Watch Review: The Timex Ironman Solar Shock
By : Tom Michaud    29 or more times read

Timex is perhaps the largest selling watch maker of all time. As their famous ad campaign long ago boasted, they do indeed keep on ticking. The Timex Triathlon has established itself as one of the most popular timepiece models at Walmart; the ultimate retail proving ground. The Timex Triathlon, one of the original “sport watches”, has graced the wrists of millions of satisfied urban adventurers. Timex has gone ahead and spruced up this new generation, The Ironman Solar Shock, with a new case style, an easy to read screen, solar power, and a robust, tough shock resistant exterior. It also retains the classic orange trim color signature of its predecessors . The Timex Ironman debuted with generally glowing reviews, as it represents a rare combination of affordability with durability. The watch has been dubbed “the quintessential beginner’s watch.” I can’t help but think the beginners are doing their homework. Let's review the features:

• Plastic case with a stainless steel bezel.
• 200m/660ft water resistance.
• Indiglo back lighting technology.
• Solar charging ability with on screen charge indicator.
• Shock resistant to ISO standards.
• 5 alarms.
• 100 hour chronograph.
• Digital Display
• Black Resin Strap
• Designed To Be Worn On Inside Curve of Wrist
• Chronograph Training Log
• 75-Lap Recall
• 3-Alarm Feature
• 2-Interval Timers
• Dual Time Zones

What’s amazing about this industrial strength timepiece is that it simply never looks obsolete. Casio was successful in playing the kitsch card with the retro appeal of their classic digital watches of the eighties. The Ironman doesn’t try to be hip. It’s combination of functionality and aesthetic makes it a classic watch design. In the early nineties, the “Indiglo” glow in the dark features captured the appeal of young purchasers. As these Triathlon owners have grown up, the appeal of the new Ironman will be equally strong, as the listed features ( far beyond Indiglo ) and brand reputation speak for themselves . A college buddy of mine had one, raved about it, and never took it off.

The watch also has a 30 lap Chrono, Timer, and an Alarm. You can set two different times. The instructions say that is for two time zones, but I just put military time on one of them. The alarm is easy to use, and it can be set for daily, weekends, or weekdays. That's ideal for me because I usually only wake up on weekdays. My one complaint would be that I would like the option to set a second alarm time.

The Ironman embodies new refinements of the tried and true design of Timex’s flagship Triathlon. The Timex Ironman Solar Shock is a purebred sports watch that may not have quite the pedigree of some offerings from Casio or the prestige of an automatic, but where it counts, it delivers in spades. This Timex is a great step forward because of its inclusion of a solar powered movement. The charge symbol is a battery that is displayed in the center of the screen between the date and the time.

All and all, the watch is really well made. It has a lot of functionality that you will actually use but lacks some of the fancy bells and whistles of a more expensive watch. It's innovative and the rubber wristband is very comfortable. For an inexpensive watch, I definitely recommend this one. This article was written by Tom Michaud. Tom is a watch collector who shops at http://www.watchesintime.com/ where he can get the best watches for the lowest prices.
This article was written by Tom Michaud. Tom is a watch collector who shops at http://www.watchesintime.com/ where he can get the best watches for the lowest prices.

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Submitted on: 2009-05-06