But the most striking thing about the watch has to be the way the crystal has been incorporated into the case. Timex went with a domed Hesalite crystal like you’d find on watches of the era the watch emulates, but the crystal extends past the dial to incorporate the entire bezel. We saw this technique employed to great effect with sapphire last year with TAG Heuer’s Carrera “Glassbox” — one of our favorite watches of 2023 — and it’s just as stunning here. Under the edges of the bulbous, you can make out the concentric grooves in the bezel along with a “Marlin” nameplate at six o’clock, with the design echoing 1960s aircraft design.
Slightly more modern touches include the 24-hour subdial at 9 o’clock, an exhibition window on the caseback for viewing the automatic movement and the included blue Perlon woven strap. Taken as a whole, the Marlin Jet might just be the best-looking Marlin to date, with that unique crystal and fast-looking case making for a compelling vessel. With that combo as a new base, I’m looking forward to seeing what other dial configurations Timex comes up with in future versions of the Marlin Jet.
You Can Only Buy the Marlin Jet Online … When It Isn’t Sold Out
If you’re planning to check out a Marlin Jet at your local Timex retailer, you’re out of luck. Timex is doing the opposite of the Swatch strategy by releasing the Marlin Jet exclusively online through the Timex online store, where it costs just $289. Naturally, this combination of killer style, convenient shopping and a low price made the Marlin Jet sell out in a flash. Almost as soon as the watch appeared on the site, it was gone. The good news is it’s not a limited edition, so keep checking back and maybe you’ll get lucky.
