Ring watches are all over the place these days. Traditional wristwatches are finding a new perspective of timekeeping in the rings that are allowing people to wear time in a unique manner – far from the pocket, not so distant from the wrist – yet, in an entirely new perception! While eminent names in Swiss haute horology are still distancing themselves from this new timekeeping fad, American watchmaker Timex is taking the leap of faith with a ring watch edition of its retro T80 model.
Timex is not doing this alone. The watch brand is teaming up with Maison Margiela, a French luxury fashion house. The outcome of Timex and Maison Margiela tie-up is the MM6 collection that features the reimagined T80 steel timepiece in form of a ring watch and retro-style T80 wristwatch with INDIGLO backlighting.
Designer: Timex x Maison Margiela
Timex x MM6 Maison Margiela collection, comprising Timex x MM6 20mm Stainless Steel Ring Watch ($180) and Timex x MM6 36mm Stainless Steel Bracelet Watch ($200), is available – starting October 24 – through Timex and MM6 Maison Margiela websites. The ring watch here is an endlessly adaptable accessory; even though it has a brushed stainless-steel case and strap, it hides beneath the strap an expanding band, which can stretch to accommodate different finger sizes.
The expansion band allows the wearer to shift the watch between fingers – or even switch between family members – with ease, fitting snuggly in most fingers. Sitting on the finger, the ring watch would scream dual branding and a district look (from the base model). Just below the main digital display is the mineral lens featuring a mask with a sequence of digits from zero to 23. In the sequence spread over three rows, the number six is encircled as a nod to the MM6 numerical signature.
While the T80 ring watch is versatile in functionality, the wristwatch in the collaborative collection is a traditional timepiece, so its stainless-steel bracelet will mostly fit the wrist it is tailored for. That said, the Timex x MM6 36mm watch carries all the functionalities of the T80 – time, month and date display, a chronograph, a daily alarm, and betters that with the contemporary INDIGO backlight technology and the mineral lens exhibiting the MM6 branding, like on the ring. The wristwatch is offered as a gift set along with a standalone brushed and polished stainless-steel strap.
For the interested, the Timex x Maison Margiela ring watch runs on an SR521SW battery. The movement is digital and features an internal electrical circuit controlling the rate at which the watch ticks. Since you’re going to have the ring on for the most part of the day, involuntarily drenching it while washing hands cannot be overlooked. The ring watch is water resistant up to 30 meters and can be taken swimming, for a bath, or occasionally rinsing under the faucet without giving a second thought.
