Between a string of solid archive-inspired releases and some super compelling takes on popular luxury silhouettes, Timex keeps finding ways to stay relevant in conversations that most people wouldn’t expect to include a Timex. The latest example is the 1976 Lexington Reissue, a rectangular dress watch that pulls from the brand’s mid-’70s catalog and lands at $149. If the shape looks familiar, that’s because it should.
The design here draws heavily from the Cartier Tank, and there’s really no dancing around that. Timex doesn’t name a specific archival reference for the Lexington, but the silhouette closely mirrors what collectors have identified as the Cavatina, a hand-wound Timex from the same era that originally retailed for around $15 or $16. That’s a fun piece of context when you consider what Cartier charges for the real thing today. The only quartz Tank on leather currently available from Cartier comes in yellow gold at $13,100. So yes, there’s a gap in the market, and Timex is clearly aware of it.
At 21mm wide, 35mm long, and just 8mm thick, the Timex Lexington wears slim and intentional. The case is fully polished with a gold-tone finish, and the fluted crown adds a touch of character that I wasn’t expecting at this price. The silver, vertically brushed dial is a nice surprise too. It features elongated Roman numeral indices printed in black around a railroad minute track, with a vintage Timex wordmark sitting below 12 o’clock as the only text on the dial. The handset is a simple alpha pair with no seconds hand, which keeps the presentation clean and also hides the quartz movement underneath. Cartier does the same thing on its quartz Tank models, so the approach has precedent.
One detail worth calling out is the mineral crystal. It sits raised above the case and flat across the top, giving it the look of the plexiglass crystals you’d find on actual vintage pieces from this era. It’s a small design choice, but it adds more visual depth than a flat, flush crystal would have. The watch comes on a black leather strap with a stamped crocodile pattern. I’m not usually a fan of faux croc, but from what I can tell in press images it doesn’t look too bad. And if it does bother you, Timex includes a quick-release system that makes swapping it out pretty painless.
I think what makes this release interesting is less about whether Timex “copied” the Tank and more about what it says about where the market is right now. Cartier has been on an incredible run, the Tank is arguably hotter than it’s been in decades, and a lot of people who love that look simply aren’t in a position to spend five figures on a dress watch. Timex filling that space at $149 is a practical move, and the archival connection gives it just enough of its own identity to avoid feeling like a pure knockoff. That said, I’d want to see how the finishing holds up in person. Press photos can only tell you so much, and a fully polished gold-tone case at this price point is the kind of thing that could go either way.
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.