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Timex’s New $379 Automatic Sports Watch Is an Impressive Nautilus Stand-In

The E Line’s integrated bracelet, octagonal bezel and textured dial lift the Nautilus’s most recognizable design cues — at a fraction of the Swiss legend’s six-figure asking price.

Silver stainless steel Timex wristwatch with a blue textured dial and date display on a turquoise background.Timex
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Timex quietly debuted the 1983 E Line in early 2025, and it has remained a hidden gem in the American watchmaker’s massive catalog.

Its sleek time-and-date TV dial and integrated flat-link bracelet are perfectly retro, but the 34mm case size is admittedly not for everyone. Accordingly, Timex has expanded the collection with a new 38mm case that, rather than drawing from its own archive like the original E Line, mimics a certified icon.

Silver stainless steel Timex wristwatch with a blue textured dial and date display on a map background.
The E Line 38mm features a “garage door” dial texture.
Timex

Patek Philippe’s Nautilus is familiar to even the most casual watch fans and is known as much for its scarcity and astronomical resale value as it is for its gorgeous design. Created by the esteemed Gérald Genta in 1976, it is among the most popular grails in the watch community.

While there is no shortage of affordable alternatives, Timex undercuts them all with the new E Line 38mm. It offers an approximate look without being a spot-on dupe, and it packs specs that are respectable enough to stand on its own merit.

Silver stainless steel Timex wristwatch with a blue textured dial and date display worn on a wrist.
The E Line 38mm increases the case size by 4mm.
Timex

As mentioned, the most impactful update is the enlarged 38mm case, which accommodates a much broader range of wrist sizes and tastes. The case is also slightly more angular, and the integrated flat-link bracelet is replaced with an arched three-link style.

I appreciate that Timex didn’t go so far as to knock off the district Nautilus H-link bracelet.

Shut the garage

The one detail that is unabashedly pulled directly from the Nautilus is the “garage door” dial texture, which consists of horizontal planks, though they aren’t quite as broad as Genta’s design.

Silver Timex wristwatch with a rectangular brushed metal case and matching metal link bracelet.
The E Line 38mm is available with a steel dial.
Timex

At launch, the E Line 38mm “garage door” dial is available in blue (as any good Nautilus alternative must be) and steel. Both retain the faceted baton indices and 3:00 date window from the existing E Line, but the pointed stick hands are replaced with slender, rounded baton hands.

Tone it down

Both dial colors come in a full stainless-steel case with an integrated bracelet and a butterfly clasp.

Two-tone silver and gold Timex wristwatch with a white textured dial and date display worn on a wrist.
The E Line 38mm is available with a two-tone case and integrated bracelet.
Timex

Additionally, there is a third debut reference that tweaks the steel dial with gold-tone hands and indices, housed in a two-tone case. The bezel, crown and center links are gold-tone plated.

A Japanese engine

Despite the larger case, the new E Line 38mm runs on the same movement as its predecessor: the Miyota Caliber 8215 automatic. It’s a well-tested Japanese workhorse that beats 3Hz and provides a 42-hour power reserve.

Silver stainless steel Timex watch band and case back showing automatic movement through transparent window.
The E Line 38mm runs on a Miyota Caliber 8215 automatic movement.
Timex

Availability and price

The Timex Automatic E Line 38mm is available now from Timex for $379 with a full steel case and bracelet, and $399 in two-tone. If you care to do the math, that’s approximately .5-percent of the retail price of a Nautilus. Not bad.

Stainless steel Timex wristwatch with blue textured dial, silver hour markers, and date display at 3 o'clock.Timex

Timex Automatic E Line 38mm

Specs

Case Size 38mm
Movement Miyota Caliber 8215 automatic
Water Resistance 50m
About the Author: Brad Lanphear is an associate editor at Gear Patrol covering watches and style. Before joining the publication, he previously wrote for Heddels and Men’s Health. Now, he’s on a never-ending quest to find the perfect pair of Japanese denim.

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