Timex has reintroduced its iconic 1972 World Time watch as part of the Q Timex collection, offering a stylish and functional throwback to an era when air travel still held a sense of glamour. Originally released with a black-and-red color scheme—now sold out—the updated models feature two fresh dial variations paired with matching leather straps.
A Nod to Aviation’s Golden Age
The 1972 World Time watch embodies the spirit of a bygone era, when airports boasted avant-garde architecture and flying was considered a sophisticated experience. The watch’s distinctive dial design, faithfully reproduced from the original, features a geometric pattern that begins with a central circle, expands into twelve segments in the middle ring, and further divides into sixty parts in the outer ring. A trapezoidal date window at three o’clock adds a subtle retro touch.
Encased in a 39mm brushed stainless steel cushion-shaped design, the watch sits comfortably on the wrist. Its high-domed acrylic crystal enhances the illusion of depth when viewed from an angle, while luminescent hands and hour markers ensure readability in low light.
How the World Time Bezel Simplifies Travel
Unlike dive bezels, which track elapsed time, the World Time bezel functions as a practical reference for global time zones. Instead of memorizing complex time differences, wearers can quickly calculate the time anywhere by aligning the hour hand with their current location.
The bezel organizes time zones based on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), with each segment representing a major city. By adjusting the bezel to match local time, travelers can instantly read the time in 23 other zones—requiring only basic addition or subtraction.
With its blend of vintage aesthetics and functional simplicity, the revived Timex World Time watch offers an affordable yet stylish option for modern globetrotters and nostalgia enthusiasts alike.
