Back in 2021, Portland-based EDC outfit The James Brand announced that it had joined forces with Timex in order to deliver a titanium field watch collab. After the success of Timex and TJB’S first joint effort, the pair followed it up with a white-dial version of the field watch in 2022, and then a special edition variant of the Timex Ironman watch in 2023. Fast forward to today, and the American horological outfit has once again linked up with James°, this time debuting what’s not only the most significant and noteworthy Timex x TJB collab to date, but what very well may ultimately be the best watch that Timex has ever produced in its 170 years in operation.
Let us introduce you to the all-new The James Brand × Timex Automatic GMT Watch.
The Case
Made in Japan, The James Brand × Timex Automatic GMT is constructed around a newly-designed 41mm barrel-shaped case that’s been milled from grade 5 titanium. Only 11.5mm thick, the case features a unidirectional-rotating coin edge bezel with a 24-hour GMT scale and an aluminum insert, along with a matching coin edge screw-down crown with an enamel fill-in — items that afford the GMT 200 meters of water resistance. The top of the case has also been fitted with an AR-coated sapphire crystal while the bottom of the GMT’s titanium housing has been capped off with a TJB-logoed sapphire crystal exhibition case back.
The Bracelet
To complement the novel 6AL-4V case design, Timex and TJB have also bestowed the GMT with an H-link alloy bracelet that’s also been brought to life in top-shelf grade 5 titanium. Equipped with quick-release spring-bars, this 20mm bracelet also features a titanium butterfly clasp. On top of the titanium H-link bracelet, the watch also ships with an included perforated quick-release resin strap with 6AL-4V titanium hardware. The liberal use of titanium for both the case and bracelet ultimately allow this four-hander to tip the scales at just 4.2oz.
The Movement
Keeping the whole thing ticking is a cutting-edge Miyota 9075 automatic GMT movement. This recently-released Japanese-made caliber boasts 24 jewels and a 42-hour power reserve. On display via the watch’s exhibition case back, the movement is not only highly accurate, but it also makes this new horological collab a “true GMT” — i.e. a four-hand watch that can have its local hour hand independently adjusted when traveling without needing to stop the movement.
The Dial
TJB and Timex’s new four-hander boasts a matte black dial with bar indices at every hour — save for 3 o’clock where a date window is located. Matching the bezel’s 24-hour GMT scale are interior 24-hour markings. There’s also co-branding from both companies, with a Timex logo just above the center of the hand-set and a TJB logo directly beneath it. To complement TJB’s signature lime green accent-colored hand — a hue also adorning the watch’s bezel pip and crown fill-in — the watch’s dial, hour markers, and hands have also been bestowed with Super-LumiNova C1 lume glowing in a matching bright green.
Envelop-Pushing Horology
There are numerous factors that make The James Brand × Timex Automatic GMT an objectively special watch. For starters, rather than being an existing watch design that’s been bestowed with a TJB-specific colorway and James° branding, the new GMT is a completely novel design that was penned with direct help from The James Brand. What’s more, it also takes things in a decidedly more premium direction for Timex. Between the titanium case, 9075 caliber, and titanium bracelet, this horological collab represents several noteworthy first for Timex. And, on top of everything else, it’s simply a stunning watch, and is almost certainly one of the very best true GMTs currently on the market for under the $1,000 mark.
Specs
Brand: Timex x The James Brand
Model: Automatic GMT
Case Material: 6AL-4V Titanium
Case Size: 41mm
Case Thickness: 11.5mm
Water Resistance: 200m
Movement Type: Automatic GMT
Movement: Miyota 9075
Power Reserve: 42 Hours
Crystal: AR-Coated Sapphire
Bracelet: Titanium H-Link
Lume: Super-LumiNova C1
Pricing & Availability
Limited to only 1,000 units worldwide, The James Brand × Timex Automatic GMT is available now with pricing set at $749. Additionally, the watch is also available as part of an EDC box set that also includes a new titanium version of the Burwell click pen and a special edition version of TJB’s new Chapter 2 knife. Limited to 55 units in total, the box set is priced at $1,299.
Recap
The James Brand × Timex Automatic GMT
The James Brand × Timex Automatic GMT is an all-titanium, Japanese-made, limited-edition four-hander with a Miyota 9075 movement that earns the horological collab “tue GMT” status,
