In Review: The Timex Weekender

Maybe we should blame it on Flavor Flav.

The former Public Enemy rapper capitalized on his 15 minutes of fame on the reality show The Surreal Life in the early ’00s, and he brought his ridiculous full-size clock necklace with him.

While the wall-ornament-as-necklace trend didn’t exactly sweep the nation, it was around the same time that men everywhere started wearing watches that were way too big for their wrists.

Coincidence? Well, yeah, probably—correlation is not causation, and it wouldn’t be fair to blame the star of a third-rate reality TV show (sorry, Flav) for creating a trend that swept the world of menswear.

Regardless of what started it, I’m happy to report that I’ve found a simple, stylish, versatile and affordable antidote to the big watch trend in the form of the Timex Weekender.

In this post I’ll break down the Weekender’s many benefits, show you where you can pick one up – spoiler alert: the answer is Amazon – and explain why a watch that costs just 30 bucks(!!!) may become the most valuable accessory you own.

Timex Weekender Review

No Overcompensation Here

As alluded to above, one of the first things to note about the Weekender is how it bucks the trend of gigantic watches. At 38 mm, the Weekender can easily accompany any man’s wrist without overpowering it.

While large, gaudy watches scream “I really need you to see how big my watch is, because I do not feel great about the size of a certain other – ahem – accessory that you can’t see,” the Weekender says… well, it just says what time it is.

It’s just a watch for chrissakes!

Understated and Underrated

In addition to getting larger, watch faces have also gotten louder over the past few years. Do a simple search for “men’s watches” and you’ll find all manner of gears, dials, buttons and displays.

One of the things I love about the Weekender is the way it keeps it simple, straightforward and – dare I use this word for a Timex – classy.

The weekender isn’t a watch that will help you stand out from the crowd or let you flash your wrist around like a trophy, and that’s the whole point.

It’s designed to serve as a minimalist, understated complement to your outfit that will do exactly what it’s supposed to do: tell you the god damn time.

Versatile

One of the most ingenious (and frequently imitated) features of the Weekender is its removable and interchangeable strap.

The Weekender comes with a nylon strap in the color of your choosing when you first buy it, but the strap can be easily slid out from the watch face and replaced with another one.

And since the simple white (or black) watch face can be paired with any color, this makes the Weekender less like one watch and more like fifty (or 100, or 1,000) different potential watches.

Pick up a pack of classic nylon nato straps for 10 bucks and you’ll have multiple options for the perfect go-anywhere summer watch. Or, up your spend to a whopping 15 bucks and grab two leather straps (one brown and one black) that will let you pair the Weekender with leather shoes, and defy its name by rocking it from Monday to Friday with a business casual get up.

Basically, the Weekender’s ability to mix and match various watch face and NATO strap options means you can wear it damn near anywhere.

Readily Available

As I alluded to (or rather, blatantly revealed) above, the Weekender is available through Amazon, as are various multi-packs containing straps in all manner of colors and fabrics—meaning that you’ve got its myriad options at your fingertips, and free shipping if you’ve got Amazon Prime.

Pro Tip:

Want to get the free shipping for the Weekender, but not have to pay the monthly Prime fees going forward? Sign up for the 30-day free trial, order the watch (and anything else you want to get shipped for free), then cancel your membership before the 30 days is up.

Insanely Affordable

The Weekender’s minimalist style and versatility are two huge advantages, but what’s really crazy is the price. Considering how good it looks, and how many options it provides you, I’d expect to pay at least 50 bucks for a Weekender.

So the fact that you can get it for 30 makes it kind of a no-brainer, in my humble opinion.

Surprisingly Durable

For the most part you get what you pay for from the Weekender, with one notable exception: these things are way more durable than you’d expect.

I first bought my Weekender a few summers back, and figured that I may have to buy another one the following year—how long can you really expect a $30 watch to last?

The answer, apparently, is a damn long time. Three years of fairly heavy use later neither of my two watch faces (I’ve got both the black and white models) have a scratch in them, and I haven’t had to replace the battery in either one.

Summary

The Timex Weekender offers stylish minimalism, versatility and surprising durability, all for about a third of the price of comparable watches.

I’d highly recommend picking up one or two, and grabbing a few different color straps, to give your watch game an Instant Upgrade.

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More Men’s Watch Advice and Recos from Irreverent Gent:

• How to Wear a Pocket Watch
• The 11 Best Men’s Smart Watches
• How to Wear a NATO Strap Watch
• In-Depth Jowissa Watch Review
• The Best Affordable Watch Brands for Men
• In-Depth Undone Watches Review
• The Best MVMT Men’s Watches
• The Most Stylish Watch Boxes for Men
• The Best Watch Subscription Boxes on the Market
• In-Depth Watch Gang Review – Is it worth the money?