Timex Q Gets Unusual Three Time Zone Chronograph

The wildly popular Timex Q collection welcomes a new, more complicated family this week with the introduction of the Q Three Time Zone Chronograph. The new watch brings a new level of practicality to the 40mm integrated frame with the addition of a 24 hour hand, a 12 hour bezel, and two adjustable hour hands. It might be called the Three Time Zone watch, but thanks to that 12 hour rotating bezel, you could actually track 5 if you really needed to. Timex is encouraging you to hit the open road with this watch, and it’s easy to see why, but we’ve still got a few questions about this one. 

At a glance, this Timex Q looks to be a pretty straightforward GMT equipped chronograph, not an entirely uncommon function grouping for a quartz module. But the closer you look, the more odd details you’ll begin to notice. Is that second hour hand a GMT hand? If so, why is the bezel a 12 hour unit? There is no am/pm indication in sight, and Timex refers to that hand simply as the “2nd hour hand”.

Looking closer still, you’ll notice that the 24 hour is actually located in the sub dial at 12 o’clock. This is an independently adjustable 24 hour hand that can be used to track home time, while the 1st and 2nd hour hands can track local, and local adjacent (again, no am/pm indication) time zones against the circular hour markers, and a twist of the 12 hour bezel will even let you track an additional two. That’s 5 total by my count, though I’m not sure how practical doing so would be.

Perhaps I’m reading too much into this one. The point is, this Q Three Time Zone Chronograph isn’t your standard GMT layout, so pay attention when you do actually hit the road that you’ve got your bearings a bit straighter than this watch is capable of. Setting all that aside, there’s no denying that this is one fun and quirky watch, which is exactly what the Q collection excels at. 

Timex is offering the newest Q in three colorways, which include white and black, and a third online exclusive in forest green. The watch is offered on both an integrated rubber strap, or a steel bracelet. Prices start at $219 and go up to $239 for the bracelet. I might not be entirely sure how this watch is intended to be used, but it’s a pretty fun watch to behold nonetheless, and at this price point a little fun is encouraged. Timex.