Can Watch Enthusiasts discuss Lifestyle Watches?
With all the watch watching, researching, shopping I have done over the past ten years, I have still managed to miss Nixon. All of a sudden I saw a Nixon I liked, then was off on a tangent. I was never a skateboarder, a snowboarder or a surfer, but I like Nixon watches.
When you are looking for certain things, you miss others. You may notice things on the periphery, but there is no real retention of styles or names. That is what has happened to me in all my online searches over the years; I have seen Nixon watches, but the specific ones I encountered, did not resonate with me or they even offended me!
You have to factor in my generation, age, and normal watch interests into the situation. There are the other reasons of Nixon distribution and watch media. Nixon sells through board sports retailers that I don’t track and the mainstream watch media that does not really talk about style/fashion watches much. For example, I was never looking for a 51mm chunky gold watch with a 30mm bracelet. When you are searching for a 38mm subdued, vintage-inspired field watch you disregard or are repelled by a monster Nixon. When you buy a Nixon, you probably want something different? You want to break away from the “watch” everyone expects.
The new reissued Scout was the first new Nixon I bought. At about the same time I went after a few other discontinued preowned styles. With this post, I hope to talk about a broad range of Nixon pieces rather than just the Scout. I feel the need to talk about Nixon in general. My first impressions, if you will. I also want to bring a distinction between the old and the new. The early Nixons are the ones that interest me most.
This reminds me of my recent look into MVMT. I do not inhabit the media space where Nixon lives. I came to MVMT because of a collab. I do not like probably 98% of MVMT watches. I am not in the MVMT demographic. But, I really liked that one watch. Its the same with Nixon, while I do enjoy fashion watches, my tastes were more traditional. That said, I do have a art and design background, and a rebel streak. I do have varied tastes. When I started dredging up old Nixon designs from over the years, I had a blast! Unlike MVMT, I love many Nixon designs. I also have to say I do not consider Nixon as only a fashion watch brand in that it was born out of a need for an action sport lifestyle tool. That can become a fashion, too. They are watches with a style but also a utility.
This post took me a while to put together because I was researching as I went. A lot of rewriting was done. I like a lot of Nixon designs. There has been so much going on with Nixon design over the life of the company. Many new concepts with finishes, color combinations and shapes continues today. Compared to MVMT, their concepts are richer and packed with design allusions and details. There are many vintage/retro looking inspirations, particularly with the older designs.
One of the first things that I thought of while tearing through new Nixon designs is how different one shape of watch case/dial can look in different finishes and colors and straps. Or a similar case with different dial and strap – its a different watch! Also, sadly, as I looked through cool older designs, I thought of how fleeting fashion watches are with styles and materials as they ride trends, and how quickly cheap finishes and materials can be physically worn down. Also, with watches in particular, you bemoan the discovery of discontinued styles, knowing it could be difficult to find the ones you like.
Minimalist is a term often associated with many MVMT styles. You could say the same about some current popular Nixon styles, too, but then there seems to be more variety and detail to Nixon, especially if you look at past designs. Nixon has released a huge variety of style over 27 years. There is something for everybody in there somewhere. Some old ones were outlandish, some icons. The middle years were a mixed bag and included some experiments. With the current lines, many seem to have no soul, just pure fashion accessory. Then some are all sports tool or a mix of both.
We seem to be at a crossroads with the classic fashion watch. Or maybe I should say the fast fashion watch? Every watch brand is facing the environmental considerations of waste and recycling. Fashion watches are even more in the crosshairs if you consider the durability, longevity and repair potential. Nixon does offer some solar quartz and a few auto options, so in the battery issue at least there are a few options. With all the finishes and coatings offered by Nixon, there has to be a lot of potential points for discussion of environmental impact? I know they are focusing on the basic steps of recycled plastic and reduced packaging.
What is Nixon?
