Introducing: The Limited-Edition Timex Giorgio Galli S2Ti With A Titanium And Forged Carbon Case
In general, the watches on the Timex website are all quite affordable. You can get an Easy Rider for as little as €50, but even for the rest of the watches, €100–300 is often enough. However, that’s not true with the watches in Timex’s Giorgio Galli collection. The automatic S1 with a Japanese Miyota movement sold for €450. Then came the Swiss-made S2 with a stainless steel and titanium case construction, and that watch sold for €950. Today, Timex presents the grand finale of the S Series, the limited-edition Giorgio Galli S2Ti. Its skeletonized case and bracelet are solid titanium, and the mid-case is forged carbon. This, too, is a Swiss-made, automatic watch, and the price is set to €1,950. Compared to the rest of the Timex catalog, that’s very expensive. Let’s see if it’s worth it.
Giorgio Galli
Currently, Giorgio Galli is Timex Group’s global creative director. After many years of collaboration, the group bought Galli’s Milan-based Design Lab in 2007. Before that, he built quite a résumé as a watch designer for brands like Swatch, Movado, Citizen, and Ebel. In 2019, the Timex S Series debuted with the 41mm Giorgio Galli S1. Then, the designer presented a 38mm version of that watch two years later. If you’re unfamiliar with the S1, check out Tomas’s elaborate hands-on article. In 2023, Timex released the Giorgio Galli S2, which was the first Swiss-made Timex in a long time. It came in a skeletonized 38mm stainless steel case with a titanium mid-case. Today’s Giorgio Galli S2Ti is a bold variation of that stainless steel version.
The Timex Giorgio Galli S2Ti
The dimensions of the new Timex Giorgio Galli S2Ti are the same as those of the regular S2. That means the titanium case is 38mm wide and 12mm thick (including the double-domed sapphire crystal), and the lugs span 46mm from tip to tip. The case and lugs are completely skeletonized, giving this watch a dramatic profile view. To emphasize it even more, there is a forged carbon mid-case. Apart from the titanium and carbon construction, the bracelet is another first for the S2Ti.
Like the case, it’s also made of titanium, and it has a classic three-row/Oyster-style design. It closes using a very sturdy butterfly clasp and is easy to swap for another 18mm strap thanks to quick-release spring bars. But the real standout feature here is what Timex calls the I-Size resizing mechanism, which hides inside each of the removable links. In my mind, i-Size is a European car seat safety standard, but that might just be due to the stage of life I’m in.
Anyway, to remove one or more links, you simply pull the hollowed-out outer link in the direction of the arrow and turn it. That allows you to detach the link(s) and put the bracelet back together in an instant without any tools. It’s brilliant.
A monochrome titanium dial
The dial of the Timex Giorgio Galli S2Ti is very similar to that of its predecessor. However, this dial is also titanium, so its color matches the rest of the watch’s construction. The ring on the dial with a notch for each hour, however, is stainless steel, just like in the previous version. Other than that, the dial is very minimalistic. The Timex logo stands proudly up top, and at 6 o’clock, there’s the model’s name and “Swiss Made” text. The polished hands have subtle bevels and match the stainless steel hour ring very well.
Inside the Timex Giorgio Galli S2Ti ticks a Sellita SW200-1 automatic movement. It runs at a frequency of 28,800vph, has 26 jewels, and holds a power reserve of 41 hours. Through the watch’s exhibition case back, you see that it is fitted with a black ion-plated rotor. The case back attaches to the case with six screws. This helps keep the watch water resistant to 50 meters.
My thoughts
This watch made a lot of heads turn in the Fratello office. That’s not because of any bright colors, of course. However, its monochrome look and skeletonized construction certainly grab people’s attention. I had never seen a Timex S Series watch in person before. The 38mm size works very well on my 17cm wrist, and because of the titanium and carbon case construction, it’s also very light. The I-Size system works magnificently, and I hope we will see it on more watches in the future.
On the other hand, on both the prototype and production model we received, the butterfly clasp took a lot of force to open. Hopefully, Timex will improve that for the eventual commercial models. And then we get to the €1,950 price. That’s more than twice as much as the original stainless steel Giorgio Galli S2. Granted, that watch came on a rubber strap instead of the easily sizable titanium bracelet of the S2Ti. The original also wasn’t a limited edition, while only 500 pieces of the S2Ti will be made. But still, almost €2,000 is a lot of money for a Timex.
Whether it’s worth that or not is totally up to you. Maybe you should just not think of it as a Timex. Think of it simply as a very original-looking watch with a special construction.
Let me know in the comments below what you think of the new Timex Giorgio Galli S2Ti.
