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- The new Timex Marlin Chatham Automatic pairs a compact 36 mm cushion case with Breguet numerals and a Miyota 8215 automatic movement.
- Two options are available: a silver-and-white model (ref. TW2Y84300) for USD $289 and a gold-tone model (ref. TW2Y84500) for USD $299.
- It delivers much of the same compact, vintage cushion-watch appeal as far more expensive mechanical dress watches, without pretending to match their materials or movements.
Automatic dress watches get expensive in a hurry. The moment you start asking for a compact case, a mechanical movement, a decent leather strap and something that actually looks like it belongs under the cuff of your shirt, the price can jump from a few hundred dollars to well into four figures.
But don’t worry. Timex is here to cushion your fall with its new Timex Marlin Chatham Automatic. At 36mm across, with a softened cushion case, full Breguet numerals and a simple leather strap, it looks like a proper little dress watch rather than a sports watch that’s been told to put on a blazer and behave itself. Better still, we’ve got two options to pick from: the silver-tone (ref. TW2Y84300) Marlin Chatham starts at USD $289, while the gold-tone (ref. TW2Y84500) comes in at USD $299.
The new timepiece arrives as Hamilton revives its American Classic Cushion, drawing on the watch Cillian Murphy wore as J. Robert Oppenheimer. Both watches occupy a similar space, just at very different price points. The Hamilton starts at USD $995, features sapphire crystal, a slimmer case and a hand-wound Swiss movement, making it the more premium watch on paper. But when Timex shows up to the party with a watch a third of the cost, comparisons are inevitable.
1/5Timex Marlin Chatham Automatic – Key Specs
- Models: TW2Y84300 / TW2Y84500
- Movement: Miyota 8215 automatic
- Power reserve: Approximately 42 hours
- Case: Stainless steel
- Crystal: Mineral
- Diameter: 36 mm
- Lug-to-lug: 44.5 mm
- Thickness: 12 mm
- Water resistance: 50 metres
- Strap: 20 mm Leather Working Group-sourced leather with quick-release bars
- TW2Y84300 Price: USD $289 (roughly AUD $415)
- TW2Y84500 Price: USD $299 (roughly AUD $430)
1/2The 36mm Case Makes All the Sense in the World
A 36mm case might seem tiny sitting next to a 42 mm sports watch, but the smaller size matters when the watch is meant to sit neatly on the wrist and disappear under a cuff, not announce itself from across the room.
The 44.5mm lug-to-lug gives it just enough length to avoid getting lost in the crowd. But the rounded 36 mm cushion case gives it enough personality to stand out whenever you check the time. Just keep in mind the watch is 12 mm thick. Not exactly a wafer-thin slice of haute horlogerie, but still another attractive and accessible automatic watch from Timex. And sure, mineral crystal is obviously a step down from the sapphire you’ll find on something like the Hamilton. But when you’re paying around USD $300 instead of four figures, it’s entirely expected at this level, even if it means being a little more careful with your watch.
From the front, though, Timex is spending its money in all the right places. The full Breguet numerals are where you’ll find most of its classic characteristics, with the polished cushion case softening the look. Each colourway brings out something different. Both come on quick-release leather straps sourced through the Leather Working Group.
To start, we have the silver-tone Timex Marlin Chatham Automatic (ref. TW2Y84300) with a white dial and black leather strap. It’s the cleaner option of the two, and a touch more traditional than the gold-tone (ref. TW2Y84500) edition. There you’ll find a black dial paired with a brown leather strap for something more in line with the mid-century elegance theme. Even though the Father of the Bomb didn’t wear a Timex on-screen, if you’re buying the Marlin Chatham for proper vintage styling, you’ll want the gold.
1/10The Miyota Movement Keeps It Honest
Inside the Timex Marlin Chatham Automatic, you’ll find the Miyota 8215. It’s about as straightforward as an automatic movement gets. 21 jewels, around 42 hours of power reserve, hacking seconds and a quoted accuracy window of -20/+40 seconds per day. It’s not the most exotic movement on the market, but you won’t need to blow up your bank account to put a mechanical dress watch on your wrist.
Better still, Timex even gives you an exhibition caseback, so you can flip it over and watch the rotor do its thing. Whether or not you’re a mechanical watchmaking expert, watching the thing tick away is just fun.
The Marlin Chatham isn’t pretending to be a more expensive watch than it actually is. We all know what Timex is about. If you want to spend four figures on a dress watch, plenty of beautiful options exist. If not, these two Chatham references borrow the bits that matter most visually, keep the mechanics relatively simple and still put on a bit of a show through the exhibition caseback. It’s the kind of watch you can justify wearing instead of admiring through a boutique window.
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