Can You Take a Joke? This Seconde/Seconde/ Timex Is for You.

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The Timex formula for watch collaborations seems to be to toss everything at the wall and hope something sticks (and ticks). The most recent partner whose timepieces have hit a chord with casual collectors and watch nerds alike is Romaric André, who works under the moniker Seconde/Seconde/. You’ve probably seen his work before — not necessarily on wrists, but on Instagram and Reddit and watch blogs, where photos of Rolex and Patek Philippe watches he’s “vandalized” (his words) with new pictorial second hands and tongue-in-cheek typography have been shared relentlessly.

The first release from Timex and Seconde/Seconde/ was a line called “iykyk” (“if you know, you know”), which paired classic bezel nicknames with graphic second hands that represented them (e.g., a root beer bezel with a mug of root beer as the third hand). It’s a perfect combo: a wink to watch fiends, irreverent design made to be posted on social media, and a price point that makes clicking “Add to Bag” incredibly easy.

On Friday, André tested the waters with a more conceptual design, one that’s tied into Valentine’s Day: the Timex x Seconde/Seconde/ Loser. Yes, this watch is really called the Loser, and a cursory glance immediately reveals why. The second hand in this model, which is based on the popular Q Timex, is a hand with a finger and the thumb in the shape of an L on ~~her forehead~~ the watch face (with the “S” on the wrist a nod to André’s brand). Instead of the normal Timex logo sitting in the middle of the dial, he replaced it with the letter “L” over “MY-EX” (the latter a cleverly rearranged version of “Timex”). In other words, the Loser is not for lovers. But in keeping André’s aesthetic of not taking himself too seriously, you’ll notice that the L hand is only pointing away from the wearer half the time…

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On the Wrist

I’ve been wearing the Loser all weekend since it dropped on Friday and I have to tell you: it’s a delight. Is it a little silly? More than a little, but in a deliberate way, a Willy Wonka way. (“A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men” is a phrase that comes to mind.)

The black and white L hand is the star of the show, not just because it dominates the dial, sitting close to the domed crystal and looming over the minute and hour hands, but because it turns a passive timepiece into more of a wrist-worn curiosity, meant to be shared and displayed rather than hidden under your sleeve. But the reason I’m actually inclined to strap this one on in my regular day to day is because the other elements are so thoughtfully considered. I tested the stainless steel model (though there is a gold-tone available too), and the combination of that material with the black rotating bezel, cream dial (Timex says it’s white in the specifications on the product page, but it’s not), and golden indices (with lume) makes it a handsome wear even without the stop-motion cartoon happening in the center.

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I already own a Q Timex, so I knew I was going to like how this 38mm quartz model wore (at least with the case shape; the stainless steel clasp bracelet is fine but nothing to write home about). If you’re fond of a little nonsense, too, you might want to pick one up, or at least keep up with André’s work. Though if you’re a 49ers fan, I can understand you might need a week or two before you feel comfortable with a loser icon pointing at you for half the day, every day.