I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before, but there are times when I’ll see a press release for a new watch and swear to myself that it already exists, and some glitch in the Matrix has caused an old email to be re-sent to me as if it were new. In the case of the new Timex Q Chronograph, that very thought occurred to me for a few reasons. First, the Q has been an insanely popular hit for Timex. The retro styling feels very authentic to the brand in a way that others can’t necessarily match, and the torrent of Q releases over the last few years is evidence that people are hungry for quartz watches in this style at a Timex price point, and with a GMT in the Q lineup, a chronograph is just not much of a surprise. Secondly, the sporty nature of the Q’s angular case shape would seem to lend itself to a chronograph execution. This is a watch that conjures stealth and speed, among other things, so it’s kind of surprising it took this long to get to something overtly racing inspired.
Like other watches in the Q collection, this one is inspired by watch designs coming out of the 1970s, which in this case means a cushion style case with hidden lugs and sharp angles. The case measures 40mm in diameter and is outfitted with pump style pushers at 2:00 and 4:00, and a black tachymeter bezel circles the dial. And, of course, the caseback features an old school battery hatch that’s become something of a Q trademark and really makes it feel authentically like something from a prior generation.
Two dial variants are available, classic panda and reverse panda configurations. The dial here has a slightly different feel from other Q watches, and not just because of the chronograph layout. There’s a business to the design that isn’t present in the standard Q, which I think can be attributed to the very large “Q” branding at 12:00, taking the place of a traditional hour marker or numeral. It’s actually a somewhat bold design choice on what is otherwise a fairly traditional dial layout.
The Timex Q Chronograph comes mounted to a leather strap, but if you choose the black dialed version with white sub registers you also have the option of a bracelet. The bracelet was a large part of the appeal on the original Q reissue, largely for its fidelity to bracelets from the 70s and 80s, but the chronograph looks at home on a strap to my eye. Other specs on the Q Chronograph include 50 meters of water resistance and a mineral crystal, which while true to the heritage of the watch might understandably result in some enthusiasts losing interest if sapphire is a requirement.
The retail price on the Q Chronograph is $219 on a bracelet, and $199 on a strap. It’s available right now through the Timex website. Timex
