Traska Chronograph is the first watch from the appreciated microbrand that is stepping into the speed territory, with a tool watch that looks really good, and some quarks that makes this model priced at $1650 to be an absolute steal.
Of course, what I just said is based on the pictures only, I didn’t have the pleasure to play with the watch yet. But I have to admit, it looks good, unique and fresh.
Traska Chronograph – Why is this watch so special?
The Traska Chronograph comes at 39mm wide (might be too small for my wrist) and a lug-to-lug measurement of 46.5mm. It’s not super slim, but not super thick either, it sits perfectly at 13.75mm thickness (crystal included), fair dimensions for a modern chronograph I would say.
Traska managed to keep this watch wearable through smart case shaping that has concave cutouts on the sides which prevents the watch from having a chunky look.
One thing makes the watch special, not his dimensions or materials. For the sub-dial hands they didn’t use the traditional ones like in the new Omega Speedmaster Reverse Panda, instead they added transparent rotating discs. The left disc shows the minutes and the right one shows the running seconds. Numbers float above the printed red index lines. This creates a clean and unique look and it was the only reason why I chose to write about this launch.
I love the unconventional way they decided to do this. The 21mm lugs taper down to 16mm at the clasp which creates a balance when it comes to overall look on your wrist. The pushers are square shaped which makes the watch look a little more classy and industrial at the same time.
Interesting Materials and Smart Built
Even though the watch is accessible, Traska didn’t cut corners. The tachymeter bezel is made from tungsten which sits alongside their signature hardened steel case. Like me, you might wonder why they choose tungsten. Because It’s super scratch-resistant and it wont become a weak point against hardened steel case.
The tachymeter measures speeds between 50 and 200 units per hour which is more practical for everyday use than the typical 60-400 range.
Water resistance is rated at 75 meters, which is strange, I don’t know everything about watches, but this is the first time I hear about this grade.
Traska Chronograph Movement
The word on the street is that they considered adding a Swiss movement, but in the end they chose to go with Seiko NE86 because it is 0.3mm thinner than competitors and this directly affects the thickness of the watch.
Seiko NE86 uses a column wheel to reduce wear over time and has a vertical clutch that lets the chronograph to run continuously without adding stress to the movement.
So it’s not just about the specs, seems like Traska analyzed and chose what they considered to be better for long-term durability. Seiko NE86 doesn’t have Swiss prestige but it’s a movement built to last while keeping the watch thinner than other alternatives.
Good choice Traska.
Design
I can see that Traska worked through design problems with logic in mind. They managed to avoid visual heaviness which can be a problem for many chronographs. They made legible sub-dials without traditional hands. Materials chosen are aging consistently together and all choices seem deliberate rather than following the standard chronograph templates.
The watch looks really good, the design speaks to me. I love the rounded date they added at the 6 o’clock position. The chronograph red hand complements the gray colours found on the dial, being just the splash of colour the watch needed.
Even the bracelet looks good, but from the pictures I might not like that buckle, it reminds me too much of the Omega Seamaster 300 M which has the worst buckle ever created.
Of course, the Traska Chronograph has lume, and from the pictures I saw it looks pretty good.
Price and Availability
The Traska Chronograph will be launched on March 1 and the price will be $1,650. Apparently they will make only 300 pieces in this “Tungsten Gray” colour and the first 100 pieces are ready to be shipped.
The rest of the watches will be shipped in mid to late April. From what I saw there are no reservations, and if they make more watches, we can expect a seven month wait.
So yeah, Traska Chronographs could be a big HIT. I already considered buying one for me, it looks good. One thing I don’t like is the fact that they decided to produce a small number of watches, maybe they are not confident in the watch’s success.
Still, the price is really good, the watch looks amazing and the sub-dials make this watch a novelty in Chronographs categories
| Specification | Details |
| Reference | 10251 |
| Case Diameter | 39mm |
| Lug-to-Lug | 46.5mm |
| Thickness | 13.75mm (including crystal) |
| Lug Width | 21mm |
| Bracelet Taper | 21mm to 16mm |
| Case Material | Hardened Steel |
| Bezel Material | Tungsten |
| Bezel Type | Tachymeter (50-200 units/hour) |
| Crystal | Sapphire |
| Water Resistance | 75 meters |
| Movement | Seiko NE86 Automatic |
| Movement Type | Column Wheel Chronograph |
| Clutch Type | Vertical Clutch |
| Complications | Chronograph (minutes, seconds) |
| Sub-dial Display | Transparent Rotating Discs |
| Pushers | Square-shaped |
| Colorway | Tungsten Gray |
| Price | $1,650 USD |
| Production | 300 pieces |
| Launch Date | March 1, 2026 at 11:00 AM ET |
