Timex and J.Crew’s First Collab in Over a Decade Is a Field Watch with a Fish on the Dial

Long before Todd Snyder and Noah were helping rebuild Timex’s reputation within the men’s fashion scene, J.Crew was doing it first. Their late-aughts run with Timex on field watches and divers is one of the main reasons we even talk about Timex collabs as a category today.

Now, after more than a decade apart, the two American mainstays are back at it. And the result is less “tribute to military heritage” than it is a love letter to the kind of preppy weirdness J.Crew used to do best.

A Field Watch That Forgot It Was a Field Watch

The base here is the Timex MK1, normally a sub-$100 field watch with a 24-hour military track and the kind of utilitarian dial that doesn’t ask anything of you. Almost none of that survived contact with J.Crew.

Both the the 24-hour track and military markings are gone. In their place: a clean matte white dial, oversized black Arabic numerals, a printed railroad minute track, and a set of broad sword hands paired with a spear-tip seconds hand. There’s no lume and no apologies.

Yes, That’s a Fish

Floating above six o’clock is a small full-color watercolor of a brook trout. It’s not a marker, not a logo, not a date window. It’s a literal fish.

According to J.Crew, the illustration comes from their in-house watercolorist, who also happens to be an avid angler. The brand’s own framing on the press release sums it up nicely: it’s not a fishing watch or a diving watch, it’s just a watch with a fish on it. We respect the candor.

Gold Case, Braided Strap, Acrylic Crystal

The 36mm stainless steel case has been plated gold, which works well here as it feels fully committed to its 1990s prep bit. The acrylic crystal also feels vintage-appropriate rather than cutting costs.

The strap is where J.Crew really plants its flag. The 18mm braided dark brown leather is a direct callback to the braided leather belts that were basically uniform at any East Coast prep school from 1985 onward. And it’s sure to patina nicely in due time.

Underneath all of that is a standard quartz movement and 50m of water resistance. Nothing impressive, and nothing really trying to punch above its weight. It’s just a good looking, honest little watch with a fish on it.

Spec Sheet

Pricing & Availability

The Timex MK1 for J.Crew drops May 28th at $198, available through Timex.com, JCrew.com, and select J.Crew retail stores.

Recap

Timex MK1 for J.Crew

A 36mm gold-tone, braided-strap, brook-trout-on-the-dial revival of one of Timex’s most enduring fashion collaborations, priced at $198 and dropping May 28th.