In 1986, Timex released a new kind of digital watch. It looked different because it was different: purpose-built for runners, it introduced integrated lap memory, top-mounted pushers you could hit mid-stride, and carried our high standard of durability in its DNA. It wasn’t flashy, yet it sold more than 400,000 units in its first year and quickly became a fixture on wrists across America. If you were a teenager in the 1990s, chances are you had one.
For many, the TIMEX® IRONMAN® was there at practice and on the bus ride home. It timed your first mile and your personal bests. It was your first taste of discipline, goals, and progress.
Over the years, new generations introduced modern updates like heart rate monitors, step tracking, and what many still consider its sweetest feature of all: the blue-green electroluminescent INDIGLO® backlight. And while the technology moved forward, the TIMEX® IRONMAN® only continued to grow along with it and set a global standard for endurance athletes.
Four decades later, this undisputed favorite in sports watches still hits the same. It continues to be worn by athletes, coaches, military professionals, and everyday consumers around the world. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the iconic TIMEX® IRONMAN®, and we’re celebrating with a special 40th Anniversary Edition of the iconic original that started it all. A custom-engraved case back marks the moment, while a fun new colorway brings the retro energy of the original forward.
Built for the runners who wore it in the ‘80s and ‘90s and for those just discovering it now, this 40th Anniversary Edition of the TIMEX® IRONMAN® honors the watch that helped define running culture around the world and has been setting the pace ever since.
So, whether it was your first watch back then or you’re strapping one on in 2026 for the very first time, this is your moment to press start.
What happens next is up to you.
