Well, there's a pairing I didn't have on my bingo card. Timex, the brand that put a watch on practically every wrist in America back when I was young, has teamed up with jewelry designer Jacquie Aiche on two new rectangular Éclat watches. We're talking crystal-set bezels, gold-tone cases, and one model featuring a natural rose quartz stone dial. Prices start at $400 here in the US, according to Gizmochina's report.

Let me tell you, Timex has been quietly reinventing itself over the past few years, and this collab is another sign of it. When I was growing up, a Timex was the sensible watch, the one your dad wore mowing the lawn because it "takes a licking and keeps on ticking." Now they're doing fashion pieces with healing crystals. My teenage self would be baffled. My current self is... intrigued, actually.

The rectangular case shape is what catches my eye first. Rectangular watches have always had a touch of elegance that round ones can't quite match, and pairing that silhouette with a crystal-bezel treatment gives these a real evening-out feel. One version uses the natural rose quartz as its centerpiece, which means no two dials will look exactly alike. If you've ever held a piece of rose quartz up to the light, you know it has that soft, milky glow that man-made materials just can't fake.

Underneath all the sparkle, these are quartz movements, which is exactly what you'd expect at this price point. No mechanical wizardry hiding in there, and frankly, that's fine. Quartz is accurate, it's affordable to service (meaning you basically never service it), and most people buying a crystal-studded watch aren't in it for the horology anyway. They want it to look gorgeous and tell the right time. Mission accomplished.

The gold-tone styling runs throughout both models, and that warm metal paired with the soft pink of the rose quartz is a genuinely pretty combination. I've seen a lot of fashion watches lately that pile on the bling until they look like a disco ball threw up. These look more restrained than that, at least from the photos, though I'll reserve final judgment until I see one on a real wrist.

At $400 and up, these sit in an interesting spot. That's no longer impulse-buy territory for most of us, but it's still a fraction of what luxury brands charge for crystal-set pieces. My granddaughter Jess has been eyeing dainty gold jewelry for months now, and I have a feeling these watches are aimed squarely at her generation, the kind of shopper who wants one piece that does double duty as a watch and a bracelet.

Really, the value question depends entirely on how the crystals hold up. Crystal settings on affordable watches can be a coin flip; some stay pristine for years, others start shedding stones like a Christmas tree in January. That's what I'd want to know before recommending one, and it's something only real wear time reveals.

I'll keep an eye out for hands-on impressions once these start shipping. In the meantime, if rose quartz and gold tones are your aesthetic, the Éclat collection is worth a look. Technology should work for you, and so should your accessories. And if a $400 watch makes you happy every time you glance at your wrist, well, that's worth something. Just maybe check the return policy before committing, dear. Old habit.