The Timex Giorgio Galli S1 Automatic Returns with a New Blue Dial

Usually when we write about Timex as of late, we seem to be covering a quartz throwback piece, or one of the many fun watches the brand releases as part of their partnership with a certain well known comic strip. But one of our favorite recent Timex releases is actually in a different vein altogether, and it’s somewhat surprising that it hasn’t penetrated the market in the same way as, for example, the Q series. The Giorgio Galli S1 Automatic was released in late 2019 and we were immediate fans based on its unapologetically modernist design cues and attention to detail. Now the S1 is finally back in a new color variant, and we’re quite pleased to see this design forward Timex back at the forefront of their catalog. 

Galli is a veteran watch designer who has been associated with Timex for about 10 years, ever since his Giorgio Galli Design Lab was absorbed by the company. Over the course of the last decade, he has injected a European flair to many Timex references, but the S1 is the first product to bear his name, and as such it’s a fairly dramatic design statement. Galli’s intent with the S1 was to blend the simple with the avant-garde. It’s at once a basic three hand, time only watch, and something far more complex and difficult to pin down. The key design element here is the watch’s case. Measuring 41mm, it’s skeletonized and molded at the lugs, giving it a sleek and almost futuristic look. This is the type of detail that you expect to see on far more expensive watches (the much maligned Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 comes to mind), but here it’s accessible and surprisingly well executed given the $450 price tag. The case also has a mix of brushed and polished surfaces that highlight its unique geometry. 

The original dial (now restocked by Timex, by the way) was in a radiant silver, and the new variant is a deep blue. The new dial retains the same sapphire stone as an accent near 6:00, and it still features applied hour markers and a subtle curve, giving it a slight vintage cue. Minute markers have been precision cut to create a sandwich dial effect. The movement is a Miyota 9039 with 42 hours of power reserve and a customized rotor design. 

This is a really interesting watch, and the kind of thing we love to see from both small and large brands. It feels adventurous in a way, both in its unusual aesthetic (at least in terms of the case) and in terms of the price point. At $450, you’re really getting a lot of design for the money with the Giorgio Galli S1, and a lot of brands would charge quite a bit more for something with this pedigree. Timex has successfully gotten back into the enthusiast fold over the last few years with some great re-releases of vintage icons, but this modern watch feels like where things are getting truly exciting for the brand. We hope to see more watches along these lines in the future. 

More information can be found here.