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Over the years, Todd Snyder has proven himself particularly adept at the art of the collaboration. Whether it's his immaculate Champion sweats or his L.L. Bean moccasins, the guy has a knack for digging up dusty archival gems and polishing them into modern perfection. That’s the story of Snyder’s long-running collaboration with Timex, which has yielded a wide range of affordable remixes from the American watchmaker’s back catalog, from stylish field watches to sleek tributes to the Mad Men era. This week, Snyder is back at it with something completely new: his first-ever Timex chronograph. And with details inspired by vintage pilot’s watches, a strap made out of recycled clothing, and a $178 sticker price, it was worth the wait.
This might be Snyder’s first foray into the world of chronographs (watch-speak for timepieces with a built-in stopwatch function), but the Timex x Todd Snyder MK1 Sky King spotlights his curatorial eye in top form. In keeping with the MK1’s roots as a military field watch, the Sky King is packed with details typically found on military-issue aviation watches from the late 1960s (as well as luxury timepieces from the likes of IWC and Breitling), like a triangular marker at 12 o’clock, a slip-through NATO-style canvas strap, and a domed acrylic crystal. Its dial, with separate chronograph subdials for hours, minutes, and seconds, is available in classic black and life-preserver orange.
Underneath all of these vintage details, however, is a thoroughly modern quartz Timex, with all of the benefits you’d expect from a 21st century timepiece. That means a sturdy 42mm stainless steel case, a date window at three o’clock, and a water-resistance rating of 50 meters—not to mention that eco-friendly recycled strap. It also means, like all of the classic Americana in Snyder’s extensive lineup, it’ll look equally stellar accented by your favorite raw jeans, garment-dyed tees, military-inspired liner jackets, and heavy-duty fisherman sweaters. That versatility, along with a price well under $200, is exactly the kind of finesse that has earned Snyder his reputation as a king of the collaboration. Long may he reign.
