By now you must be familiar with Traska, a brand I’ve written about a few times in the past. More recently, I reviewed the latest versions of the Summiteer and Commuter. Two key models from the American brand which propelled it to the unofficial Microbrand Hall of Fame (actually, I should say “The Independent Brand Hall of Fame”). However, I had yet to write about the Freediver, the brand’s debut model and one which has gone through a few facelifts. Honestly, it would be more appropriate to say “new lives” as Traska has repeatedly overhauled this model so that it could become—subjectively speaking—the perfect diver.
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More than gushing over its design and specs, writing about the Freediver is important as it could help you or anyone interested in quality independent horology better understand Traska. What has obsessed the brand’s founder, Jon Mack, is the idea of creating the best sports watches for the least amount of bucks. When thinking of “value for money” ratio, I’d be hard-pressed to find a better example than the Freediver. For what I would consider the modest sum of $635, you get more than you wished for here. So let’s take a deep dive (pun absolutely intended) and see what makes the Freediver a watch worthy of your attention and credit card.
The Freediver carries its name well. It begs you to embark on free-spirited adventures whether in or out of the water. If you decide to take it under, know that it boasts 200 meters of water resistance thanks to a screw-down crown and case-back. Such depth rating has become an industry standard, and although most of us don’t need it, it does mean something else: dust, dirt, and whatever else the world could throw at you will stay clear of the movement. Speaking of which, the Freediver is equipped with either a Miyota 9039 (no date) or 9019 (date)–two calibers that beat at 28,800 BPH (4Hz) and come with 42 hours of power reserve (so that you can for some absurd reason leave it in your watch box for two days knowing it will still be ticking.)
And if you decide to sport a Freediver while roaming the four corners of our dusty planet, rest assured that no one could actually tell you did so. The case and bracelet are made of hardened steel and are virtually non-scratchable. I’ve worn many a Traska in the past three years and I have yet to find a scratch on any of them. Furthermore, the Freediver is equipped with a piece of boxed, double dome sapphire crystal, the hands are diamond-cut, and the bracelet is made of only solid things: solid links and end links, double-pusher deployant clasp, and perlage finish on the scissor part. Lastly, the 120-click unidirectional bezel is topped with a piece of scratch resistant ceramic.
SPECS
| Case | 316L Stainless Steel 40.5mm Diameter 48mm Lug to Lug 10.5mm Thick (11.5mm /w Dome) 20mm Lug Width 120-Click Unidirectional Ceramic Bezel Screwed Crown & Case back 200m Water Resistance |
| Dial & Crystal | Domed Sapphire /w AR Applied Markers Dauphine Hands BGW9 Super-LumiNova |
| Movement | Miyota 9019/9039 28 800bpm 24 Jewels 42-Hour Power Reserve |
| Strap | Stainless Steel /w Milled Clasp |
Traska Freediver 2023
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Of Interest
By now you must be even more interested to know how much the Freediver costs, something I mentioned earlier in this article: $635. Looking at the specs alone, the Freediver offers a tremendous amount of value–something that is, for the most part, an objective statement to make. From the choice of the movements to the quality of the construction and finish—which I can only relate through words and photos— I would again be hard-pressed to find a dive watch that offers that much value. With that said, the Freediver does more than make your $635 look like $2,000. Then there are the looks which may or may not be your thing. Spoiler alert: it’s totally mine.
But before we talk more about the design, I’ve got to let you know that the Freediver comes in four dial colors: Sun Bleached Orange (this one) Carbon Black, Arctic White, and Mint Green (the latter is the brand’s most iconic colour.)
Aesthetically, the Freediver is a dive watch through and through. Triangular applied hour markers live alongside triangular hour and minute hands, while the lollipop seconds hand disappears when looking at the dial from afar. On the date version, the hour marker at the six was replaced by a porthole date aperture showcasing delicate bevels. Traska opted for maximum legibility and matched the color of the date disc to that of the lume on the markers and hands. In other words, BGW9 SuperLuminova that looks white during the boring day time and glows ice blue during the spirited evenings.
A bonus point goes to the fully-graduated count up bezel insert that is also fully lumed. I don’t know why brands don’t go through the trouble of fully-graduating a dive scale on what is obviously a purpose-driven tool watch. Just my 2 cents.
Quibbles
Honestly, I can’t fault the latest version of the Freediver with anything except that it should have been made earlier.
Final Thoughts
Please pardon me for not putting the dial and case under more scrutiny. If you have read my reviews of the Summiteer and Commuter, you know the finish is top-notch for both, so much so that it can shame any watch that costs four times more. In other words, Jon managed to create the best value diver money can buy. At least, that’s my humble opinion. But more than how good it looks or how well it is made, seeing a fourth iteration of the Freediver coming to market indicates that Traska is dedicated to preserving its own heritage—however young it is—and to find ways to continuously improve upon its core collections. If you like what you saw today, know that the entire Traska collection will be available for purchase and immediate shipping on Sunday, August 13th, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern. You can learn more about the Freediver and Traska here.
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Vincent Deschamps is a museum professional, originally from France, with more than 10 years experience as a researcher, producing visitor experiences for national and international organizations. He is also the founder of mainspring.watch. You can follow Vincent on Instagram.
Off The Cuff articles are full-length, hands-on reviews of the watch in question and represent the opinion of the author only. All photos are original, unless specified otherwise. If you would like to have your watch reviewed on this site, contact us here.
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