A Very Different American Documents Watch
It is time to get back to one of my favorite topics: Timex. I am always wearing something from my Timex collection and thinking about Timex and trying to follow new releases. One thing I am not doing is acquiring as many Timex watches, either new or preowned. I still am collecting, but slowing the pace.
My last post on Timex was in May; the Viscount x Bespoke Post. I’m also working in the background on another post about Timex diver-style watches that I have been thinking on for years. For this post I’m getting back to an old subject. The American Documents series from Timex that I think was first released in 2019.
It was quite controversial at the time and I think was hard to swallow for the average Timex fan. The general theme I have picked up over the years has been that the cost of the American Documents watches (around $495) was too much. Most watch enthusiasts didn’t want to spend almost $500 on a quartz Timex watch when the could get a proven micro brand watch with an automatic movement.
The thing is, the American Documents(AD) concept was more about the bigger topic of watch manufacturing in the U.S. than it was about the watches themselves. The idea was that the watch was assembled in the U.S. from parts all made in the U.S. except the Ronda(6004.D) movement. Frankly, that is a big deal. I am really behind that concept and it is why I have bought watches from Vaer and Cincinnati that are assembled in in the U.S.
The problem for me, at the time, was that I did not like the watch design! I did not like the style of the final product. The quality was superior to the average Timex, but the style of the watch was too minimalist for me? I like the small seconds sub dial and the hand shape, but overall the watch is sort of ho-hum. The price was more than I wanted to spend, but also I was not interested. For that money, I could get an auto xJames auto titanium field watch. Timex began by making small batches. I don’t know how long that lasted. At some point Timex dropped the price from $495 to $248. But no more are available from the Timex site. Preowned example are listed for over $1000 now on eBay!
MadeWorn Version
Now, the more I look at the regular(2019) ADs, the more I like them. The crown and the case back are unique. Still, I’m not sure…It is sort of a dressy/everyday style that is hard for me to sort out. The one that got my attention was the MadeWorn collaboration, TW2U67900, in 2021. I can remember how interesting it was to me and how crazy I thought the $895 price was. At the time I didn’t really consider it one of the American Documents series. In fact, that was probably when I got to know of the normal American Documents styles? I thought it was so cool, but the price was prohibitive, and maybe it was too wild for me?
I was not familiar with the MadeWorn company but I liked the aesthetic of the beat up, worn, scratched, mixed metals feel. I liked the worn strap look and the night/day dial concept. I didn’t care about the unique packaging so much, since I am not really big on excessive packaging and am irritated with storage of watch boxes. I do, however, appreciate the design presentation put into it. I also do not like the current trend of many fashion apparel brands selling pre-worn clothes. I hate jeans with holes. I am of an age where I like new clothes to be new and get rid of clothes that are too worn! I can take it only to a point.
That said, if you have read any of my past articles, you know I like faux aging and fauxtina in my watches! I like bronze, and brass, and pewter and browns and golds, blasted finishes, Parkerized cases and vintage looks. So, the MadeWorn Timex was right up my alley. In 2019 it was maybe too much style, too much money? Four years later they can be found new on the grey market for less than $400. Will people be asking $1000 for them soon? The speculators have their money on the more conservative versions. Maybe the MadeWorn is too edgy for the mainstream?
I’m sort of a contrarian in a way. I like to rebel and go my way, so the MadeWorn style of AD suits me much better. I did wait four years for a reasonable price. Also in that time I came to appreciate this MadeWorn concept and the whole AD concept more. Part of the reason I got one is the American Made angle and part is the design. I am willing to pay more for American made things, but only to a point.
The watch is 41mm by about 48mm long and just about 10mm thick. There is no date window, and no lume. I think originally the plan was for about 300 watches to be made. I’m not sure how many finally were made or if more than one run was done.
All About the Dial
The main impact of the watch comes from the dial that has been split into light and dark, gold and black, AM and PM. It is the first thing you notice. Sure, the case and strap have been aged, too, but this watch is about the dial. I like this dial more than the number-less dials of the regular AD watches. There are Roman numerals for every hour as well as in the seconds sub dial. The sub dial is on a lower layer. There is the field watch standard military inner 24-hour number track, too. Even the Timex and MadeWorn logotypes get the day/night treatment.
Interestingly, not long after this watch, Todd Snyder did a Timex Mk1 collab with a half black/half white dial. I like this one better. The railroad track minutes ring gives this dial a vintage look the other AD watches don’t have. Each dial made is different. They are heated and splattered so no two will be alike. One of mine has a noticeable splatter/dark spot at about 1 o’clock.
I can see how this type of random dial can be a very personal thing. When you buy a watch unseen and don’t like the specific dial aging, what do you do? Send it back and ask for another? And again? It reminds me of a pre-order for a Praesidus watch where you had an option of “worn” or “heavily worn” dial, but still not knowing exactly what it would look like. Some people don’t want the unknown, especially for $895.
The dark hands are one of the best parts of the watch to me. The style is a dauphine or sword style with a bevel and prominent back point. They are the same hands as the polished ones on the original AD watches, but have been heat treated, I think. It is hard to see the hands on the black side of the dial, but the do catch light and reveal themselves when needed. According to Timex, these brass hands are unique to the industry, and I would believe that since I haven’t seen anything like them.
