Timex Waterbury Automatics

Timex makes some of the best-looking three-hand watches three-martini lunch money can buy. Their designers have an uncanny ability channel the brand’s “takes a licking and keeps on ticking” DNA into modern yet classic designs. The new-for-fall Timex Waterbury Automatics are no exception . . .

For $249, $269 and $259 (left to right above), you get a reliable and elegant minimalist masterpiece with a distinctly retro vibe. If you can’t step up to a Swiss Hamilton field watch, a Timex Waterbury is the way to go. Hang on. There’s something missing . . .

Here’s a hint: “We applied a new movement to an old favorite. Ticking inside is a tried-and-true 21 jewel automatic movement for a more accurate, longer lasting timepiece.” Um, what movement?

Timex ain’t saying because every single one of their watches — save the endlessly elegant American Documents — houses a “tried-and-true” Chinese watch movement. And like the rest of Timex’s watches (save the AD), the Waterbury Automatics are assembled in China.

I’m not saying the unspecified Chinese movement inside the new Timex Waterbury Automatics is no good. I would hope it’s as robust and reliable as the other Chinese-made calibers driving their current line.

But I am saying the Waterbury’s automatic movements are made in a country imprisoning three million Muslims in “re-education” camps. That murders political prisoners to harvest their organs.

Do the sins of The People’s Republic of China fall on the shoulders of Timex and its Chinese partners? Should Americans shun Chinese goods on moral grounds? What about economic grounds?

To that point: could Timex return their manufacturing process to America and remain competitive? Online bitching about the absolutely superb, assembled-in-America (with a Swiss movement), three-handed American Document’s price doesn’t give me a lot of hope.

As LBJ used to say, a decision is only as good as the information it’s based on. So now you know. The choice is yours.