I still remember scoffing when Timex first dropped a “Swiss-made” watch. Not out of snobbery but it was more like reflex. A $200 quartz watch with INDIGLO has been a gateway into collecting for so many, and now they wanted us to take them seriously at five times the price? It felt like running into your high school friend in a tux. Just, weird. Now they’ve gone even further.
The new Timex Atelier Marine M1a is a full-on Swiss-made automatic diver, priced at $950 on rubber or $1050 on bracelet, and it’s the first release under Timex’s new Atelier label. The brand is calling this a continuation of the Giorgio Galli series, but that doesn’t quite do it justice.
At a glance, it’s pretty reserved: 41mm stainless steel case, enamel dial, skeletonized midcase with iron plating, and a ceramic bezel that looks technical with a touch of luxury. There’s real effort here—signed crown, silver-applied indices, and a Catena SA100 automatic movement decorated with Geneva stripes and perlage. It’s not too flashy, but the details build up as you look longer. Giorgio Galli, who’s still the design mind behind all this, said the Marine M1a was “not designed to impress at a glance.” That tracks.
Tool watch fans will notice the 200 meters of water resistance, screw-down crown, and sapphire crystal with triple AR coating, which makes this more than just a desk diver. And while it’s not the kind of thing you’d expect to see on someone’s wrist during a beach trip, it could handle it.
The bracelet carries over the self-adjustable link system from the S2Ti—an actually clever bit of engineering that lets you resize the watch without tools. And there’s a black NBR rubber strap option with a butterfly clasp if you want something more sporty.
But let’s not pretend this isn’t a gamble. A thousand-dollar Timex? Even with a ceramic bezel and Swiss pedigree, that’s a leap for most collectors. Still, it’s a confident one. The brand isn’t trying to shed its image so much as stretch it. And while the Marine M1a isn’t screaming for attention, it’s the kind of watch that might grow on you—the way some of us eventually made peace with paying over $200 for a quartz Timex just a few years ago. Never forget how badly we gobbled up some of those hyped-up limited editions.
I probably won’t buy this. But I’m paying attention.
Co-Founder & Senior Editor
Michael Peñate is an American writer, photographer, and podcaster based in Seattle, Washington. His work typically focuses on the passage of time and the tools we use to connect with that very journey. From aviation to music and travel, his interests span a multitude of disciplines that often intersect with the world of watches – and the obsessive culture behind collecting them.
I withhold interest in this watch until I know more about the “swissness” of the watch, from where the parts are made and their quality of manufacture to the movement and its “swiss pedigree”. There are some nicely done dive watches out there in this price range as it is.