Timex Mens Expedition North Field Post Solar 36mm Watch

This is a simple, no frills watch from a well regarded brand. It has good water resistance, good durability, and high accuracy. If all you need is a way to tell the time that won’t fail you, buy this watch. As it’s solar powered, it doesn’t need to be wound or have a battery replaced or charged in the foreseeable future. This longevity and low effort maintenance was the most important feature for me, and part of why I chose this over a digital watch (along with digital watches potentially being bricked from firmware). I shouldn’t have to say this but obviously it doesn’t come out of the box charged and working - you need to leave it by a window or something for a day. After that, it will always work so long as you wear it outside every so often. The battery life is claimed to be 2 months but I’m not about to leave it in a closet for 2 months to test this. This is a newer model than the version I’d been trying to buy and it appears to have a more readable face as well as luminescent watch hands which are helpful for telling the time in the dark. It’s also nearly silent so ticking won’t be an issue. My only complaint is the watchband. It’s a serviceable quick release band, but it’s a bit on the short side and I wanted something of higher quality so I replaced it with a Hirsch 120mm/100mm watchband that actually fits and is altogether nicer than the out of the box band. Read more

The media could not be loaded. I have a 7-inch wrist and I would like to think that it's the average size (judging from the pictures I have seen from other reviews.) The watch came in from Amazon with zero charge so I charged it for about an hour using a solar watch charger and that brought it back to life. I found that you could charge a solar watch from empty to full in about 5 hours. What I like about this watch is that it fits and feels right on my wrist, is not ostentatious, not flashy, and doesn't crave for attention. You could read the time very well outdoors and even indoors. Even in the dark, the lume is laid-back, but you could still tell the time from the triangular hour markers and the hour and minute hands of the watch. I also like that it has a screw-down case back. I like to tinker with my gadgets and a screw-down case back allows me easy access to the battery when it's time to be replaced. It's also solar-powered, has a 4-month power reserve, an easy-to-operate crown, and has sapphire crystal to boot! Fun fact: I found out recently that they made these watches in Timex's watch factory in Cebu, Philippines. By purchasing it from Amazon, it actually did a return trip back here in the Philippines! Update after a month's use: I changed the strap with a black NATO one and it looks even better with the matte finish of the case. The charge appears to remain strong. I'll probably notice the weird erratic second hand movement (the watch does this when the charge is about to drain) after 4 months. Until then, it's not time for a recharge. Read more

This review is for the Timex Men's Expedition North Field Post Solar 36mm Watch (# TW2V00200JR) with black face, stainless case and brown leather strap. Overall, in my opinion it's a great-looking watch and an excellent value, with the biggest negative being the time it takes for a full, initial charge. A lesser quibble is that the illumination fades quickly; I wouldn't rely on it for much more than walking to your car at night. If you like field watches sized smaller - like the originals - and can deal with the initial and maintenance charging requirements, then I recommend this watch. Sound-wise, I couldn't hear the movement without the watch pressed against my ear. I love field-style watches, especially those mimicking the smaller, traditional size. I have 7-3/16" (182 mm) wrists and find this 36mm looks and fits fine. I like the bold, readable dial and the brushed finish which will help conceal the inevitable scratches. The solar panel seems to be a ring around the dial. There's lume on the hands and dots at each number (though not the numbers themselves.) This watch may lack the cachet of a Hamilton or Citizen, but it's also substantially less expensive. And you get a lot for the price: sapphire crystal, leather strap, stainless steel case, screw-down caseback and crown, 100M water resistance and Epson (Seiko) AS01A solar quartz movement. Stickers and tags indicate a Japanese movement and Chinese strap. The quick-change strap leather and stitching look good. Strap lengths measured approximately 125mm/77mm which I found ample for my wrist size. Instructions: The included mini manual (English section 3 pages) is pretty useless other than providing charging guidelines. Go to the Timex website, find your model (on tags and engraved on caseback) and download the somewhat generic 'Product User Manual PDF' for details on charging and setting time. In case you skip that, to set time you turn the stem counterclockwise to unscrew until it pops out slightly. Pull out the stem, set time and push stem back down. I find that - at least initially - applying slight pressure helps the threads catch when screwing the stem down again clockwise. Charging: The movement has a small lithium battery/capacitor recharged via solar. The website mentions "up to a 4 month power reserve" and the manual states that "when fully charged, the watch may function without additional charging for up to 2 months." The initial charge may take a LONG time depending on lighting source: 60 hours (2.5 days) under a 150W light or 5 hours in bright sunlight. I suspect many complaints about short run times are due to inadequate charging. My watch was dead out of the box so had obviously been sitting a while. After shining a bright flashlight on the dial for approximately 30 seconds, the second hand began a two-second skip - indicating low power - so I at least knew it worked. Even though the manuals do address charging times, many buyers skip reading them. Timex could probably cut down on a lot of complaints and returns if it added a prominent tag emphasizing initial charging requirements Read more

Fantastic watch, as long as it's exposed to some light will never run out. I have expensive watches as well, but I end up coming back to this one frequently as it's dressy enough, and small enough to fit well under motorcycle gloves. Sapphire glass at this price point is really great as well. Read more

It has a flimsy and cheap feeling strap and got scratched within 3 weeks from normal non rigorous use. It is literally holding up less well than my kid's 40 dollar watch. Read more

Person I gifted it to loved it. Read more