Watch journalist Shigeru Sugawara reviews Timex's new 2025 "Merlin Hand-Wound" watch. Having covered the watch industry since the 1990s and having owned a variety of timepieces himself, Sugawara has a particular fondness for vintage watches. This timepiece "brought back fond memories of decades past" and was a watch he felt would be "worthy of adding to my collection."
Photographs & Text by Shigeru Sugawara
[Article published on January 19, 2025]
Reminiscing about my youth: A review of the Timex Marlin Hand-Wound watch
When I was younger, I had an old Timex. Where did that simple watch go, a watch that I treasured for everyday use? I no longer have it, but the 2025 Marlin Hand-Wound that I tried on for this review brought back fond memories of those decades ago. This is the latest version of the Marlin, whose 2017 reissue caused quite a stir in the media and among watch enthusiasts.
Manual winding. 20 jewels. 21,600 vph. Power reserve approximately XX hours. Stainless steel case (diameter 34mm, thickness 10mm). Water resistant to 30m. 41,800 yen (tax included).
The story behind this watch and its revival is quite interesting, as detailed on the official website. According to the story, in the early 1990s, Timex stopped producing in-house mechanical movements after nearly 140 years. Then, about a quarter century later, in 2017, they suddenly released the "Merlin" with a manual-winding movement. Now, 60 years later, the watch has been revived as a project by Timex headquarters.
The original "Merlin," released in the mid-1950s, was a rare watch at the time, boasting waterproof, dustproof, and shockproof features. These were weaknesses that mid-century watches had to overcome. This is evident from the fact that the dial of an Orma from the same era that I own also has the words WATERPROOF and SHOCKABSORBER written on it.
The 2017 reissue of the "Merlin OG," a faithful reproduction of the original 1960s model but equipped with a modern hand-wound movement, features a silver dial and a black lizard-embossed leather strap, giving it the feel of a truly retro vintage watch. The new "Merlin Hand-Wound," released in 2025, features a sunray-finished dark brown dial and a matching embossed crocodile leather strap. Compared to the preceding "Merlin OG," it exudes a chic dress watch vibe. Its appearance, like a model of a genderless small-diameter watch, is stylish and fashionable. Honestly, that's the impression I get, and I'm not exaggerating.
What Mr. Sugawara liked and what he was concerned about
The first thing that surprised me on the first day I put it on my wrist was the weight of the watch itself, which has a 34mm stainless steel case and a domed acrylic crystal, at approximately 20g. Even with the strap attached, it weighs just over 30g (measured on a kitchen scale), so light that you forget it's there after wearing it for a while. It's so light that you might wonder if it actually has a movement inside, but when I wound the crown, the hands started moving, so it's definitely mechanical inside. However, I found the crown, which reproduces the original shape, to be a little small for me, and the winding feel was a bit stiff.
The official website also explained the movement. It's a hand-wound movement from China's Seagull, which literally took over the Caliber 175 manufacturing machinery from the prestigious Venus chronograph manufacturer in the 1960s. Seagull has a long history as a major manufacturer of original mechanical watches, so quality is likely to be a factor. During the three days I tried it on, I didn't notice any issues with accuracy or power reserve performance. Incidentally, hand-wound movements are a minority among modern general-purpose mechanical movements. Affordable hand-wound watches are naturally rare. In the sub-¥100,000 price range, the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical barely comes to mind. The Merlin Hand-Wound is even more affordable, at just ¥41,800. Its hand-wound, dressy, vintage-look design makes it difficult to find anything similar on the market. The cost performance of this hand-wound watch, perfect for everyday wear, is simply outstanding.
Visibility depends on the surroundings. The sunray-finished dark brown dial pairs well with the silver-finished metal hands and indexes, but as is common with this type of watch, the hands either stand out or blend into the dial depending on the light. They're generally easy to see in indoor lighting, but visibility varies outdoors where there's direct light. However, you should understand that this is part of the charm. I've always thought that, regardless of whether you can check the time, the important thing is whether the watch itself is enjoyable to look at. Another thing I like about this watch is that, in addition to the color and texture of the strap, it also uses an Abie-style spring bar, which makes it easy to change.
Vintage watch enthusiasts also think, "I might add this to my collection."
For vintage watch enthusiasts, it's fun to go to the trouble of searching for a vintage hand-wound watch, but I also found this watch, which can be purchased at an affordable price and is immediately enjoyable to wear, to be quite appealing. I currently own several mid-century hand-wound watches, and I thought this might be a good addition to my collection.
Shigeru Sugawara's profile
Born in 1954. Watch journalist. In the 1980s, he covered France and Italy for fashion and jewelry magazines. Since the 1990s, he has focused on watches, covering the annual watch fair held in Switzerland for over 25 years. He has written and published numerous articles in watch magazines such as "Chronos Japan" and general magazines. He also translates books on watches.