Sorry, when you don’t know, you have to learn. Founded in 1997. So, 27 years of production. Right after XGames started. At their start, the founders did not see a watch that spoke to snowboarders, skaters, surfers. Much has changed of the the last 27 years regarding the economy, materials and manufacturing, and especially, the watch industry and watch culture. It would be interesting to ask someone involved with Nixon in 1997-98 what they think is different now? Since I am new to Nixon I do not know the inspiration of each of their past designs. I would have to go back and look at the social and design trends at the time.
Having spent the two weeks or more studying old and new Nixon, I can see a shift from a rough and tumble rebellious board/music culture to a more sophisticated watch culture. It is still a brand for and about the young, but it has changed with the times. There is more competition out there now.
From their website: “Nixon has been the premium lifestyle accessory brand of choice for independents, creatives, and free-thinkers the world over. What co-founders Chad DiNenna and Andy Laats started in Encinitas, California as a boutique line of watches exclusively sold at board sports and fashion retailers is now a full range of watches, bags, leather goods, and accessories. Sold in over 90 countries, we’ve built a global following of people living unbound lives and bringing our products along for the ride.“
From the website 1000logos.net:
The first part of the logo, the lettering “Nixon,” features an austere sans. The type is rather light, with generous breathing space between the letters, although it is in no way ethereal. The “X” glyph in the middle of the word and the two “N’s” on the sides add an illusion of symmetry.
To the right of the word, there is an icon. To decipher its message, we should first mention that it comprises three components, each having a meaning of its own. The white component inside is a stylized depiction of the bottom of the hourglass. The outside shape symbolizes the wings of time. Together, they form a single shape symbolizing a flame.
Why have all these symbols been chosen? What do they share in common and how is it related to the Nixon brand? As the company explains, each of the symbols represents something that is timeless. In addition to referring to the “timeless” elegance and quality of Nixon’s products, the message behind the Nixon logo also has a more direct meaning as a reference to something connected with the time.
The “pod” icon remains. I like it. It has a very StarWars feel to me. A funny thing came to mind too; It is similar to the Lulu Lemon logo. The Nixon mark is a closed version of the Lulu Lemon mark. Anyway, its good thing to me that it reminds me of StarWars.
The Nixon name does not come from any company founder or family name. From what I have read, It was chosen for it’s irreverent poke at the establishment and something “bad” as represented by former president Richard M. Nixon and his administration from 1969-74. It also has a nice ring to it. It has an “X” in it. Its an ironic choice of name for a company wanting to help free-thinkers and non-conformists express themselves and engage in new types of sport.
When I think of a lot of fashion watches over the last 20-25 years I think “large”. I think “bling”. That was not the case as much, with Swatch and Fossil in the mid 90s. Just this month, was looking at a group of Fossil watches in a “department store” setting. Even though I was slightly interested in a couple of styles, the first thing that stopped me about all of them is that they were too big. Fashion watches generally are meant to be seen, therefore, have size and bling. They exaggerate a design cue on trend.
Fashion watches are not the only watches that are big. Think divers, pilot watches, chronographs. Now, within the enthusiast space, vintage (read pre-large) and smaller sizes are in. Still, as I have written before, I look at at many current Citizen styles, which are not fashion watches, and they seem too big and blingy for my tastes. Nixon makes watches in a variety of sizes. Interestingly on their current site they group watches by the sizes: S 23-31mm, M 32-41mm, L 42-47mm, XL 48-52mm. I went for some Nixon watches that are larger than I would normally pick.
In 1998 I was leaving a civil engineering firm doing graphic/marketing support. I was about to go back into the office furniture industry to work for Haworth doing technical sales support. I was probably wearing Swatch and Fossil watches. I also had a Gruen Soviet(remember those) and a Timex second gen camper(quartz). Not wearing the G-shock as much. I never knew of Nixon and not a board sports participant. Watches were not as important to me then, nor did I have much extra money to spend on watches.
