Timex’s Best Affordable Dive Watch Now Looks Even Better than Before

In just a few short years, Timex has gone from a has-been to one of the hottest brands in the affordable watch space thanks to a multipronged strategy combining retro reissues, the return of mechanical movements and an increase in quality.

Timex has come so far that earlier today, news broke that the brand will now be carried by Watches of Switzerland, a massive luxury watch retailer.

One strong symbol of Timex’s rise is the Deepwater Reef 200, a specs-heavy, automatic, titanium dive watch that launched in late 2024 as the best diver the brand had produced up to that point.

Now, Timex is revisiting the Deepwater Reef 200 with a new version that looks even better than before.

Bright on time

Timex

The new diver largely remains the same as before, which is a good thing, as Timex got a lot right the first time around. The only changes to the new Deepwater Reef 200, as far as I can tell, are cosmetic.

The case is made of lightweight Grade 2 titanium and measures 41mm across and 13mm high, putting it squarely in traditional dive watch territory. It keeps its screw-down crown and caseback, both of which contribute to the 200m water resistance, and the domed AR-coated sapphire crystal with its 3:00 cyclops date magnifier remains, too.

The movement inside is also the same. It’s the Miyota Caliber 8215, a solid, Japan-made automatic with a power reserve of around 40 hours. Also unchanged is the style of the Submariner-style indices, which, unlike on a Submariner, are made of solid blocks of Super-LumiNova for enhanced luminosity. Even the quick-release black rubber strap with its keeperless design remains unchanged.

So, what exactly is different here?

Timex

The most notable update on the new Deepwater Reef 200 is the dial. Previously only available in black, the new version is a bright orange, comparable to Doxa’s iconic “Professional” colorway. Although orange is actually one of the first colors to disappear underwater and is thus a poor choice for a dive watch dial, it nevertheless looks fantastic.

To better match the brilliant orange dial, the hands have been blackened, while those aforementioned lume-block indices are now stark white instead of light green. It’s a more premium look.

The date window has also been changed to white text on a black background instead of the other way around, which I don’t quite understand — a white date would be less obtrusive given the white indices. Timex should swap this date disc with the one on the black-dial version.

Timex

Outside of the fresh new dial color, the bezel has also undergone a change. It’s still fully lumed like before, but again, the markings have been changed to white instead of the faint green on the 2024 version. It’s also now black instead of bare metal, which adds a lot more contrast and makes for a more attractive watch, in my opinion. I especially like the red triangle at noon, a nod to some classic Rolex divers.

The bezel’s circular brushing is more obvious on this new version, and although the new bezel looks like it’s made of matte ceramic, Timex makes no mention of the material, so I highly doubt that it is — that’s the sort of detail a brand would certainly brag about.

Pricing and availability

The Deepwater Reef 200 sits atop Timex’s dive watch hierarchy, ranking below only the $1,050 Marine M1a from Timex’s high-end sub-brand, Timex Atelier.

The original Deepwater Reef 200 was priced at $479 when it first launched in October of 2024, but rampant inflation has since driven its price to $549. The new orange version is even pricier, despite having all of the same specs, and is priced at $579. It’s available now from Timex’s online store.

Timex

Timex Deepwater Reef Titanium 200

Specs

Case Size	41mm
Movement	Miyota Cal. 8215 automatic
Water Resistance	200m

• $579 at Timex

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