This is the new Timex x Todd Snyder MK-1 Sky King chronograph, it’s the latest design in the Todd Snyder series for Timex and the warm reception it’s receiving indicates that it’s an instant classic. It also only costs $178 USD.
The design of the MK-1 Sky King is based closely on late-1960s vintage field watches, particularly those used by military pilots. The watch has three sub dials, in the standard chronograph fashion one tracks hours, another minutes, the third seconds, and they’re all functional – they can all be started, stopped, and returned to zero.
The affordable nature of the watch largely comes down to the fact that it’s powered by a quartz movement, a battery-powered electrical method of powering a watch and its various functions that doesn’t rely on a complex mechanical movement.
With a case diameter of 42mm and it’s low cost, the Timex x Todd Snyder MK-1 Sky King makes an excellent daily-wearable watch that won’t leave you distraught if it gets damaged, lost, or stolen.
Though watch collectors and aficionados tend to prefer automatic mechanical watches, the quartz does have some benefits – it keeps exceedingly accurate time, it’s very reliable, the battery typically lasts a couple of years, and they’re inexpensive.
The Timex x Todd Snyder MK-1 Sky King is available in two colorways, Black or Blaze Orange (shown above and below), it’s water resistant down to 50 meters, and it has an olive canvas strap that is made from recycled clothes.
The watch has a date window at the three o’clock position, a domed acrylic crystal, a 42mm case width, a 20mm lug width, and it has luminant hands for easy nighttime legibility.
This is the version of the watch with an orange face, likely chosen as it would help with low-light readability. Both Black and Blaze Orange colorways are available.
Todd Snyder is a renowned American fashion designer who has made a significant impact on the menswear industry. He was born in Ames, Iowa, and he has a degree in textile and clothing design from Iowa State University.
After graduating Snyder moved to New York City to launch his career in fashion. He began working for notable brands such as Ralph Lauren, The Gap, and J.Crew. He launched his own brand in 2011 combining American heritage, British tailoring, and timeless design – the brand quickly gained a loyal following in the USA and further afield.
More recently Snyder has been working in collaboration with Timex, one of America’s most enduring watchmakers, to develop a line of wristwatches that combine a low cost with design we only normally see on far more expensive timepieces.
Images courtesy of Todd Snyder
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