracelet watch with a 1970s look
Marlin	Timex Marlin 1965 Reissue Hand Wound 34mm	$259	Hand wound	A small, traditional mechanical
Marlin	Timex Marlin Automatic 40mm	$299	Automatic	A first automatic on leather

*as listed on each brand's US website, October 2026

Timex's US store lists a one year warranty and returns within 30 days of purchase. That warranty is shorter than Seiko's or Citizen's, which is worth weighing on the more expensive Marlin and Q Timex models. For a wider view of this budget, see the best watches under $200.

A racing chronograph on steel for less

The Q Timex Chronograph is one of the more appealing watches in the range, but at $259 it is near the top of the line. If the racing look is what you want and the name on the dial matters less, the Lucky Fours Vantage has a black tachymeter bezel, a white panda dial and a steel bracelet for $129.99. It is a quartz watch like the Q Timex, built in 316L stainless steel, and a reasonable style alternative rather than a replacement for Timex's heritage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Timex watches good quality?

For what they cost, yes. The cheaper lines are simple quartz watches with brass or steel cases and straps you can swap, and the Marlin and Q Timex reissues are carefully designed revivals of the brand's own 1960s and 1970s watches. Timex's US warranty is one year, shorter than the Japanese brands.

What is the best Timex for under $100?

The Timex Expedition Scout 40mm at $95 if you want a field watch, or the Timex Weekender 38mm at $77 if you want the lightest, simplest option. Both have the Indiglo night light.

Does Timex make automatic watches?

Yes. The Timex Marlin Automatic 40mm at $299 uses a 21 jewel automatic movement, and the Marlin Jet and Waterbury Heritage lines have automatics too. The Marlin also comes as a hand wound reissue.

Is Timex better than Casio?

They are good at different things. We compare them in Casio vs Timex.

About the Author

Michael Chen

Michael Chen covers automatic watches, watch brands and Watch 101 for WatchesUnder: how movements work, how to size and care for a watch, and how the affordable brands compare. Prices in his guides are checked against each brand's own website.