Off the cuff (pun intended) I would say Nixon represents the skater/surfer, street/pop culture if there is such a thing? It is hard to pigeonhole a brand or genre because like everything, there are many variations. These are meant to be inexpensive watches that express more about lifestyle than watch traditions. More about action sport fashion and utility than horology. A style accessory. Like all watches, in that way. Also part of the core design is an accessory for action sports. So, the watches have to be durable and have some water resistance. They can get wet and get knocked around. However, for cost reasons, you won’t see a lot of lume or sapphire, or mechanical movements, especially on the older models. Nixon has changed with the times, and you can find these features on some models. Consumer expectations have changed since the late 90s.
From Quora:”…Nixon markets itself as a lifestyle brand, often associated with action sports, music, and youth culture. This branding appeals to consumers looking for watches that reflect their personal style.”
I don’t like to compare watches from one brand to another unless the specific watches being compared are meant for the the same use/market. A lot of negative comments about fashion watches revolve around lack of specs, quality of materials, accuracy, and durability when those are not the reasons people buy them. Its about style/attitude for the lowest price.
Also from Quora :Former VP of Product at Nixon Watches (2012–2017)”…most Nixon watches are comparable to high-end Fossil from a manufacturing quality standpoint (which are quite good overall), but in many cases better. What sets Nixon apart from other brands is the design and attention to detail. Not a single component is shared between watches (not even bands, or crowns), and every detail is unique to Nixon. Nixon has exclusive factories which produce at a high standard, and all of their watches are either Miyota movements if Japanese, or ETA or Ronda if Swiss. These are all very good quality movements, and with custom design and exclusive factories… Nixon is a good product. Not luxury, no.. but overall very good.”
So, what does very good mean? Its really a watch by watch decision. What is it you are buying? I buy Nixons for very good style. I’m not expecting a tool watch or a certified chronometer. I have a pretty good idea of what to expect. I guess I threw in that quote to emphasize the focus on design details.
Nixon is a way southern California company. Again, like MVMT and Vaer a little further up the coast. Stye wise, Nixon is in between. Vaer went the tool watch route versus the lifestyle/fashion route. Having said that, a tool watch culture can(and will) become a fashion watch, too. Nothing is safe from fashion. Naturally then, many of the preowned Nixons I shop are in California. Also, Japan! If you ever want to take the pulse of California Pop Culture, look to Japan. Or France. A lot of nice preowned Nixons are waving at me from Japan. They really have a world-wide presence. Like a lot of brands, they had offices and boutiques around the world, but have since turned to selling online and through retailers. They have done extensive collaborations with musicians, sports figures, actors, and fashion brands.
Any brand or product is up to how every individual wants to interpret it, right? We each take our own piece of a product for what it represents to us. That may be the same as many others, or singular personal association. We each express our individual aspirations or feeling when we wear a product. We don’t have to buy into any lifestyle or culture as a whole. We don’t have to be a surfer or a rocker or a skater to like a specific Nixon watch.
The Scout
Be Prepared. The case shape. That is what got me. What sealed the deal is the bronze-olive finish plating color. The Scout may be my favorite Nixon? I think it is just one of the easiest most versatile styles. Its small, cheap and simple. Its a refreshing shape from the traditional round of a field watch and the rounded square of a digital watch. It has slab vertical sides with faceted corners. I guess its an octagon. Its a Civil War ironclad or a stealth bomber or a space pod. It is 35mm wide x 42mm long and about 9mm thick. Small for a Nixon! I think the style has been around since 2004? In 2025 Nixon says the Scout has been “upgraded”, but I don’t know how true that is? They have always been 100m WR and had triple gasket crown. The old one have lumed hands, the new ones don’t! I have been told the new Scout has a “better” movement, but maybe that is just a more modern one. The cases look very similar
The simple dial; a stylized field watch dial with inner 24 hr track, chunky squared off numbers and flat end stick hands are all fun. There are a lot of hard edges to this design. It looks good in all three current color schemes; Olive/blk/camo, Silv/blk/grey, Blk/wht/blk. The Scout has been around before, since maybe 2004(?) with different color dial treatments and 38mm wide velcro-style straps; Bund style. I’ve seen some on leather straps too. The current ones are on “20mm” NATO zulu type strap.
