Review: the Traska Chronograph
It’s gonna be cold, it’s gonna be grey, and it’s gonna last you the rest of your life. Okay, perhaps the quote from Groundhog Day has a bit too ominous of a tone when discussing a watch. Pretend maybe this was said in a nice way, give me a bit of a break (there’s been snow on the ground for 6 weeks) and we can move on with this hands-on of Traska’s newest entrance into the horological space – The Chronograph. This 39mm automatic chronograph is packed with features and comes in at a fairly reasonable $1650. The matte grey dial, unique approach to chronograph sub-dials, and attention to detail on finish and features makes this one stand out from the pack. Let’s take a closer look at this brand new piece from Traska that seems to check a lot of boxes that we as enthusiasts look for in our next watch.
Review: the Traska Chronograph
Hardened Stainless Steel
Seiko NE86 automatic chronograph
Tungsten grey with applied indices
BGW9 SuperLuminova
Sapphire
Hardened stainless steel bracelet
75 meters
39 x 46.5mm
13.75mm
21mm
Screw down
Yes
$1650
Case
Clocking in at a very reasonable 39mm wide, the Traska’s hardened steel case wears great on my 6.75” wrist. The case features a mix of brushed surfaces with polished bevels. It’s a nice mix of finishing that blends the more matte elements with the high shine polishing, resulting in a case that is interesting to look at but not overly shiny or too matte. Automatic chronographs tend to be on the thicker side, but Traska’s choice of using the Seiko NE86 movement allows them to keep the case at a relatively slim 13.75mm, with nearly two of those millimeters being the double-domed box sapphire crystal. Slim lugs enforce the svelte appearance even further.
On the right side of the case, you’ll find the screw down crown at 3, flanked on either side by a large, rectangular chronograph pusher. The pushers are rendered in a high-polish steel, standing out from the matte brushed sides of the case. You’ll find the Traska logo signed on the crown. Their logo is a great fit for a crown, and reminded me of the old Tudor rose engraving.
Moving further up the case, you’ll find a matte grey tachymeter bezel used alongside the chronograph seconds hand. While the tachymeter is a feature that most of us will not typically use in daily life, Traska has optimized the scale to track speeds between 50 and 200 units per hour – making it a little bit more realistic. The bezel insert itself is crafted from tungsten – a metal known for its heft, durability, and hardness. A great pairing with the hardened steel case that Traska touts as an important part of their brand’s core features. I was particularly impressed by the crispness of the text on the bezel. Finally, you’ll find a double-domed box sapphire crystal up top with an anti-reflective coating. The crystal is clear (some would say crystal clear) with no visible distortion from the top down.
Dial + Hands
You won’t find any standard chronograph sub dials here, and I welcome that change. The Traska forgoes hands, and in place uses transparent discs with printed numerals on the disc. The left disc counts up to 30 minutes, while the right disc is the running seconds indicator. A small red line is seen through the disc that you can use to track the time. I did find this red line indicator to be a little hard to see, perhaps a slightly bolder line would make it more quickly glanceable and less purposely looked for. Upon showing my 5 year old the watch to get his take (what any good watch reviewer will do), the first thing he noted was “wow cool, it’s spinning” – I think he’s onto something. As for the hour and minute hands, you’ll find some highly polished rectangular hands. They’re well-crafted, but otherwise unremarkable. It’s the sub dial discs that are doing the heavy lifting here, and that’s A-OK with me.
The dial isn’t just about the discs though, there’s a lot more to like. Applied indices for the hands and logo are well-crafted. Each index is treated with BGW9 Super Luminova and glows that signature teal color when the lights go out. The application of lume isn’t super heavy and the space in the indices are relatively small so the glow isn’t particularly bright and doesn’t last all that long. I’d put the lume performance somewhere in the middle ground – not bad, not great. There’s also a circular date display at 6 that features a highly polished bevel. Text is kept to a minimum, with the Traska word mark at 12, and “AUTOMATIC” rendered in a light, small, all-caps type at 6.
Movement
Beating away inside, you’ll find one of Seiko’s NE86 automatic chronograph movements. Traska’s page for the watch goes in depth about why they chose this particular movement, and it’s a good fit. Automatic chronographs tend to lean on the thicker side, so any incremental savings can result in a much more wearable watch. The NE86 is relatively thin and has some nice features like a column wheel and vertical clutch. The column wheel makes for a nicer feel when actuating the chronograph, while the vertical clutch allows for less wear on the mechanical parts. The chronograph features include running seconds on the right sub dial, 30 minute counter on the left sub dial, and a chronograph seconds hand in the center. Traska also states that they regulate their movements to -10 to +20 seconds per day. When fully wound, the movement will run for 45 hours and keep itself topped off via the rotor during regular wear.
Strap + Wearability
Included with the watch is a really nice hardened stainless steel bracelet. The bracelet starts at 21mm and tapers down to 16mm at the clasp. Coordinating with the finishing on the case, you’ll find brushed surfaces and polished bevels. There’s a larger middle link that’s flanked by two smaller links. The bracelet features a good amount of articulation, allowing for a comfortable wearing experience. The clasp is a bit of a double-edged sword for me. On one hand, it’s pretty large and thick, on the other hand, it has 6 different micro-adjust positions built in that allow you to dial in your fit with zero tools.
Overall, I find the watch to be very wearable. Yes, watches are supposed to be wearable. That’s kind of the whole idea of wearing a little clock on your wrist. Wearable to me means that a watch is comfortable without getting in the way, and the Traska chrono certainly doesn’t get in the way. The 21mm lug width is not as standard as say the classic 20mm, but you can find a variety of other straps that this one will work on. The grey colorway with red accents lends itself to a variety of different strap options, so the versatility is there too.
Conclusion
When looking around at the competition, there’s not a whole lot in the $1600 range for an automatic chronograph. You can snag a Hamilton for nearly another $1000 on top, go down market to the land of mocha-quartz chronos, or go even higher into the world of luxury and pick up something like a TAG Heuer chronograph. If one thing can be said about the world of watches, you’ll have no problem finding a wealth of options with an unlimited budget. That’s not to say the Traska is “budget” in any sense of the term. I appreciate the attention to detail, impressive spec list, and refined sense of design that was put into the watch. There’s definitely a lot to like, and not a ton of competition within the $1650 asking price. The Chronograph from Traska is available from March 1st, 2026. What do you think of this chronograph? Let us know in the comments. Traska
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