Measurements

Since there are many variations, this comparison is based on the most popular model of each watch: the Weekender T2N651 and the Expedition Scout T49961

The case diameter is 2mm larger on the Expedition than it is on the Weekender and the lug-to-lug difference is even greater (3mm), this is because the Expedition's lugs protrude a bit more. 

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These measurements mean the Weekender is perfect for men or women (it has unisex styling) with small wrists (6.75'' or less), while the Expedition is best suited for medium-large wrists (6.75''+).

​​The weekender is the thinnest of the two, so it slides perfectly under cuffs, but the Expedition's 11m thick case shouldn't be a problem either. Also, the lug width is the same on both pieces (20mm) so finding a replacement strap is easy.​​

Features

Crystal / Crown

The crystal material is the same for the Weekender and Expedition Scout, and it is on par with the industry for this price point. The mineral crystal offers a balance between shock resistance and scratch resistance, but you can't expect it to remain unscathed forever.

Even if both watches use a push-pull crown, the Expedition is a bit more water-resistant than the Weekender. The 50m resistance allows you to take it for recreational swimming, contrarily to the Weekender which can only withstand splashes.

Both watches have a similar "teeth pattern" crown, but the one on the Expedition is much more prominent. Unfortunately, neither of them have a crown guard, so a common complaint is the fragility of the crown if you hit it against an object. 

Case

Contrarily to most sub 40$ watches, the two models are equipped with a metal case. Unfortunately, most of it is steel-plated brass. From afar there's really no difference from stainless steel, but up close you can notice the cheaper quality. Also, it shows more wear & tear than usual steel, as the plating chips away rather easily.

The only true stainless steel part is the case back, which proudly displays a "stainless steel"  mention.

Lume

You're probably used to the Indiglo feature if you've had a Timex watch before. It is a bright electroluminescent application that lights up the dial at the press of a button (in this case, the crown).

Both the Weekender and the Expedition has this nice feature that helps a lot with legibility in darker settings. Additionally, the Expedition Scout has a thin layer of traditional (phosphorescent) lume applied on the hands, but it isn't that great, so you'll most likely use the Indiglo button.

Movement

Since I mostly review mechanical watches, the "Movement" section is usually the one where I expand the most. In this case, both watches use a very basic quartz movement, so I don't have much to say.

The two watches are powered by a CR2016 battery, which is known to last from 7 to 10 years, depending on how often you use features such as the Indiglo. The precision is on par with other entry-level quartz movements, which is a gain or loss of around 15 seconds per month. In my experience, I recorded a loss of around 10 seconds per month.

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The only noticeable difference between the two movements is the presence of the "Quickset Date" feature on the Expedition, which allows you to change the date both forward and in reverse using the crown. In contrast, the Weekender has no date complication at all.

One last important thing to know about the movements found in these watches is that they are quite loud. The Weekender is even louder than the Expedition, but both can be heard quite easily in a quiet room.

Design

Dial

The reason why the Weekender and Expedition Scout are so often compared is because of their near-identical styling. They both have a robust military design, a full 24 hours set of Arabic numerals and a matte dial finish.

The differences between the two dials are very minor. For instance, the Weekender uses a chapter ring for minute marks whereas the Expedition's minutes marks are applied on the dial.

Also, the Weekender's dial is a bit less cluttered, as it lacks the "Expedition" and "WR 50m" script, uses a smaller font and has no date display. 

The Expedition's cluttered dial is one of the main characteristics that steers customers away, so the Weekender is a perfect alternative if this is your problem, just remember you lose the date display.

Hands

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In my opinion, the hands are much cooler and original on the Expedition than they are on the Weekender. The former gets lumed syringe hands for the minutes and hours and the seconds hand has a nice arrow design. The Weekender has a much more conservative set of sword hands for minutes and hours and a not-so-special needle seconds hand.

Color Schemes

The two watches offer a broad selection of color schemes for every single taste, male or female. Currently, the Weekender has 21 layouts available on Amazon, while the Expedition Scout has 27 designs.

These different variations change up the color of the dial, hands, case or strap. Speaking of straps, most of them are equipped with a colorful Nylon strap that is both good-looking and comfortable. It breaks in nicely, and the signed buckle shows attention to detail.

Value

Price

As I mentioned in my intro, the two watches are situated in a very similar price range. Even if the Expedition is a bit more expensive, I doubt the 5-10$ difference will alter your decision.

Warranty

Since both watches are made by the same manufacturer, they share the same one year warranty. It's important to buy your timepiece from an authorized dealer, since buying from the grey market will void your warranty (only to save a few dollars).

If you plan on buying from Amazon, make sure you see the mention "Ships from and sold by Amazon" to get the warranty (or just click on the links at the bottom of this article).

Quality Control

When buying a watch for such a cheap price, it is important to take a look at quality control since it is way easier to get a lemon. The Weekender has superb quality control, considering the few amounts of moving parts and the mass-production of the model.

On the other hand, the Expedition Scout seems to have a lot more quality control issues than the Weekender. Case in point, the Expedition Scout has 14% one-star reviews on Amazon, compared to the Weekender's 6%.

Common issues with the Expedition Scout include: fragile crown, broken Quickset date and case back that falls off. The chances that you get a fabrication default are still quite small, but take into consideration the possibility that you'll have to send it back to get it replaced.

Fortunately, most problems show up way before the one year mark, so the warranty will cover it without a problem.

History

In terms of historical significance, the Expedition is the clear leader. Different variations of this model have been on sale since the mid-'90s, and the line built a large following over the years. On the other hand, the Weekender is only available since the early 2010s, but it managed to become one of the most sold watches in the world in a short amount of time.

Conclusion

As you can tell from my  comparison, the Timex Weekender and Expedition Scout are two very similar timepieces with a few key differences. If you're still unsure about which one you should get, refer to the section below.

Get the Weekender if:

Get the Expedition Scout if:

If you still have unanswered questions after reading this article, please leave a comment below and I will do my best to share the information you need.