We had the chance to speak with Timex Group's Chief Design Director, Giorgio Galli, once again to discuss the Q line, the new model, and what the future holds for this wildly successful model that's popular with newbies, aficionados, and everyone in between. This is where Timex fits in. Long champions of affordable watchmaking, the American firm has been in business since 1854, first producing mechanical timepieces, and then, in the 1970s, quartz. Most of their production is still quartz-based, though they've been introducing more and more mechanical wristwatches lately. Who would I recommend the Q Timex 1978 Reissue to? If you are a fan of vintage 1970s or even early 1980s style, I think you’ll dig this watch. If you want a watch that will stand out on the wrist and get noticed, something with a unique look and a touch of sleek sophistication and class, the 1978 won’t disappoint. It would be a great, easy daily wear watch for someone with the right sense of style. Or a solid occasional-wear dress watch for most everyone else.

The success of their labeled Timex watches pushed the company to finally rename itself the Timex Corporation in 1969. Case The bezel is friction fit and has pretty good grip, so the alignment is as good as you want it to me. Timex calls this bezel a top ring, which is an interesting way to describe a bezel, and is made of aluminum. The quality is pretty good, and I think the printing on it is well executed too. I don’t expect these bezels to age very well, but they sure look great.With the quartz crisis well underway in the late 1970s, many watch brands were threatened by this new technology and felt it would affect the sales of mechanical watches. Timex was different. They knew quartz had numerous benefits over traditional mechanical movements and they wanted to help it go mainstream. Although not their first quartz watch, the Q Timex was one of their most popular models because of its pleasing design and “Pepsi” rotating bezel. Originally released in 1979, Timex wanted everyone to know this was a quartz watch by branding it “Q” and proudly printing “QUARTZ” in bold font on the dial. They were not ashamed or embarrassed about this new technology, a stance that has made them a highly successful watch brand today. The dial is simple and effective, with a dull blue base finish that matches the “ Pepsi” bezel perfectly.

Another standout design element of the Q Timex 1978 Reissue is the tall, generously domed acrylic crystal. The crystal probably makes up at least 40% of the overall height of the watch. All that curvy glass adds another touch of class to the Q Timex 1978, and adds to the vintage look. It should help the watch stand out a bit more on your wrist, too, while still easily sliding under a shirt cuff. The Leather StrapTo further the accurate reproduction of the Q Timex reissue, the brand used a nicely domed acrylic crystal that gives some period correct vintage charm. The domed crystal stands about 2.7mm proud of the bezel, which in turn makes for an impressive side profile not often seen in modern watches. You then have large printed indices that are entirely covered with a faux patina lume material. I’m usually not a fan, but I think it works here and the faux vintage color isn’t obnoxiously yellow or orange. The M79 is an interesting outlier in that it’s mechanical, but seems to fit within the “Q” collection. Did you sense a hunger for a mechanical version of the Q aesthetic after the original “Pepsi” model was released? If you don’t follow watch news, you’ll have missed the 411 that every man and his dog, probably named Patek or Gerald, has been talking about. The jocular return of France’s horological joker, Romantic André. Renowned for spicing up a watch dial with a graphic witticism or two, this week, he took on Timex with two models, one an automatic M79 model, and the other a quartz.

So, should you get the Timex Q 1978 Reissue Date? I think that’s a definite yes. It just exudes class and vintage looks, all for an attainable price. Recognisable for its dual-coloured bezel, the Rolex Pepsi tends to hog this particular spotlight. “I bought my very first Timex in 2019 as I was looking for an affordable alternative for Rolex GMT II Pepsi,” shares watch expert of Chronondo, Danar Widanarto. “At that time, my daily companion was Tudor's GMT Pepsi and I thought the Timex Q Reissue Pepsi would be the perfect matching piece for double wristing. I was amazed by the features of this timepiece: rotating bezel, vintage lume, symmetry of day & date display, the harmony between the strap and the case.” Selling out in mere minutes, clearly there was thirst for the Diet Pepsi too. But things changed further with 2019's introduction of the wildly popular Q Timex. Based on a model dating to the 1970s and featuring a blue dial with day-date display, a colorful, Rolex-inspired 12-hour bezel and a fun, lightweight mesh bracelet, the Q was an instant smash hit, and sold out several times over. Its easily accessible battery hatch celebrated rather than derided quartz, and people loved it. The first Q reissue was an instant hit, selling out multiple times. Were you at all surprised by its incredible success, or did you anticipate its resonance with the Timex audience? Turning the watch over, we get a glimpse of the iconic battery hatch present in all quartz Timex watches.

The Woven Bracelet

If you ignore the hair pulling from the bracelet, the dimensions of the watch are very comfortable. This fits perfectly on my 6.25″ wrist, with it’s 38mm diameter and 44.25mm lug-to-lug width. The bracelet articulates great, so the lug to lug width is an accurate representation of how wide it will wear. There are now myriad iterations of the bi-color bezel Q. But are there many more available distinct quartz models within the archives to reimagine within this heritage collection? What’s the future of the Q line? Below the hands is “Quartz” in all caps, making sure you don’t forget that this watch is a battery-powered movement. The Marmont is special in its uniqueness and allure – you can tell just by the design that it is different from all other Qs before it. Some people will put it on to add glamour to their everyday look and for others, it may not be a watch for everyday use, but for special occasions. True fans will love it, appreciate its story, design, and know how to wear it.