The case has been aged/ but I’m not sure exactly how it was done? A Blog To Watch did the best review I have seen on the watch in 2021. They also have a interview with MadeWorn founder Blaine Halvorson. However, as much as Ariel Adams tries to get Halvorson to explain how the process was done, he never is very detailed or clear about it! It is proprietary aging process and he doesn’t really tell. The case is forged stainless, coated, then sort of tumbled or abraded some way? Halvorson talked about how you see plating worn off of old watches that are brass with plating on top, but this is not the case here. Its a steel case, it seems coating is supposed to give a brass feeling.
I like the effect. A benefit is not having to worry about scratching it or nicking it, because that only makes it better. It reminds me some of the aged case on some of the 38mm Timex Archive Navi/Ocean cases, but more pronounced with the different color coating. I can remember reading at least one review of those Archive finishes where a customer returned it because they were expecting a polished look! But that is on Timex for not showing the details in images and explaining the idea. Here, its all about the treatment upfront.
Whatever it is, I love it. The case back is different than on the regular AD watches, of course. It was described int he ABTW article as a military case back stamped over with MadeWorn. It’s great! I haven’t figured out the significance of 01971 yet? You can also see the model number, TW2U67900, at the bottom. I’m not sure yet how to get the case back off. I have read that it is a “bayonet” type locking system, which to me means a partial twist to get tabs to lock into a notch? Push-twist. So, releasing should be a counter-clockwise twist to release the tabs? But, I don’t see any notch to grab it? Might be fun to ask Timex?(I did ask; they wouldn’t tell me. Told me to take to a “professional”. But, they didn’t tell me to send to Timex?). The thing is, many “professional” watchmakers would not be familiar with this type of case back, especially on an odd Timex.
The strap buckle gets the same aging treatment as the case. This is a nice detail that many brands skip. You won’t be changing this buckle easily. It is sewn on. No spring bar in the one-piece buckle. The strap comes from S.B. Foot Tanning in Red Wing, Minnesota, like the original AD straps, then MadeWorn goes to work aging them, too. It is a unique strap, I like it. It feels like soft suede. The strap is very soft! Initially it is not easy to slide the strap end into the keepers since both are soft and grippy like suede – nothing slides. No quick-release here, either. This strap is meant to be part of the whole.
Presentation packaging
A good chunk of the cost of this watch was the extensive, elaborate custom packaging. I find it hard to believe that many owners of this watch have wanted to retain all the packaging? As we all know as collectors, decades down the line, these items will add much value to the watch. The hard part is storing and keeping track of them for decades.
Like the plain cherry box of the first AD watches, I think the wood box works well as something for a dresser top place to store a watch you wear often. The watch can just be laid out in the box. There is no wrapping it around any holder. The lid can be easily lifted. In that way it is useful. But the layers of wrapping, though cool, are hard to justify as environmentally sustainable.
The MadeWorn packaging is pretty crazy! Mine did not have the wax paper wrapping. Probably because this was a return watch? The outside cardboard box is burnt to a nice brown color. The wood box, which I assume is the same cherry box, is burnt to charcoal black inside and out. A certificate with serial number is in the cardboard box. There is no serial number on watch. This is so Timex; it would cost more to number each watch. So, if you get a preowned with no papers, you don’t know what your serial number is.
I’m not sure if the boxes were coated with a fixative or varnish after burning, but It was impossible to handle things without getting soot all over your hands! I tried to wipe things off and put another coat of matte varnish so that I don’t have to wash my hands every time I touch it.
Closing Thoughts
I hope Timex continues some kind of Made in the U.S. program. It is going to take a long time; years, decades to slowly build up the watch manufacturing capabilities in this country. It is funny that the current administration thinks it can force companies to make watches here with tariffs. If only it was that simple. There needs to be huge investments in manufacturing and training and that does not happen overnight after a tariff is imposed.
Along the way it will involve a combination of American assembly and manufacturing along with specialized parts from other countries. It will all come in stages. That’s OK. Everything but the movement was made here, so that’s a good start. Also, it will not mean lower prices. There is a reason brands are making things in other countries. I don’t know if Timex still is making batches of AD watches or not? They are not known for communication with the watch community other than by way of new release marketing. Another thing Timex needs to do is be more transparent about how and where all their products are made. They are notorious for not telling you what is exactly in their watches. They do release bits of info sporadically on some models. For these AD watches, they don’t divulge who makes the cases or details on the case back closure. They don’t tell who makes the hands or other brass pieces other than “made in New England”. I have found some information that a “Wallingford (CT) company” makes the dials and that the hands and case are made in Connecticut,too.
I think you have to differentiate the xMadeWorn from the first release of American Documents watches. They share many components, but are very different. The first AD watches were a tough sell and had probably had a small audience. The MadeWorn audience is probably even smaller? Any Timex that is priced above, say $300, is going to unsettle many. Think S1. Anyway, if the $495 of the first AD was hard to swallow, $895 for a customized MadeWorn was hard to even consider. Still, I really like this watch much more than the original ADs.
I like the work that MadeWorn did on this watch. It is a unique piece of work. Each watch is slightly different. All that hand work cannot come cheap and the initial release price reflected that. It’s a nice idea having a custom version of a line that can incorporate artistic craftsmanship within a run of standard parts. Still the watch makers need to know what the market can bear. I’m not sure how popular this series has been? Did Timex consider it a success? There usually isn’t much follow-up from the media regarding Timex products. I’d suspect the whole series wasn’t a big seller since they were basically available at clearance prices years after release and the generally lousy Timex site doesn’t mention them any more. I’d like to see more Timex American Documents and xMadeWorn watches in the future, but they won’t be inexpensive and will be less of a value than watches made in other countries.
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