Debuted in 1986, the Timex Ironman has since become a quintessential entry into the digital sports watch panoply. With recent models elevating the retro nostalgia with fun colors and faithful renditions, the latest release of the 8-Lap variation looks decidedly modern as the brand adds a trio of classed-up models.
A Faithful Reissue
Being a watch for athletes and runners, the “8-Lap” moniker refers to the original Ironmans from the ‘80s, referring to their ability to log 8 laps on their memory banks. Staying faithful to the original look and feel of the original, the modern-day reissues were made under the guidance of John T. Houlihan. Despite retiring in 2001, Houlihan was recruited again in 2022 for the new editions.
For this 2025 release, Timex Japan has decided to use stainless steel for the case, bezel, and pushers, but with different color options: all black, bronze-gold, and steel with a black bezel. While the latter two feature black resin straps, the all-black version has a classy steel bracelet to match.
Returning in the same “lunette” shape as the ‘80s models, these steel timepieces also have the top-mounted buttons below the circle with clear START/STOP and LAP/RESET commands. Best of all, this steel watch has retained its 100m of water resistance despite the new molds used for the steel pushers.
These three iterations are built on the same 39mm case size as the resin options already available and also share the same function set. That means that, aside from the 8-lap memory, the watches also come with a chronograph, timer, and alarm.
What We Think
In today’s reissue-heavy watch market, it can be easy to get bogged down by all the releases each month. However, these steel 8-Lap Ironman watches have a ton of value for the wearer. Digital watches are becoming increasingly more desirable and these allow you to have your cake and eat it too, enabling you to keep that digital watch on your wrist for more elevated situations — especially the steel bracelet version.
It’s also important to mention that these new steel versions are a good deal more expensive than previous offerings. The non-steel Ironmans won’t ever cost you more than about $170 but the steel starts at a minimum of $311 — $343 for the bracelet version. Admittedly, when comparing these to, say, the G-SHOCK Full Metal 5600, you might think the Ironmans (Ironmen?) are reasonable at around $200 cheaper but also many of the G-SHOCKs come with Bluetooth, solar charging, or even rough GPS capabilities.
Spec Sheet
Case Size: 39mm
Case Material: Stainless steel
Water Resistance: 100m
Movement: Quartz
Band: Resin strap or stainless steel bracelet
Limited Edition?: Yes, unspecified
Pricing & Availability
According to Timex Japan, these will see a limited production run but the edition size is not specified. You can head over to the brand’s website to purchase your own 8-Lap Ironman in steel for $311 or $343.
Recap
Timex 8-Lap Ironman in Steel
Timex swaps resin for stainless steel on this trio of 8-Lap Ironman watches, staying faithful to the ’80s originals while still providing a classier appeal.
