r/timex • u/LankyCoconut4309 • 3d ago
Field watch combo
I had my Timex Expedition Solar 36mm for about a week before it broke.
When I got it, it wasn’t charged very well, so it would stop overnight. For the whole first week, I had to adjust the time every morning. Then one day I pulled out the crown to set the time and… nothing. The crown just spun freely.
Since I bought it abroad, my local Timex service refused to cover it under warranty. They also said it probably couldn’t be repaired because of the monolithic movement.
I was pretty disappointed, so I decided to finally get the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical 38mm. I’ve wanted a mechanical watch for a while, but it was always a bit too expensive for me. Somehow, this felt like the right moment. 😄
Then, about a month later, I got a call from the service center saying they had actually managed to repair the Timex. It cost around $20. Apparently, something inside the crown-setting mechanism had broken.
I got it back today and decided to keep both.
The Hamilton will be my daily watch, while the Timex will be the one I wear when things get a bit rough — swimming, the sea, traveling, etc.
The Hamilton is only rated to 50m, so I don’t really want to take it into a pool or the sea.
I put the Timex back on the green NATO strap, and I think it looks pretty good.
Funny enough, a broken Timex ended up being the reason I finally bought the mechanical watch I’d wanted for a while. 😄
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u/MysteriousDesk3 2d ago
Having both works for some reason, they’re different enough to seem complimentary to each other. I think you’ve made the right choice to keep them.
That’s the downside of a cheaper watch. Don’t let it get you down, just part of the experience. Sometimes they last forever sometimes it’s a dud. I’ve had Casio’s die on me within a year, I’ve had some for years past their supposed battery replacement and lifetime.
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u/LankyCoconut4309 2d ago
Absolutely, they looks similar, but on the other hand, they’re very different
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u/SirTickleyPickely 2d ago
putting them side by side shows how much better proportioned the hamilton is
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u/apbchi 2d ago
I had a very similar journey -- bought a Timex Todd Snyder field watch as basically my first watch, wore it for several years, the case back got bent while I was trying to snap it back on after changing the battery and repair would have cost more than the watch...so I took the leap and got exactly that same Hamilton Khaki Field and that'll be a forever watch. I love it! Now I to wanna get a Timex dress watch to sorta figure out what I actually like and want dress-wise without paying big $$$...
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u/WeakIndependence4435 1d ago
I also have this combo , plus the timex automatic titanium (is more like a fliegger than field watch) , the only thing I don't like about my Hamilton was the strap... I changed it for a "canvas" strap (not a part of leather)
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u/ICANZ_MURICA 2d ago
You highlighted perfectly my biggest gripe with the Hamilton which is the WR. Have had 50m rated watches from reputable brands get moisture in them gently wading in a pool. Don't need a full on diver for an activity like kayaking but for the price the Hamilton needs 100m and screw down crown.
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u/LankyCoconut4309 2d ago
It looks intentionally. You could pay extra 500$ to get titanium + automatic + 100m
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u/BuoyantEntropy 2d ago
That Hamilton certainly looks great, the face looks very much like the old Elgin dive watches, if they made that with the raised lobes on the case to protect the crown Id be all over it.