The Nixon The 42-20 Chrono is one of those watches that makes more sense once it has had a life. The name itself appears to follow Nixon’s familiar formula: case size and water resistance. Retailer specs for the 42-20 Chrono list a 42mm case with 200 meter / 20 ATM water resistance.

This watch is not trying to hide what it is. It is big, bold, left-handed in layout, and unapologetically design-forward. In new condition, that kind of Nixon usually invites the familiar criticism that you are paying too much for styling. In used condition, the conversation changes. The styling is still there but depreciation has already happened. What you are left with is a distinctive 200-meter quartz chronograph with real wrist presence and more personality than many safer, more conventional sports watches – all at a plausible price point.

Inside, the watch uses the Miyota FS00 chronograph quartz caliber, a discontinued movement powered by an SR626SW battery.

That movement choice makes sense for a watch like this. The 42-20 Chrono was never meant to be admired through a display back or discussed for finishing. It was meant to be worn hard. It was meant to be grabbed on the way out the door. It was meant to feel like a substantial object. That comes through immediately in this example. The brushed stainless case has a rugged, industrial character. The bezel is broad and aggressively notched, but because it is matte-brushed rather than polished, the wear it has picked up does not look out of place. It looks earned.

The left-side layout is one of the most interesting things about the watch. Nixon’s own retail copy for the 42-20 Chrono Leather described the model as having 9-hour crown and pusher placement, and the Miyota chronograph manual uses the standard A/B pusher logic for timing and reset. Because Nixon moved the controls to the left side of the case, the watch feels reversed in use compared with a conventional chronograph.

From the side, the 42-20 Chrono looks thick, mechanical, and slightly overbuilt. I didn’t measure the thickness, but it feels about 15mm. Retail specs also put it at 42mm, with hardened mineral crystal, screw-down crown and pushers, and 200 meter / 20 ATM water resistance.

On this particular watch, the new brown leather strap is a smart pairing. The bronze-toned numerals and matching metallic markers warm up the dial nicely, and the pale central chronograph hand adds just enough contrast to keep the watch from becoming visually heavy. Used watches often have dings, and this is no exception, with a missing bronze marker at 11 am on the rehaut. The date at 6 is useful, although it is not the cleanest placement. Cutting into the six numeral was a choice, and not one I would call ideal. A baton at 3 would probably have been tidier. Still, that small complaint does not do much to diminish the overall effect. This is a stylish watch with a strong point of view.

Functionally, it is also better thought through than it first appears. The main central chronograph seconds hand gives the watch its dramatic sweep when timing is engaged, while the subdials handle the rest of the workload. Once you spend a few minutes with it, the layout becomes intuitive. More importantly, it feels solid. The screw-down controls are a nice touch, and the whole watch has the kind of reassuring heft that many buyers want when they reach for a large sport watch.

The used market is where this watch becomes more persuasive. Current eBay asking prices for pre-owned 42-20 Chrono examples are often clustered around roughly $75 to $100, with other used listings landing in the low hundreds and cleaner or more unusual variants stretching higher. WatchCharts is also surfacing recent sold eBay listings for Minimize variants, which confirms that these are actively trading watches rather than forgotten dead stock. By contrast, archived retail listings for 42-20 Chrono variants show new pricing in the high $300s, and some listings were materially higher still depending on finish and configuration.

That is why a used Nixon like this deserves a second look. New, you could argue that the proposition was too design-heavy, too feature-light for the money. Used, that same design it’s a different story. You are getting the bold case architecture, the unusual left-hand control layout, the dependable Japanese quartz chronograph movement, and the worn-in character of the brushed steel for a fraction of what comparable new fashion-driven watches often cost.

The Nixon The 42-20 Chrono is not subtle, and it is not trying to be. It is a watch with swagger. It is a watch that feels better once it has a few marks on it. And as a used watch, it is a very good example of a broader truth: value often shows up after the first owner has paid the premium. That is where pieces like this start to shine.