The Timex brand is no stranger to these pages, but it has been a little bit since we’ve had a look at a model from the Intelligent Quartz line. Today’s model sports a lot of functionality in the case.
As you can guess by the model name, Tide Temp Compass (Ref T2N739ZA), this watch will track the local tide, tell you the temperature, and/or point you in the right direction. All of these functions are indicated by the fourth hand (the skeletonized arrow), so you’ll want to familiarize yourself with the owners manual so you know what mode you’re in. While I was able to play around with it and figure most of it out, I was always a little unsure about the mode (hence my instruction manual comment).
The functions included aren’t just basic add-ons, though. With the compass, you can adjust for declination angle, and the temperature can be measured for air or water (but I wouldn’t head too deep with the 100m water resistance rating). Of course, if you’re measuring air temp, you’ll want to have the watch off of your wrist (as with any watch offering this function) so your body temperature doesn’t throw things off.
Rounding out the more common features, you’ve got three-hander time, date display, lumed hands and indices, and the always fun INDIGLO® electro-luminiscent backlight. Here, however, the Indiglo isn’t as usegful as I’ve seen on other models, as there’s a large area smack in the center of the dial that doesn’t light up (perhaps due to the compass function). This makes it harder to read the time, unless the traditional lume is also lit up.
The 45mm (13mm thick) case is made of stainless steel, but has a titanium finish that meshes well with the dark-green suede strap that’s found on the 16mm lugs of the case. On top, you’ve got a bi-directional (not clicky) bezel surrounding the mineral crystal, which you can use to help keep yourself on the right path.
While I liked all of the features packed into the watch, this isn’t one that necessarily fits my lifestyle, since the tides really aren’t of interest to me. And, I also feel that the strap is too narrow for the larger case. However, if you’re finding yourself on the beach more often or not (or head out fishing quite a bit), this could be a nice watch to add in to your collection. MSRP is $170, but I was able to find it on Amazon in a variety of colors and finishes for around $120.
