McDowell Time released the Maxton back in 2018 and the racing-inspired chronograph has proven to be quite popular. So much so, that a second-generation watch will launch in March. If you want to be one of the very first watch fans to get your mitts on one, then come to the District Time show on March 5-6, 2022. While you are waiting, I’ll tell you about the V2 I borrowed for this review.
The Maxton V2 actually came about as the result of customer feedback. The customer was Wes Tillman, a designer and watch enthusiast who purchased an original Maxton, saw some ways to improve it, and began a correspondence with brand owner Bill McDowell, who discovered Wes’s ideas were very good indeed.
There is no sense in messing with success, so the McDowell Time Maxton V2, as it will be called, is nearly identical to the original. I’ll tell you about those differences, but first, let’s review the basics. The Maxton starts with 39mm wide, 48mm long, and 13mm thick brushed stainless steel case, which sounds small until you remember that it is a cushion case and as such, wears about two sizes bigger than you might think. Recall that a TAG Heuer Monaco is just 38mm and that is no dainty little timepiece. For this kind of square shape, 39mm is about as large as I would want to go. It has the right sort of burly presence on my 6.75″ wrist.
In true sport watch fashion, the Maxon is equipped to take a bit of a beating. It’s not technically a tool watch, but its 100m water resistance, double-domed and AR-coated sapphire crystal, and glossy ceramic bezel should hold up to most of life’s challenges. It should be just fine for track days, rallycross stages, or in my case, digging the scene with a gangster lean as I roll through the Safeway parking lot in my station wagon.
The caseback bears a checkered flag engraving, behind which lies a Miyota 6S20, supplanting the old Maxton’s IsaSwiss 8371D. Like all McDowell Time watches, the Maxton is assembled by Marlyand Watch Works in Hagerstown. You probably just read my interview with them yesterday. If not, you should.
McDowell did not alter the dial’s architecture. As on the V1, you will find a clean layout with large, textured subdials, orange accents, applied markers, squared-off hands, and a generous application of C3 SuperLuminova all around — including the engraved tachymeter bezel insert. Unlike the original, the V2 has lume on the tips of every needle. I can’t imagine when I might need to use a chronograph in the dark, but it’s nice to know that I could. It also looks fantastic.
Now that we are talking about the dial, I can tell you about the most obvious departure from the old model. The V2 retains the original layout but links the 3 and 9 o’clock subdials with a black dashboard shape. It is a retro look that I particularly enjoy. You can order your Maxton V2 with white or black dials, but the real stunners in the bunch are the Blue and Burt Orange ombré. I sampled the Burnt Orange and I’d emphasize the “burnt.” It is a glowing amber at the center that browns to an espresso black at the edges. There is a definite 70’s vibe to this one that really resonates with me.
While the V2 would look great on a leather rally strap, McDowell ships it on a new steel H-link bracelet. It tapers from 22mm at the lugs to 20mm at the clasp. I’m on the record as being less than excited about ratcheting extension clasps, as I find most of them to be unnecessarily thick and often, unpleasantly sharp at the corners. I have no such issues with this one. It is 8mm thick, which is in proper proportion to the bracelet and head, and nicely finished. It also happens to be really smooth to operate.
The Maxton’s boxy case and angular lugs accept the bracelet quite well. Together, they give the watch a solid, athletic presence. H-link was definitely the way to go here as the horizontal lines and right angles echo those on the head.
I liked the original so much that I got a black and gray one for myself. I must say, the V2 is even nicer. Come March 15, you will be able to order a McDowell Time Maxton V2 for $315 (full price $340). If you come to District Time on March 5-6, you can buy one on the spot and get a free Horween strap too, or you might even win one in our giveaway! For more information or to sign up for updates, visit McDowellTime.com.
