From humble beginnings dating back to the early aughts, HYPEBEAST has transformed itself into a booming multimedia company that lives at the forefront of global culture. In the years since the internet's infancy, the brand has become one of the leading online destinations for contemporary fashion and streetwear; it showcases the latest in style, art, and design by way of gripping editorial content and an expansive online store frequented by audiences around the globe. "When HYPEBEAST first started writing about things like collaborations and luxury fashion's blending of urban culture, the world was still new to the concept," says HYPEBEAST Senior Editor Ambrose Leung. Fast-forward to today, and it's become the norm. They've covered it all- from newly established brands to the most high-end on the market. And today, we're honored to announce the launch of the Timex® x HYPEBEAST M79 Fuchsia Automatic: a vintage-inspired version of the watchmaker's workhorse, the Timex M79.
"When it comes to wearability, Timex is one of those brands that sticks out. The watch we created is something that we would want to wear. It is both functional and it looks good." HYPEBEAST Founder Kevin Ma
Of course, a collaboration with one of the most influential arbiters of fashion required a construction that could hold its weight. The M79 was a no-brainer. A fresh interpretation of a beloved icon, the Timex M79 is the mechanical successor of the Q Timex (the "M" represents Mechanical and "79" the year of the Q's release). And like its predecessor, this collaborative timepiece showcases a classic sport watch design, featuring a domed acrylic crystal, unidirectional bezel, luminous hands, and exhibition case back. A stainless-steel H-link bracelet drives its sporty aesthetic home, while the 21-jewel Miyota automatic movement ticking inside provides the power. At 40mm in diameter, it's a modern watch that still manages to capture the spirit of a transformative era- one that Leung himself acknowledges.
In his words, "the Timex x HYPEBEAST M79 is based on a model that was right there during the quartz crisis and challenged a lot of watches that were much more expensive. There's just so much value in [this watch]. It carries a lot of what we hope our readers take away from the HYPEBEAST site's discovery, education, and history." Leung continues, "The watch beckons consumers to dive a little deeper into the product and learn more about the story and vision behind it." The plot to this particular story thickens, especially when we consider the inspiration behind the timepiece's unique fuchsia and navy colorway. "Not only is the color combination a chance to maintain the ongoing theme of incorporating our navy into our collaborative releases," Leung explains, "but it's also a play on one of the more interesting variations of a classic dive watch." The fuchsia, which of course nods to the Rolex GMT reference 1675, pays respect to the obscurities found within the world of vintage watches. Leung continues, "Mainly from the 1950s-1970s, bezel fading occurred when certain (now considered defective) paints were used, which resulted in a number of imperfections when exposed to UV light from the sun over a long period of time. The pink hue in this watch mimics a bold red that has been subjected to years of sunlight, resulting in a washed fuchsia color, while navy has been one of our signature colors since the beginning of HYPEBEAST."
The details don't stop there. At the three o'clock position lays the day/date indicator with a Chinese/English date wheel, which replaces the English/French version found on previous models. Yet another thrilling feature, this bilingual window pays homage to the rare, region-specific date wheels that occasionally crop up at auctions. "We wanted to encapsulate that feeling of landing on an interesting reference without having to bid on one," explains Leung. While close examination of this watch reveals plenty of Easter eggs, if you will. the Timex x HYPEBEAST M79 keeps many signature details of the original, celebrating not only the histories of both brands, but also the greater watch world as a whole. What more could it possibly have in store?
Shop this limited-edition timepiece on HBX to find out.
