The road less traveled
The Trekker has been, since its inception in 2012, the flagship watch for Steve Laughlin and his Raven Watches. It didn’t hurt, of course, to have originally launched the piece during the early days (daze?) of the vintage-inspired watch craze. However, the Trekker has certainly proven during the intervening years to be a well-built tool watch—a kind of “those who know, know” timepiece in the enthusiast sphere.
Steven—a jack of all trades, himself—leads the sort of lifestyle for which the trekker was designed: one of travel, off-road, and underwater adventure. But he is also a trained artist, and all these factors coalesce in the new 2024 Trekker.
From the moment I opened the box, my reaction was—and continues to be—where have you been all my life?
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Key Features of the 2024 Raven Trekker
The 2024 Trekker leans into its classic, vintage design. It has a mid-century appeal in its silhouette with an oversized, exposed crown. The profile is slab-sided with drilled lugs and, of course, everything is screwed down for a capable water resistance rating of 200m. The 316L stainless steel 39mm x 48mm case is predominantly brushed to a satin sheen that carries over to the knurled bezel.
The overall appearance will look familiar to fans. However, there are distinct refinements. The profile, for one, has been slimmed down to 12.5mm (for a slight knock in the WR rating), making for a more versatile and comfortable wearing experience. The crown, too, has been upgraded and is a joy to manipulate.
I had my choice for the purposes of review, and chose the Gloss Grey, which sports a polished ceramic bezel and matching dial. However, the watch also comes in Vintage Blue and two versions of Matte Black (Brushed or Sand-blasted). I was certainly not disappointed with the selection, but I don’t really think you can go wrong with any of the aforementioned colourways.
The Gloss Grey, in juxtaposition with the case design, feels very contemporary. The polished indices really pop against the dial, and I love the touch of orange in the second hand and again in the TREKKER text above six. Unlike the circular plot markers in the Vintage Blue, or the baton indices of the Matte Black, the Gloss Grey features box hour indicators, and I really feel like this is a strong combination. From a sheer aesthetic standpoint, the watch has a very neutral palette that wears well in a variety of settings, as well.
Above this, we have beautiful box sapphire crystal with massive amounts of AR. You can achieve beautiful distortions when viewing the dial at hard angles, and even a blue glow from the anti-reflective coating in certain lights. Everything has been treated with heaps of Super-LumiNova, as well. In fact, the dial lights up mid-day the moment you move through a dimly lit room.
The 2024 Trekker in Gloss Grey is powered by the 9015 (9039 in the other three iterations) which offers a date complication at three. It’s a 4Hz workhorse with 24 jewels and a 42-hour power reserve.
The Trekker comes standard on the NodeX bracelet and features that brand’s propriety micro-adjusting clasp. Its no-nonsense design suits the Trekker to a tee; however, you also get an FKM rubber option with quick release spring bars.
Specs
| Case | 316L Stainless Steel 39mm Diameter 48mm Lug to Lug 12.5mm Thick /w Glass 20mm Lug Width Unidirectional Bezel Screwed Crown 200m Water Resistance |
| Dial & Crystal | Sapphire Box Crystal /w AR Grey Dial Applied Indexes Baton Handset Super-LumiNova |
| Movement | Miyota 9015 24 jewels 28, 800bph 42-Hour Power Reserve |
| Strap | Stainless Steel Bracelet /w Folding Clasp & Micro-adjust FKM Rubber |
2024 Raven Trekker
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Final Thoughts
The 2024 Trekker is a bit of a head-shaker. Aside from being visually pleasing and flexible in the wearing, the diver just feels well made. Everything is tight and solid. The bezel is incredible. The crown, tactile and smooth. We talk about value propositions a lot, but this one is really tough to beat. I am stunned to have been aware of the brand for so long and never had one in hand until this moment. I can tell you it is quite a satisfying experience.
Pricing & Availability
The Trekker is available directly from the brand website and begins shipping next week, on October 11th for the attractive price of $650 USD.
About the author
Brent Robillard is a writer, educator, craftsman, and watch enthusiast. He is the author of four novels. You can follow him on Instagram.
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Definitely a Beauty. “the Likes of which no man could ever dream”..the Raven is true to its famous poetic name.