Maybe you've truly never owned a wristwatch. Or maybe, like so many modern folks, you wore one as a kid before the mobile phone was ubiquitous before checking the time meant pulling out your phone, checking the screen, then stashing it again in your bag or pocket. Whatever the case, if you currently don't own a watch and you're looking to change that, we have you covered. From no-frills budget time-tellers to investment-worthy dress watches and even GPS-equipped running watches, Timex offers a truly wide range of affordable and accessible ways to put something practical on your wrist.
Quartz, mechanical or automatic?
Quartz watches are powered by batteries. These watches are generally the most affordable of the three categories, and are also (almost always) the most accurate. Expect to replace your watch battery every three years at the most, depending on who makes the watch and what it's used for. Mechanical watches are hand-winding, so to keep it running accurately you'll have to wind it up every two days or so.
Many owners of mechanical watches report that they enjoy the involvement and the connection they form with the watch as they wind, set and wear it. Automatic watches are typically the most expensive of these three types, due to the cost and difficulty in producing an accurate automatic watch movement. Inside, a weighted rotor swings with gravity and does the winding for you; other than adjusting the time and date occasionally, an automatic watch is easy to wear and maintain.
How big should my watch be?
This is a question that used to be rigidly defined, but the "rules" of watch style have relaxed in recent years- just like most style rules. The best way to answer this question is to measure several watches (in millimeters) across the case, try them on, and assess how you feel about a 36mm field watch versus a 42mm chronograph and anything in between.
For Men
Watches between 36mm and 42mm are easy to wear and just feel right; most guys say that 38-40mm is the sweet spot. Watches that measure 36mm or smaller, like our Marlin Hand-Wound watch at 34mm, tend to be more dressy.
For Women
Wearing a watch over 40mm may feel clunky or uncomfortable; anything down to 25mm is common, with a wide range in between of styles, sizes and shapes. Keep in mind that a watch might "wear large" if it has a small bezel, or even no bezel; a 41mm watch from our Fairfield collection feels large and flat on the wrist compared to the Navi XL Auto, even though they're the exact same diameter. Thickness can also influence how large a watch feels, too, and it pays to consider whether you'll be wearing it on a fabric strap, a leather strap or a metal bracelet.
Our Top Choices For Your First Watch
PLAIN AND SIMPLE: THE TIMEX EASY READER
This classic endures for a reason. Worn by everyone from U.S. presidents to Bill Murray, the versatile Easy Reader now comes in multiple sizes with a few variations in dial style to dress up and down with ease, making it an excellent (and accessible) pick for watch-wearers everywhere.
Our Top Product Recommendations:
Easy Reader Day-Date 35mm | Modern Easy Reader 40mm | Easy Reader 35mm
GOING DIGITAL: THE TIMEX T80 & IRONMAN SERIES
We've been making digital watches since the 1970s, and whether you're looking for a go-to running watch or just a bit of retro-style flair on your wrist, you'll find something to love in the digital collection from Timex.
Our Top Product Recommendations:
T80 34mm Expansion Bracelet | IRONMAN Original 30 Shock | IRONMAN Classic 100
HANGING TOUGH: THE MILITARY & OUTDOOR COLLECTIONS
Timex produced crucial timing equipment for U.S. troops during World War II and at one point was involved in making field watches for the U.S. Marines (that design actually became the modern MK1). Needless to say, we've been doing this for a while. Our sturdy range of outdoor and military-inspired watches, designed to take a licking and keep on ticking, pay homage to our heritage in function-forward watchmaking while integrating the modern, reliable timekeeping tech you would expect from us today. Choose here from the diver-inspired Navi Ocean to an Allied chronograph informed by cockpit instrument panels and many, many more.
Our Top Product Recommendations:
Waterbury Traditional GMT 39mm | MK1 Aluminum 40mm | Q Timex GMT 38mm | Harborside Coast 43mm | Expedition North® Freedive Ocean 46mm
POWERED BY MOTION: MECHANICAL & AUTOMATIC TIMEPIECES
With the reissue of our midcentury-iconic Marlin a few years ago, we brought back our offering of mechanical (hand-winding) and automatic watches after making only quartz watches for decades. Priced accessibly enough for budding enthusiasts and designed to become true classics, these stunning timepieces bridge the gap between casual necessity and formalwear. From the original Marlin's slim and diminutive 34mm presence to the Navi XL Automatic's dive-inspired bold profile and our Giorgio Galli S1 Automatic's smart, soulful look, the range of mechanical and automatic watches now available from Timex will have you looking again and again- even when you already know what time it is.
Our Top Product Recommendations:
Waterbury Traditional Automatic 42mm | Marlin Hand-Wound 34mm | Giorgio Galli S1 Automatic | Navi XL Automatic 41mm