It has very short lugs. It uses standard spring bars, so you have lots of options to change strap. It does have some odd specs; the lug width is 21.5mm as is the supplied NATO-style strap. Great. As much as I like the camo NATO strap with case-matching finish, It fits weird. The buckle side is short. The bottom, looped part of the NATO is so short—just long enough for case–so that you can’t float the watch to different positions and therefore move the buckle to where you want it. The buckle ends up almost on the outside of my wrist. I will probably be using another strap such as a single-pass Crown & Buckle US Military. 20mm seems a bit narrow. Not sure if a 22mm will fit? I tried a Barton 22mm quick-release hybrid and it was too wide, a FKM22mm rubber is too wide…
Using a 20mm strap on a 21.5mm lug gap is going to irritate a lot of people because of the spring bar showing. Using a slightly over-sized 22mm that is soft enough to squeeze in may be preferable? Especially frustrating is that Nixon doesn’t have replacement 21.5 mm straps on its site! It sells what it calls 20mm “one piece”(two-layer) with zulu keepers. I don’t know if they are 20mm or 21.5mm? I guess they are avoiding calling it a “NATO”.
Earlier Scouts (pre-2025) were available with colored dials like brown, red, green. It gives the watch a different personality. With the Scout being small and simple, the wide, colorful strap choices were a big part of the total style statement. Those older wide nylon or leather Bund-style really have a ’70s vibe to me. I have a few older Scouts that I purchased preowned after getting the current Olive one. Back in 2004-2007 all Scouts came on the wide straps.
My 2006 bronze-plated scout with cream dial and brown numbers is probably my favorite of the Scouts I own. Its on a dark khaki/brown nylon cuff with bronze plated buckle. The watch case, buckle and the strap are worn and battered, but it has so much richness and character. The subtle color variations of brass, brown, bronze khaki, cream just work together to deliver a very unique watch. I imagine it looked good when new too! But it is different now because of the wear. It was also a longer process than normal getting the watch from an eBay seller. There was some confusion and delay, so it took a while before I could see what the watch was like in hand.
What is interesting is that when the bronze plating is worn off in spots, the brass shows through, but looks good, works with the plating, rather than contrasting as silver wears over brass. I gave it a good toothbrush scrubbing with dish soap when I got it. IT has a nice dull shine. The years have created a variegated finish now. I’m not sure what the finish looked like new, but now there is lots of variation of patina, wear, lights and darks. Its great!
Shapes
The thing about Nixon watches with me is the more “conventional” shaped ones are the ones I like least. That’s where they remind me of MVMT. Some of their biggest sellers; the Sentry and Time Teller, to me, are the most boring! The dial on the Time Teller is too minimalist for me. The Sentry has more potential especially in certain colors and finishes. Its the more unusual shapes or mondo sizes that are distinctive to Nixon. Not that I would wear most of them, but they are interesting and different.
Some of the big round ones like Corporal, October, and 51-30, are appealing for the look of a big gauge/dial, industrial or military. Like a basic Bell&Ross or a Redux sense of equipment, or dashboard gauge. The Rover is one pretty conventional shaped and sized round style, with a bezel, that I like in several colors. An old style, It has been updated over the years to become a very different watch. The old style Conquer/Roadie from the 90s has very pronounced lugs. I consider it one of the old chunky styles with unique case shapes. Those are gone now. The first digital styles were heavy slab-sided trapezoids. Things have slimmed down, but still have the 90s feel. Straps were big and wide in the 90s to make a statement and secure the watch in action. Now, though some strap or bracelets are still wide in many cases, the cuff look is gone.
Graphics
Since Nixon style is about attitude, the dial layouts and numbers styles are not conventional either. Many have minimal hour or minute markers or none at all. The minimalist dial without numbers is not really what I like, but, many classic watch dials have no numbers, too. I like the numbers on the Scout and the Agent, the Sam and the Falcon for some examples. The Falcon has lots of numbers and a sort of sector/compass shape on the dial. Some others like the old Vector and Rocker have bold dials. Some styles, like the new the Corporal, have two-digit numbers like 03, 06, 09. So that is a trait that continues and gives Nixons character.
