I almost did not buy this watch because a reviewer stated it was a “bright glowing purple”. But I needed a new watch and decided to go ahead with it.

I was very surprised to open the box and find a watch very similar in color to the one shown in the photo. I’m thinking the gentleman who received the purple watch was most likely shipped the wrong item. I’d call the color of a watch a perinwinkle/cornflower blue, at the most. It certainly reads blue from across the room. It’s not a “glowing purple” at all. And after a few days in the sun/in chlorine, the color is going to fade a bit. It’s impossible to prevent in any watch.

In addition to loving the color, I really like the function and design of the watch. Very easy to set (which is a relief compared to the newer watches on the market that require a complex series of button presses that must be executed within a specific time frame), and very comfortable to wear. I love the updated design features of the watchband- I especially love the rounded pewter buckle and the way the wristband “locks” into place under the slider. Most of my Timex watchbands usually wore out before the watch itself did, and I can tell the design improvements are intended to extend the life of the band. Everything is designed to prevent the cracking and friction that causes the band to break, especially for those of us who are going to expose this watch to a lot of chlorine.

I swim two miles a day, so I need a watch that’s going to hold up well underwater, exposed in chlorine, and used under the sun. The watch is very easy to read, even during quick glances during turns. Easy chrono- starts and stops with the press of a large button on the face.

Indiglo is a bonus, too!

I sort of strayed away from Timex a few years ago, but I’m really glad I ordered this. I love the design, the really nice color, and the funtionality.

I got this for my wife. She had an older model and it lasted for years until the case cracked. So I got this as a replacement.

The first swim it went dead, water got into it. So we returned it. She has had the replacement for 6 months and swims in a pool with it once a week. Well the second one has died, once again from water. I am trying to get this replaced, maybe the third time will be a charm.

It is getting to the point that we will have spent more on shipping for returning the watch then what we paid for it in the first place.

A note on timex warranty. You have to pay shipping to timex and pay a fee to get them to warranty it. Not really the best warranty, but after we forked over money they sent a replacement watch.

I will update when we see how the third watch does:

6/11/2009 – Late update on 3rd watch. Third watch worked until recently. Case held tight but band separated off the side. The first two watches we got must have been from a bad lot where the case was not sealed. It is too bad you cannot replace the band.

6/23/2010 – Decided to order a 4th watch of same type. My wife likes them.

7/13/2010 – Well I guess they are still a disposable watch. 4th watch died. The band fell off in the same manner as the 3rd watch. It is only a few days past the 1 year warranty so. Ordered a 5th one. I will update this in a year or less once that one dies.

I have worn this watch for 3 years and only taken it off for date nights out with my husband. I’ve had no complaints and only minor wear and tear. One corner of the watchband partially released from the watch a year ago. I superglued it back and never thought about it again. Now, the band has cracked halfway through at the holes and I’ll have to replace the watch. Bummer. THe silver rubbed off the faceplate after the first year and a half. I wish the aesthetics were more durable but it has worked great. My neighbor has a 2 year old blue model and her colors have not faded, altered, and her faceplate color hasn’t worn off. They may have fixed my issues in the manufacturing in the past 2 years. I have used every function except the interval timer.

Instant “Time-Out” timer and bedtime alarm. I’m a mom of preschoolers and kindergarteners. I got this watch because after 3 months of testing every timer out there, this watch switched modes to a preset timer in two quick touches of one button. I can have the 3 minute “Time-Out” timer in the right mode (without looking at it) before I can get my child’s butt on the floor. AWESOME! It also has three alarms so I have bedtime, schoolbus leaving, and 5 minute warning for the schoolbus return alarms. The alarms let you choose daily, weekends, or weekdays for each of the three. Very helpful. The bedtime timer changed bedtime overnight from a whiny event. There was no negotiating with the watch. It said it was bedtime so it was time to go upstairs. No more 5 more minutes more, etc. It was time. It has grown well from toddlers to preschoolers to school age kids with me.

Water resistance. I have had this watch in and out of hot tubs, pools, showers and baths for 3 years. No problems. I use the buttons to time how long the kids hold their breaths in the pool and hot tub, and for the last 6 months I time my swim laps weekly. I have had no water issues. It didn’t go dead on contact with water and I push the buttons underwater every week. I see from the reviews that others have had these problems. I hope my next one doesn’t. I’m definitely getting another one. My husband recently got the men’s version and he uses it to time run and swim splits also, no complaints.