Timex, a brand that’s been around long enough to outlast most of its competitors, has just dropped a limited edition anniversary watch for their 170th birthday. The price? A single dollar. But before you start hunting for your wallet, there’s a small catch—you can’t just walk into a store and snag one. These watches are part of a collection celebrating the company’s long history, and only 1,000 of them will be made available at retailers worldwide for one thin buck.
The sale is happening on November 16. The watch has a quartz movement and a “glossy ice white dial” that displays the 170th anniversary logo and Roman numeral markers. It’s based on Timex’s original $1 watch, a pocket watch so popular that even Mark Twain bought a couple.
From the release:
Timex, a pioneer in the watchmaking industry, is celebrating their 170th Anniversary with 1,000 limited-edition Waterbury watches for just $1 dollar; reviving a legacy of accessible timekeeping. On November 16th, consumers will have a chance to claim their limited-edition $1 watch at all participating retailers at 10am locally. It will also be available on Timex.com US and Timex.ca (10am EST / 7am PST), Timex.co.uk (10am GMT), Timex.eu (10am CET), and shop.timexindia.com (10am IST). Don’t miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to claim your limited-edition $1 watch and be part of Timex’s celebration of time, resilience, and the enduring spirit of the dollar.
Timex began its journey in 1854 as the Waterbury Clock Company, based in Waterbury, Connecticut, during the height of the American Industrial Revolution. Originally focused on producing affordable clocks, the company quickly gained a reputation for precision and durability. By the 20th century, Timex had shifted its focus to wristwatches, developing innovations like the first affordable mass-market wristwatch in 1917. The brand’s popularity surged in the 1950s with its iconic slogan, “Takes a licking and keeps on ticking,” which emphasized the ruggedness of its watches. Over the years, Timex continued to evolve, introducing digital models like the Timex Ironman in the 1980s and embracing modern trends. Sure it may be known as drugstore watch but recently the company has expanded into automatic movements and classic styles that are really setting it apart from the fashion watch pack.
This move says a lot about where Timex is headed. It’s a brand rooted in tradition but clearly looking to experiment and push boundaries. The anniversary release feels like a smart blend of nostalgia and exclusivity. You’ve got the history—170 years is no joke—and you’ve got a highly collectible piece of horology.
It also speaks to the power of the brand’s community, which Timex is leaning into for this release. These days, creating a buzz around exclusivity isn’t just about the product—it’s about the experience and the engagement. The people who manage to score this watch, especially at $1, are going to feel like they’ve won a mini-lottery, and Timex knows how to leverage that kind of hype.