Finishes
One of the first things that attracted me to current Nixon was the use of all kinds of colors and textures for case finishes. Bronze, gold, gunmetal, black polished and brushed steel, as well as rubber, and plastics. I for one love the theater of faux aged cases. I love the antiqued coppers and bronzes or flat gold and blasted surfaces. Even though I like these coatings, the down side is that they get rubbed off or chipped off over time. Most designs don’t look better for it. The price you pay for cheap fashion watches. With Nixon’s sturdy cases, since many styles are designed for wearing during sports, the surface degradation does not diminish the utility.
Names and Phrases
Every Nixon watch gets a intriguing name, often humorous or irreverent. The name with an accompanying phrase are etched on the case back. The name sets the theme for the watch design revealing some of the design inspiration. The phrase adds some support to the theme. For the Scout the phrase is Be Prepared. For the October the phrase is Battle Stations! The Falcon has Permission for Flyby. A new one, the Echo, has: Goin’ In.
The Cuff
Since I’m grooving on the old Nixon styles, I have to discuss the cuff straps of twenty years ago. Part of the whole skater/rocker look was the cuff in nylon or leather. While looking at all the early 2000s Nixons for sale on eBay, most have a cuff/bund type strap that is at least as wide as the watch case. Some of the styles, especially women’s styles had the watch case built into a wide strap! If you look at the current Nixon site, not a cuff in site! Its curious to see the older preowned Scouts for sale on conventional straps that fit between the lugs. It makes me wonder if the owners wanted to get away from the cuff, or could not get a replacement from Nixon?
Those old ribbed nylon cuffs can be a bit stiff. I noticed Nixon came out with a later version that was a different weave that was softer. It is hard to find similar replacement cuff straps with a buckle and two tangs, of course. There are lots of military style velcro with covers out there(Nixon even did it), or leather bund products. It might be an opportunity for some strap makers to revive the Nixon style?
The October
Battle stations! Why did I willfully get a 48mm watch? That is something I thought I would never do. I have even shied away from 43mm watches. I just saw one on these Nixon Octobers and thought it was so nuts, I had to try it. Mine was preowned and pretty banged up. That’s OK. The marks on the bezel give it character. It has some pretty good scratches on the crystal, too. Again, character, but I may consider getting it replaced? Then again, this watch looks like it should be scarred up. Like a pressure gauge off some old steam engine. I really like this watch. Its like having a vintage pocket watch on the wrist.
There were several October versions, but this A488-000 just hit all the right cues for me; vintage look, black dial, nice numbers, pale green lume, mixed metal finishes, utilitarian/industrial dial, wire-type lugs cool white Breguet hand set and very fine red second sweep. I believe they were released around 2013? It was on a beefy 24mm rubber with riveted loop over the wire lugs. Problem was part of the strap was gone, so the whole thing had to come off. Of course, Nixon does not have any of these for replacement.
I could not figure out how to separate the rivet halves so I cut it off! I like the idea of a two-piece strap to keep this big watch closer to the wrist, so I might be looking at a custom open loop leather? The lug gap is about 20mm, so the old rubber strap flared out to a straight 24mm after the loop. Maybe a single pass grey canvas or leather with distressed hardware? Because it is such a heavy watch, what ever strap I choose, it needs a sturdy strap to be secured with the just-right fit. My wrist is pretty slim so the big watch with that big rubber was maybe just too much.
I have also tried it on an inexpensive single-pass, adjustable, perlon from CNS. It works pretty well because the perlon has no fixed holes, you can finely adjust where you want the buckle tang to penetrate the strap for a secure fit. But, because the watch is so heavy and the strap slides easily in the lugs, its easy to drop the watch! You can’t pick up the watch by the strap. A rubber single-pass might grip? I see a two-piece strap with loops in the near future…
The left side crown and date is used on several Nixon watches. I believe the idea to keep the crown from digging into the hand during physical activities. They have lots of big watches so this feature works well. It is a 9mm dia. screw-down crown with a plastic insert of the Nixon logo. The watch is rated for 300m WR! What! But no sapphire, weak lume. So, its a mixed set of specs.
