Introducing The Worn & Wound × Timex WW75 Limited Edition
Collaborations between watch brands and other entities are very, very popular. Whether a brand joins forces with a fashion brand or a museum, the result is often something different and fun — a new colorway, a funky dial pattern, or a brand-new model. However, not all watches that stem from these collaborations are affordable. Some retail in the thousands and are only produced in tiny quantities. So it’s nice that Worn & Wound worked with Timex to offer a fun watch — the WW75 — for a cool price of $199. And there will be no fewer than 1,000 of them available!
Disclaimer: I have stayed clear from collaborations for the most part because they aren’t usually to my taste (I’m quite a boring watch enthusiast). Even if they are to my taste, they usually don’t agree with my budget. However, reading about the WW75, I did some digging and realized there are a few affordable collabs out there, such as those from Swatch × MoMA and Seiko ×Kosuke Kawamura. There are also plenty of unique collaborations between watch experts (magazines) and brands. Fratello has collaborated with Oris, Czapek, and NOMOS, just to name a few.
At $199, the Worn & Wound × Timex WW75 promises to offer great value and guaranteed fun.
It’s all about the fun
As soon as you see the WW75, you immediately realize this collaboration was all about having a good time. And having a good time will be the M.O. for anyone who gets their hands on one of these watches. Thankfully, doing so shouldn’t be too hard since there will be a total of 1,000 units produced. There will be 500 per colorway, available at the Wind Up Watch Shop and on Timex.com. And yes, prices do matter sometimes. Spending $199 on this watch seems to be a smart investment — not for 20 years down the line, maybe, but for the present moment. For most, $199 won’t put you in financial jeopardy. It’s kind of a sweet spot for many curious watch collectors.
Although watch discussions sometimes turn into debates and become sour, it’s nice to be reminded that horology should be fun. It should bring us pleasure and get us closer to one another, even if we disagree. I find that many aspects of the WW75 are attention-grabbing and pleasant to look at, from the case shape to the colors and strap combos. A glossy black dial with a stainless steel bracelet is no fun, although it’s nice. The WW75 comes with colors that remind me of horological creations of times past… and of holidays. As in, I want to pack my bags and go to the beach… in November.
A tasteful color palette
To me, the dial colors are particularly charming, especially on the teal/cream variant. The central portion of the dial comes with a teal waffle pattern while the minute track has a cream color. The hash marks for the minutes are red while the Timex logo is white. For a second, I thought there was no seconds hand, but I was mistaken. On this variant, two-thirds of the seconds hand is teal while the last third is white.
This means that the seconds hand disappears. The other variant comes with a black central section and khaki accents on the minute track — basically, an olive-green outer section and dark green hash marks for the minutes. This variant has red accents on the hands and a sort of light brown on the largest portion of the minute hand. Both variants come with matching straps. A tan leather strap pairs with the teal/cream variant, while a khaki strap with a unique weave pattern comes on the black/khaki version.
It also has the specs!
The 37 x 43mm tonneau-shaped case will fit many wrist sizes and be comfortable to wear. With a reasonable thickness of 12.7mm, it will easily fit under a cuff. And the 20mm lug width means you can pair either colorway with plenty of other straps should you not like the straps that the watches come with. In good Timex fashion — and in keeping up with the price tag — the crystal is a domed piece of acrylic. This imbues the vintage colors of the watch with a stronger vintage vibe.
All we know about the movement is that it’s a mechanical one and not a standard quartz movement. Timex typically pairs this type of watch case with a quartz movement. However, by going mechanical, Worn & Wound wanted to offer a more authentic horological experience. Winding the movement and seeing the seconds hand sweep across the dial instead of ticking does indeed create a different experience, regardless of how we feel about quartz movements.
Final thoughts
Adding a fun watch to a collection is akin to interrupting our diet to eat a little bit of ice cream. It brings a little bit of brightness to a regimented lifestyle. And in this form, it won’t break the bank or get us ill. Worn and Wound and Timex have helped to make horology fun again. The WW75 is anything but serious, and that’s what I love about it. It comes with good specifications and an even better price tag. And none of us will have to line up for hours on the street to get our hands on one. You just need to log in to the Wind Up Watch Shop or Timex.com at the right date and time — today, November 14th, 2022 starting at 12:00 PM (noon) EST (GMT -5).
Let us know your thoughts on this collaboration in the comments!