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| High point | Low point | Verdict |
| Sub‑AUD $500 price, retro 34 mm ‘TV‑Dial’ case, and Perfect Fit expansion bracelet resizes at home. | Miyota 8215 accuracy is middling (‑20 / +40 sec per day) and lacks hacking seconds. | Charming, no‑fuss gateway into mechanical watches. If you’ve got an average‑size wrist, love vintage styling and don’t obsess over chronometer‑grade accuracy, the Timex Automatic 1983 E Line Reissue is well worth its AUD $449.95 price. |
The worst hobbies in life are cars, watches, and whisky. Unfortunately, I’m addicted to all three of them.
Luckily, I’m here to share all of my good and bad experiences with you readers, so you don’t have to make the same mistakes I do. That said, look away if you don’t want to buy another watch because I think you might be swayed by this sub-AUD$500 Timex that I have been wearing for the last six months.
The Timex Automatic 1983 E Line Reissue (AUD$449.95) came into my life as it always does. There I am scrolling Instagram on a weeknight, my explore page full of watches, and I click on one of them. Suddenly, I’m keying in my credit card details, and next thing you know, I’ve bought another watch. It’s cheap, though, so how bad could it be?! Well, having worn it for more than six months, I finally have an answer. Let’s find out whether the Timex Automatic 1983 E Line was worth it or not. In case I need to be any clearer, I wasn’t sent this watch. I bought it!
Timex Automatic 1983 E Line Reissue Key Specifications
Here are the key specs for the Timex Automatic 1983 E Line Reissue:
- Model / SKU: TW2W70800
- Movement: Miyota 8215 Japanese 21‑jewel mechanical automatic (self‑winding)
- Case diameter: 34 mm
- Case thickness: 12 mm
- Crystal: Vintage‑style acrylic
- Water‑resistance: 50 m (suitable for light swimming)
- Dial: Silver‑tone with full hour markers and date window at 3 o’clock
- Strap: 20 mm brushed and polished Perfect Fit stainless‑steel expansion band (no clasp/buckle)
- Wrist fit: 150 – 205 mm / 5.9 – 8.1 in circumference
Whether this is your first watch or your fiftieth, there are a few features that jumped off the spec sheet. I’m going to boil them down to make them as simple as possible so everyone can understand why they’re exciting, not just the watch enthusiasts in the room.
I love the ‘TV Dial’ case, which is elegant and wearable, but also perfectly sized for an average male wrist. It’s a little smaller than average at 34 mm in diameter, and I wouldn’t recommend it for larger wrists, but the 12 mm case thickness is also another plus, as it sits just underneath the cuff of your shirt without feeling flimsy.
The 20 mm brushed and polished stainless‑steel Perfect Fit expansion band bracelet also needs a mention. You can size this watch at home, without tools, and because there’s no clasp, it sits perfectly on your wrist. I was initially worried about the strength of the springs inside the bracelet, but they’ve conformed to my wrist over time, and I never found them to cut off circulation. The links tend to pinch your skin as they expand and contract, but this goes away after the first few wears.
Then, there’s the movement. The Timex Automatic 1983 E Line is powered by a Miyota 8215 Japanese 21‑jewel mechanical automatic self-winding movement. It’s not a particularly accurate movement (-20～＋40 sec/day), but it pleases my inner watch nerd because the seconds hand slowly moves around the dial instead of clicking in one-second increments like a quartz watch would. I know I shouldn’t care, but I do.
The Seiko 4R36 movement in my Seiko 5 Sports SNXS (SRPK87) is much nicer, and the watch isn’t that much more expensive, but I like the design of the Timex, and the Miyota does enough to get my stamp of approval.
What would I change? Well, the acrylic crystal isn’t my favourite, but it’s something you expect to find in a watch at this price point. I’ve already managed to give it a little dust up, but that’s okay because it’s better to damage a sub-$500 watch than a $5,000 watch at the end of the day.
If you’re looking to pick up a Timex Automatic 1983 E Line, it’s available via the Timex website below for USD$249.99 (AUD$449.95). Alternatively, do as I did and check out many of the brands’ trusted retailers as you might be able to score a deal.
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