A Week on the Wrist with the Timex Automatic 1983 E-Line Reissue – vintage yet affordable style

Retro watches are the rage these days, and so too are watches with compact cases. Gone are the days when a 42mm case was the default for a men’s watch; nowadays you’ll find a huge selection of smaller, gender-neutral timepieces that work perfectly on almost everyone’s wrist.

Those two boxes – retro design and a compact size – are ticked by the Timex Automatic 1983 E-Line Reissue, but there’s much more to this watch than that.

Launched towards the end of 2024, the watch is available in three colour ways. There’s the silver-on-silver model reviewed here, plus an all-gold model and one that pairs a silver case with a turquoise dial that’s very close indeed to the famous Tiffany Blue. All three are made of stainless steel and come with Timex’s clever ‘expansion band’ steel bracelet that is both stretchable and adjustable without tools.

The first automatic reissue from Timex (and following a range of quartz reissues), the 1983 E-Line is said to pay homage to the bustling energy of New York City in the 1980s. The retro vibes are served up in a super-sized portion, thanks to the ‘TV Dial’ design of the square(ish) case, and the compact dimensions. Go for the gold one and you’re basically Jordan Belfort, but in a good way.

Timex Automatic 1983 E-Line Reissue: Key specs

This really is a compact watch. The case measures just 34 mm in diameter and is 12 mm thick. The watch is driven by a mechanical automatic movement – the Miyota caliber 8215 Japanese movement with 21 jewels, to be exact.

The movement has an impressive 60 hours of power reserve, so it’ll keep accurate time for a good couple of days without being worn. It has a date window at the three o’clock position.

The dial is protected by an acrylic lens, which isn’t as scratch-resistant as a sapphire crystal, but when you consider the price – just £190 for the silver model reviewed here, or £200 for the other two variants – the material choice isn’t a surprise. I’ve worn the watch every day for a couple of weeks now and can’t see a single blemish.

What is the Timex Automatic 1983 E-Line Reissue like to wear?

Steel bracelets often mean a trip to a jewellers to have some links taken out, especially if you’ve got small wrists like me. But that isn’t the case with the Automatic 1983 Reissue and Timex’s clever expansion band.

Firstly, the band forms one continuous loop with no buckle or clasp. Instead, most of the links are connected with a mechanism that allows them to be pulled away from each other without causing any damage. They then spring back into place when you let go. It’s an ingenious way of creating a seamless steel bracelet with no clasp, and which forms a perfect fit, even if your wrist circumference changes slightly.

Another neat feature of the bracelet is how it can be adjusted without any tools. Just press on the underside of one link, and it detaches from its neighbour. Do that again to remove another link further along the bracelet, and you’ve taken a few links away in a batter of seconds – now simply push the bracelet back together, and the adjustment is complete.

Any downsides? I found the bracelet will occasionally trap the hairs and skin of my forearm between the links putting the watch on, but this an inconvenience outweighed by the benefits of the claspless design. I also think if the watch was much larger – 42 mm, for example – then I’d want a sturdy clasp to go with the bulkier design, but for a compact watch like this the bracelet perfectly suits the aesthetic.

Is the Timex Automatic 1983 E-Line Reissue worth the money?

Absolutely. From the retro design and the automatic movement, to the usefulness of a date window, the waterproofing and the long power reserve – not to mention the clever adjustability of the bracelet – at £190 this watch offers fantastic value for money. I also love how the gold and blue-dial versions are just £10 more, making them both a no-brainer if you want to stand out from the silver-on-silver norm.

This price point makes the Timex Automatic 1983 E-Line Reissue accessible to many watch collectors, and is all the better for it. For anyone after a bit of retro charm that won't break the bank, this is a must-buy for 2025.