WatchRider
Timex 1976 Lexington Reissue Inspired Is a Sharp $149 Steel Cartier Tank Alternative
Timex has taken the 1976 Lexington Reissue Inspired in the direction I wanted most: away from gold tone and into polished steel. The new TW2Y88200 keeps the compact rectangular shape, vertically brushed silver dial and Roman numerals of the earlier model, then adds metallic blue hands for a little contrast. It is currently listed as a $149 pre-order in the United States, which puts it firmly in the part of the market where a good design matters more than a prestigious logo. A rectangular watch with the right instincts I am a fan of rectangular watches because they make even a simple time-only watch feel considered. A round case can hide lazy proportions. A rectangle cannot. Every line is visible: the width, the length, the dial margins, the shape of the numerals and the relationship between case and strap. That is why the Cartier Tank remains such a powerful reference point, and why an affordable watch needs more than Roman numerals to feel convincing. Timex’s silver dial, blue hands and Roman numerals look clean. This Timex is not trying to be a counterfeit Tank. It earns its place as a nice alternative because it uses the same broad language of a slim rectangular case, an orderly dial and a leather strap, then keeps a personality of its own. If you enjoy this corner of watch design, I have also ranked the Cartier Tank alternatives that have stayed in my collection. The Lexington belongs in that conversation because it offers a clean steel option at a price that makes o...
![Happenings: Join Us For Hodinkee Happy Hour At One Vanderbilt [RSVP Here]](https://hodinkee.imgix.net/uploads/images/e621610f-76bd-49a6-8ee6-6e8d05a5f62e/1C2A0752-Edit.jpg?ixlib=rails-1.1.0&fm=jpg&q=55&auto=format&usm=12&w=2000)
