Timex Weekender Watch Review

 

 The Timex Weekender, 38 mm (Black Dial)

I haven't owned a Timex watch before and I did not regret getting one. I was initially looking for a smart casual watch that would fit my preference of wearing mostly polos or polo shirt and jeans. Something not to dressy but not to casual either. Days of searching led me to the Timex Weekender.

When I saw this watch in person, the first thing I noticed was it's simple design. It has the look of a dress watch but it's components, a 38 mm chrome and stock leather bracelet (in some it would be a nylon strap) maintain that it's a casual watch hence it's name.

The classic chrome and strap combination for this watch, or it's original look, is a white chrome with black minute and hour hands, a red second hand, and a nylon strap of red and blue. 

But there are other variations available that suits different preferences. I, for instance, prefer a smart casual look that's why I opted to get one with a leather strap and a black dial. My own has a black dial with silver hour, minute and second hands, and a black leather strap. 

A perfect combination to complement a smart casual style. I mostly wear it when I'm in a polo or polo shirt together with trousers, ankle pants or denim. I can tell that it would also work with plain T-shirts as long as it is paired with trousers or any kind of dress pants. The shirt must be tucked to maintain a smart look. In shoes, I complement it by wearing black leather loafers. I would also wear dress socks that has minimal designs. But it also works when I'm wearing foot socks especially during summer time where I tend to roll up my pants. 

As an additional piece, and I would say the final piece that can be added without over accessorizing, I would wear a clubmasters glasses or any kind of smart casual glasses. Overall, it creates that complete smart casual look that works well for any kind of casual errands or events. I wear this watch at work, when I'm at the mall or when visiting a library or a book store.

Front: The Timex Weekender in brown leather strap and white dial

As mentioned, the watch comes in various colors and materials for it's straps. This means more potentials for customization. In my case, I got my watch as it is. But I am planning on buying additional straps, a brown leather one and a colored nylon one. Not only it is already a flexible piece but it can also be personalized to suit styles better. Going for Nylon straps would suit a preppy look best, a look suited for the weekends. The leather ones are best suited for casual to smart casual looks. I would be careful however to wear this watch in dressy settings. Yes, it has the look and feel of a dress watch but it would fall short of the motif if worn on weddings, awarding ceremonies or corporate events. There are better suited watches for these kinds of events. In contrast, this watch can be worn when (already excluding smart casual events) in dates, lunch with friends or in any kind of small gathering. I would say that the highest appropriate setting to wear this watch without lunging into the dressy category is when it is worn in a date. Anything beyond dates requires a dress watch.

Now, for it's price. I got mine at a discount, 50% off amounting to P2,300 ($40 to $45). But the original retail price of this watch is P5000 ($100). The availability of this watch varies and I got mine at a watch retail store (Watch Republic), not in a Timex branch. I had a choice of getting the one with the brown leather strap and a white dial but it's in the original price. It was what I originally want but I opted to get this black one instead because it's on sale. I might get the white one in the future just for the sake of collecting. I asked at the store and an original leather strap will cost P2,000 to P2,500. ($50 to $60).

My Weekender has been with me for a year now and here are the pros and cons:

Pros:

- Simple, classic design and highly customizable.

- You get what you pay in terms of materials used and the branding.

- Indiglo function (Timex's back dial lighting Technology)

-Light weight and thin casing.

Cons:

-Doesn't work well in dressy settings.

-Noticeable ticking of the second hand especially in quiet settings.

-Expensive leather straps.

-Has cheaper alternatives that has the same design and feel.

I'm giving it a 7/10 rating.

Overall, the Timex Weekender is a good casual watch to add to one's collection. It is a classic Timex piece that gives value for it's price. If your style falls into the casual to smart casual category, I highly recommend you to get one. It is highly customizable; I keep having more ideas on how to style and complement this watch. It is one of the most simple and minimal smart casual watch available in the market.