It’s a big EDC market out there, and tons of awesome gear is released all the time. We made The Drop to help you discover the latest and greatest essentials worth a spot in your EDC.
Knowing the exact time zone of your destination is essential to getting the most use out of an EDC watch that features a GMT hand. That’s because that watch complication requires you to set a specific offset from your current time for you to be able to tell the time in a different place. But let’s face it: you might have difficulty figuring that out unless you’ve memorized a table of time zones. In days old, watches used to spell out cities and places on a watch’s outer bezel. And the Timex World Time 1972 Reissue does that: letting you figure out your time relative to where you’re going without knowing the specifics.
As its name implies, the World Time involves Timex going back through decades of experience making quality everyday carry watches and bringing past designs into the 21st century. The stainless steel and black trim bezel and dial make for a 70s aesthetic. And unlike many watches that try the retro theme, this Timex watch ditches the trendy integrated link metal bracelet. Instead, you get a quick change leather watch band and the ability to use standard 20mm lugs and bands of your choice.
The 39mm case diameter also makes for a retro look without being so small that it looks out of place for today’s fashions. The modern quartz movement inside will keep time better than most automatic watches could and at a fraction of the cost, which is particularly useful when you need to keep accurate time in multiple timezones. With the outer bezel, you can set your current location and then discern the time in other places by looking at the outer ring. The watch is highly-legible, with a bright red seconds hand and lume on the hour and minute hands and the outer markers. A date window at the 3 o’clock position completes the look.
What we like: This retro reissue watch from Timex is as stylish as it is convenient. It’s a great starter watch if you’re looking for a way to see the time in other places without knowing precisely the actual time zone differential.
What to watch out for: This watch only has 50 meters of water resistance. While that’s sufficient for most everyday splashes, you should avoid wearing this watch for an extended dip into the pool just to be safe.
Final verdict: This watch’s beautiful look is timeless even if you don’t use the outer bezel’s world time function. With its retro looks and styling matched with the modern internals and reliability of its quartz movement, the Timex World Time 1972 Reissue is an excellent choice for an everyday carry wristwatch.
