The Timex Atelier line has been one of the more interesting developments in the brand’s recent history, and it just got a little bigger. Timex has announced two new chronograph references, the Chronograph Automatic M1a Ti and the Chronograph Quartz M1q, both designed by Giorgio Galli. That brings the total collection to six references, alongside the existing Diver and GMT models.
The two-register chronograph is a first for the Atelier line, and the execution looks consistent with what the collection has been building toward. Both models feature matte black dials, silver subdials, and high-polished silver hands. The M1a Ti is a 42mm titanium case with a stainless steel middle and black IP coating, paired with a Landeron L72 automatic at 4Hz and a 43-hour power reserve.
The M1q is a 40mm skeletonized stainless steel case with guilloché dial texture, a date at 6, and a Swiss Ronda 5021D quartz movement inside. Both get a fixed tachymeter bezel and a double-domed sapphire crystal with triple-layer AR coating. The design language is consistent across the two, with the main visual split being the flat matte dial on the automatic versus the textured guilloché on the quartz.
What Timex has been doing with the Atelier line is pretty clear: it’s a deliberate push into a design-forward, mid-to-upper tier that the brand historically hasn’t occupied. The Giorgio Galli connection gives the collection a coherent identity, and the monochromatic black, white, and grey palette has held together across all six references so far. That consistency matters more than it might sound. A lot of brands in this space launch a series that drifts in three directions by the third model.
That said, the pricing is where the conversation starts. The M1a Ti comes in at $2,250 on a bracelet and $2,100 on a rubber strap. At that number, you’re sharing territory with some genuinely well-credentialed chronographs, and the Landeron L72 will need to hold its own on the wrist, not just on paper. The M1q, at $800 on a bracelet and $700 on rubber, is an easier pitch. There’s a real market for a clean, Swiss-quartz chronograph at that level with this level of design attention, and I’d guess that’s the one that finds a broader audience.
What I’d want to know before saying much more is how the titanium model actually feels in person, where the weight and finishing will either earn or complicate that price. The exhibition caseback on the M1a Ti is a nice touch, and there’s clearly some engineering ambition behind the Landeron choice. Whether it translates to something that feels like a $2,200 watch is a question press photos can’t answer. Hopefully we can get hands-on time with both and report back.
Both models are available now at Timex.com and select global retailers.
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.