We are keeping the microbrand train going as we move on from Astor+Banks and into Traska for their latest addition. This American-based brand has been rather popular within niche watch circles as designs like the Venturer and Freediver have been highly successful in showcasing the style and functionality that Traska is based on. For me personally, the Venturer is their nicest watch to date, as its simplicity and elegance, in addition to having a GMT function with a second crown dedicated to controlling it, make it a stunning piece.

But the Venturer is not the topic of conversation today, now we talk about the brand new Traska Chronograph. When making a coll chronograph, there are a few things to consider: color is obvious, uniqueness is another, and a big part in my eyes is that it must be wearable. Due to the making of chronograph calibers, they are usually thick and top-heavy. Here we have a 39 mm case with a lug-to-lug width of  46.5 mm and a thickness with the crystal of 13.75 mm, making this watch a midway point in wearability where most people will be able to wear it, but those with smaller wrists will have a tough time. Now I don’t have a listed weight on the watch, and I have not tried it on, so keep that in mind for this next bit. The watch uses a Tungsten bezel instead of a classic steel, aluminum, or ceramic bezel insert. Tungsten, as most people know, is a rather heavy material, much heavier than the other that I listed. From what I can tell, it is only used on the Bezel and not the clasp to even it out. So I do suspect the watch to be very top-heavy and much heavier than similar models.

What makes this watch special is not the movement, as it uses a very simple Seiko NE86 chronograph caliber; simplicity and reliability are key, however, so it is a good and affordable choice for a watch like this, where this watch differentiates itself from the rest is with the sub dials. Instead of using the traditional method of hands turning to measure the time, then this Traska Chronograph turns the dials to measure time. This comes out looking much better than it may sound on paper and gives the watch a very unique feel.

The watch may not be the go and do it all daily for some people, seeing as it is rather thick and heavy and only has a water resistance of 75 meters, but for the average consumer like myself, that water resistance is more than enough. The only issue I have is with the color, which is a mid-gray with a matte finish. For a first watch within the collection, it is a very safe bet, which is fine in and of itself, but leaves a lot to be desired. I do expect, with further releases, that they will add more colorways to their offering. I think this problem is only exemplified when you look at other chronographs released close to it, such as the beautiful Hanhart 417 ES with a stunning white dial.

I won’t keep this much longer, if you want to take a closer look at this new piece and at this company, which I highly recomend then I will leave a link for you here to explore Traska. If you haven’t had your fill of me yet, then be sure to check out our last post, where we talked about the new Astror+Banks Terra Scout. I want to thank you for the read, as every reader means a lot. Until next time.