Being new to Nixon, I don’t know where they get their ideas or the names of the styles. Did a designer look at a depth gauge from an old sub? Is the name from the Russian sub in Tom Clancy’s book Hunt for Red October?
This watch is a great example of how we can be unexpectedly surprised by a watch we never thought we would be interested in for one reason or another. Things such as “I don’t like Nixon watches”, or “48mm is too big” just fall away. The October is big, but it seems right for some reason? I would like a smaller version but there are so many things about it I like, it doesn’t seem to matter. But again, with Nixon part of it is about not being conventional. Tool watches for attitude.
The Falcon
Permission for Flyby. Maybe a quote from Top Gun? Here is another combination of shape/finish/graphics that resonated with me. Its fairly big watch again at 43mm, but, not to the October’s extremes. What inspired this design is unknown to me. I got one preowned. I like a few versions I have seen, but the first I wanted was the Antique Copper finish. So again this was not a watch for specs, or functions or a specific utility other than a style statement. I just liked the the look of it. This is what is so cool about watches. They allow you to wrap up in a small personal package all kinds of codes, expressions, and feelings to wear on your arm. This cool little sculpture that makes you happy and tells you the time.
The case shape is pretty unusual and very Nixon-like. It looks sturdy and vintage and sporty, but not what you normally think of as a watch design. It is an octagon with step down contours from the bezel. The size is 43mm x 50mm. The dial graphics are unconventional. There is an usual sector dial with a circle on top of a rotated square with rounded corners. The prominent Arabic numbers are the minute track. The hours are in an inner track and smaller. It has a tiny date window below the dial center, but within the “sector” circle, quite a way up from the bottom of dial. This indicates a small movement/date wheel which was needed to not interrupt the graphics of the dial layout. It is a white background date wheel under a black dial. Its the only white on the dial! Seems to be a compromise of some sort. The numbers are so small they are hard to read.
All the grey printing on the dial turns a luminus green, but fades instantly. Not really useful. The copper colored hands are lumed better. The painted orange turns green also and is much stronger than the other dial elements. Over all it is a dark moody dial with black and grey. The residue on the underside of the glass and what appears to be an anti-reflective coating do not help. It looks like it could be a tinted crystal, too. The orange hands really pop off the dial.
There are other versions such as brushed steel, black and a faux aged gunmetal look. Some came on leather and some on bracelets. This Falcon Leather came on a black, no-taper 20mm two-piece strap. By 2011 the wide strap trend had faded.
I’m a sucker for “antique” finishes. This one I decided to adopt was a little beat up, with some wear-ff of finish in a few spots. It also has a strap looking tired. There might be some past moisture entry based on what appears to be residue on underside of glass? Might call for a cleaning. It also has a pretty good scratch on the crystal at 9 o’clock. You have to gamble sometimes when online photos are bad. I might look for another in better condition (like my October). I think some of the bracelet versions look good too.
The Agent
Hombre Secreto. The numbers. There are so many interesting Nixons it gets hard sort them all out. As is my inclination, I try to sort out all the lines and styles to get a big picture of the brand. I group them by common characteristics and sizes and features, etc. I also like to sort them chronologically. Doing his over 27 years worth of styles is a big task.
Lots of Nixon styles, in the earlier years are similar to each other. One style that has a similar size and shape to the Scout was the Agent. I didn’t notice that at first because the thing I liked when I first saw an Agent was the cool 2-digit numbers; a thin stencil typeface? So far I’ve seen Silver dial, Black dial, and a Maroon dial versions. I like the Silver dial with dark grey numbers. That is the one I have.
While the case is similar to the Scout, 35mm x 43mm, with a 21mm lug gap, it has a square dial with small faceted corners. The dial is round on a Scout. This silver dial model has tapered baton hands with lume and red second sweep. Small red dots mark the outside track of the hour numbers. Overall a smaller, more compact dial than the Scout.
