Timex didn’t wait very long to revisit the Q Timex Continental Chronograph. The 40mm version arrived earlier this year, and the brand has already followed it with three new 36mm references. At first glance, this looks like another case of Timex offering more sizing options. Look closer and the smaller case is only part of the story.
The new Continental Chronographs measure 36mm across, 43mm lug-to-lug, and 11.5mm thick. That’s a nice shift from the existing 40mm model, especially for a watch Timex positions around the design language of its 1970s quartz era. We haven’t handled these yet, so any judgment about actual wrist presence will have to wait. Still, the proportions make sense to me on paper.
More interestingly, Timex cleaned up some of the details surrounding that smaller case. The tachymeter bezel is now stationary and finished to match the case rather than using the contrasting treatment found on the earlier 40mm models. The dial retains the radial texture, faceted markers, and twin-register chronograph layout, while the supplied release information points to a more pronounced stepped treatment around the subdials.
Taken together, these changes give the 36mm Continental a more convincing visual connection to the period Timex is referencing. The fixed steel tachymeter especially helps. There’s less happening around the dial, and the watch looks more cohesive because of it.
There are three versions in the current lineup. TW2Y92400 pairs an ice-blue dial with black registers, TW2Y93200 uses a black dial with contrasting silver-tone registers, and TW2Y92300 goes full 1970s with a gold-tone dial, brown registers, gold-tone bezel, and two-tone bracelet. All three use stainless-steel cases and integrated tapered bracelets, along with flat mineral crystals.
Timex identifies the movement simply as a “Chronograph Movement” on the current 36mm product pages. Without further confirmation from the brand, we wouldn’t assume the same architecture as the 40mm here. The existing 40mm steel model is currently $269, making the new 36mm watches $10 less at $259.
And starting at $259 ($279 for two-tone) feels pretty reasonable given what Timex is doing with the design. The Continental has enough detailing to separate it from a generic quartz chronograph, and the smaller case gives buyers another option without pushing the collection into a different price bracket.
However, there is one downgrade that’s hard to wrap my head around. Water resistance drops from 100 meters on the 40mm Continental Chronograph to 50 meters here. Timex considers that sufficient for short swims, so this isn’t suddenly a fragile watch. Still, halving the rating feels unnecessary for something that otherwise reads like a thoughtful refinement of a very recent release.
That keeps the 36mm Continental Chronograph from being a clean upgrade. Visually, Timex appears to have figured out several aspects of this watch remarkably quickly. Whether the smaller dimensions and sharper execution outweigh the lost water resistance is probably the more interesting question.
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.