Timex Just Elevated Its Most Unique Affordable Vintage Reissue
It's even more '70s than before.
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Who doesn't love a good mystery dial ?
Somewhat popular in the mid-twentieth century but rather rare today, mystery dial watches feature hands that mysteriously "float" around the dial, with no clear attachment to any sort of mechanism that drives them.
Most mystery dials use center-mounted transparent discs to achieve this illusion, but Timex's 1970s-era enigma and the modern-day reissue that debuted last year, use a simpler approach with hands painted to match the color of the dial save for their hi-vis tips, and a round sticker on the underside of the crystal that's also the color of the dial.
The Q Timex Enigma creates the illusion that its hands are floating on the dial. - Credit: Timex
While the effect isn't quite as mysterious as a mystery dial with transparent discs, the Timex still looks cool. And I must not be the only person who thinks so, because the brand just launched a new elevated version of the Q Timex Enigma .
Hidden treasure
The new Q Timex Enigma is exactly the same as the one launched last summer, save for one difference: gooooooolllld.
OK, it isn't real gold, of course. The watch's case and bracelet are made of stainless steel, and they've been given a gold-tone finish. Most of the time, I think gold-tone finishes look pretty tacky , but I actually like the way this looks. The black dial, floating red seconds dot and the dial's gold text and markings all pair very nicely with the glitzier case and bracelet. Plus, the gold tone really ups the watch's '70s vibes, which is almost never a bad thing.
Timex's mystery watch just got a glow-up. - Credit: Timex
Outside of the flashy makeover, this is the same Enigma as before. That means we're getting a retro 37mm polished cushion case, a quartz movement featuring a day-date complication at 3:00, an easily accessible battery hatch on the caseback, 50m of water resistance and a flat-link tapering bracelet with straight end links that closes via a proper folding clasp.
Do I still wish Timex would make this watch using an automatic movement and transparent disc-hands like it's previously done on its Snoopy sports watches ? Yes. Yes, I would. But this version is still pretty damn cool, too.
The gold tone adds even more '70s vibes to the cushion case and flat-link bracelet. - Credit: Timex
As there's no real gold involved, the Q Timex Enigma Gold costs the same as the plain steel version of the watch: $229. That does represent a $30 increase over the price of the watch when it debuted last year, however, which follows the trend of watches everywhere lately getting more expensive .
Timex Q Timex Enigma Gold
Specs
| Case Size 37mm |
|---|
| Movement Quartz day-date |
| Water Resistance 50m |
About the Author:
Johnny Brayson is an editor at Gear Patrol mostly covering watches. He enjoys watches that are packed with blink-and-you'll-miss-'em details and believes nearly every watch could stand to be a tad smaller.