The Agent has a military and ’70s StarWars vibe to me. Its all a little more funky and nuanced than the Scout. The silver dial is a step down layered one painted with a metal flake. The sides of the case a mostly flat like the Scout, but have additional contours that step down. The dials of the Agent models might not be as legible as the Scout’s. This grey dial is probably the easiest to read of the colors I have seen. The dark grey numbers do not contrast against the dials. It seems the concept was to subdue the numbers?
Final Thoughts
It has been fun looking into Nixon watches. I have acquired some examples along the way. Most of them older ones, but that is my style. I could see how one could become a collector of Nixon watches. The older ones have a lot of appeal and daring concepts. With all the unique shapes and designs there is lots of room for expression and alternative looks or even to the conventional watch shapes.
I found it hard to focus on a few themes here because there is a lot to unpack regarding Nixon in the past 27 years. I did not mean to do a comprehensive history of all the watches, but its hard to limit myself when so many of the watches are so interesting. I wanted to focus on a few that I have and to give my general impressions of Nixon in the context of watch enthusiast rather than action sports enthusiast. I think what I can say about the 90s Nixon watches is the same I say about my 90s Bulova Marine Stars: Nobody makes watches like this anymore.
Things have changed. I think Nixon was much more alternative 20 years ago and has become more conventional with watch styles. I think this partly due to economics and the fact that the general watch community has become more sophisticated regarding watches. The fashion watch world has changed too; it has become more about watches and less about fashion, if that makes sense. Similar to MVMT, the Nixon site is pretty sparse on technical info about their watches.
I think the action sports world has had its ups and downs, too, in the last 25 years? Probably ten years ago its popularity had fallen off from the boom days of the late 90s and early 2000s. However, since the continued inclusion as Olympic sports, things seem to have picked up again. Participation seems to be more diverse and international than ever. Nixon has long been a supporter of women’s action sports and watches and they continue to include watches targeted at women like most brands. Part of that, as with other brands, is realizing that where watches are concerned, women or men really are looking for the same things, so designs are becoming more universal. Gone are most of the old, but very interesting, girly styles. Wrist size still needs to be taken into account for all.
The cuff look is long gone. Things change. I don’t know if it is style trends, sports function, cost or all three? They don’t even offer replacements for old styles, but then what companies do? Everything costs more — to buy, to make. The chunky watches have given way to lighter, slimmer fare. Material and manufacturing advances have changed how all watches are made. Overall the current collection is more mainstream. Still some oversize. Still lots of digital. There was even a smart watch period for a while. That my have been a reach for Nixon that opened up a whole other can of worms? They do offer solar powered quartz movements and the occasional auto.
The logo type change, the rebrand, is a marker for a new era. I’m not sure when it was done? Its so hard to find some dates/facts that your think would be easy to find! I think it was around 2008-10? (I’ll keep looking). It reflects the change. The old logo, which I prefer, has more attitude. The newer one is more corporate slick, technical, establishment. Maybe that shows that action sports have become more mainstream and focused on corporate investment and sports media networks, instead of attitude?
Nixon has always focused on youth and new ideas. They have taken chances and sought improvement. It seems they also have a tradition of using outside, consultants and designers to insure an open-minded approach to product development. They have tried to stay relevant and forward looking. No thriving company likes to get stagnant. I do feel that the watch market overall now has a lot of Me Too designs. Maybe action sports have become so mainstream the the rebel ethos has lost its appeal? Hence more conventional watch designs.
They continued to update some lines over the years like the Rocker or Don and reissue other old ones. I suppose the Scout could fall under the reissue category? It shows how certain designs can define your heritage. Sometimes its hard to move on and still be what it was that got you where you are today. At the same time it is hard to update original designs. All watch brands see the value in maintaining a link to the past. I would like to see some reissues of older Nixon watches with old logo. Offer some modern replacement cuff straps. We all know that nostalgia can be tricky. But, it can also be fun.
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