Timex Automatic E Line 38mm: The '80s TV Dial Returns With a Miyota Heart

Retro watches are easy to admire and harder to buy. A design can look perfect in photos, then feel too small, too bulky, or too delicate on the wrist. Timex's latest E Line release addresses that issue by bringing back its 1983 "TV Dial" shape in two different directions: a 38mm automatic for buyers who want more presence, and a 30mm quartz version for those who prefer a compact vintage look. The headline model is the Automatic E Line 38mm, which keeps the line's rounded-square case — an unmistakably '80s silhouette — while making a larger impression than a typical vintage-style compact.

Timex says the original E Line arrived in 1983, when its rounded-square case earned the "TV Dial" nickname. The new Automatic E Line retains that profile in a stainless steel case measuring 38mm wide, 45.5mm lug-to-lug, and 12.5mm thick. Those measurements matter: square and rounded-square watches can appear larger than round watches with the same diameter because they occupy more visual space. The 45.5mm lug-to-lug should help prevent the case from sprawling across average-size wrists, but 12.5mm is not ultra-thin — this is a watch intended to be noticed, not one designed to vanish under a cuff.

Inside the 38mm E Line is a Miyota caliber 8215 Japanese automatic movement with 21 jewels. There's no battery; motion from the wearer's wrist winds it, and Timex says it can store up to 40 hours of power. An exhibition caseback lets owners watch the movement work. That mechanical heart is a meaningful part of the appeal — it makes the E Line feel well suited to its retro design. But it also means a little routine: wear it regularly and it should keep running; leave it untouched for a couple of days and it may need winding and resetting. Timex calls the new model "more substantial," and the specifications support that.

Compared to the 30mm quartz E Line, the 38mm automatic is the enthusiast's choice: mechanical movement, exhibition caseback, more wrist presence. Compared to other retro reissues in Timex's lineup — the Marlin series especially — the E Line stands apart with its squared TV Dial shape, a silhouette no other brand is currently doing at this price. The main question is fit: buyers who love the original 1983 proportions should see the 38mm as a reinterpretation, not a simple upgrade, and anyone with a smaller wrist should try it on before committing. For watch fans who missed the first TV Dial era, though, this is a charming, characterful way to wear a piece of Timex history — with the bonus of a genuinely decent automatic movement inside.

The Verdict: The E Line 38mm brings back one of the '80s most distinctive watch shapes with a proper automatic movement. Retro charm, honest specs, and a case that knows how to make an entrance.