Disclaimer: this video/review was not sponsored by Traska or any other entity.
Straps Featured:
Delugs Black Sailcloth Signature Strap 20mm: https://delugs.com/products/black-sailcloth-signature-strap?variant=41335031136369
Video
Review
When I first started creating watch-related content and writing reviews, I was pretty clueless about micro-brands – though, to be fair, the micro-brand scene five or six years ago was much smaller than it is today. One of my early introductions to this space was the Traska Freediver, which I reviewed back in 2020 when they were already on their second iteration. Even then, it was clear that Traska was delivering remarkable build quality, specifications, and finishing for the price. Founded in 2018 by Jon Mack, a young watch enthusiast, Traska has steadily evolved into a compelling brand with a diverse lineup, drawing inspiration – quite tastefully – from classic Rolex designs, and also their approach of slow, steady and thoughtful product evolution. This commitment to refinement over multiple iterations has led to meaningful, albeit subtle, upgrades over time.
I was fortunate to meet Jon at the Traska booth at WindUp NYC a few weeks ago, and got to spend some time with the entire lineup of revised designs, and I’m very impressed with their current generation of watches. I’m most impressed by the terrific engineering gone into these pieces, like the impressive ball bearing based bezel on the Freediver and the de-coupling crown systems on all the watches.
Today, we’re diving into the 38mm Summiteer in Oxblood Red (or Ref. 2159), a newly revised version of the Summiteer, priced at $650. Surprisingly, it’s still available as of writing, despite Traska’s usual pattern of limited batches selling out quickly.
Let’s check it out!
Case
The Summiteer measures precisely 38mm in diameter, with a lug-to-lug span of 45.6mm and a thickness of 10.6mm, including its box sapphire crystal. The case is crafted from 316L stainless steel, but what sets it apart is a specialized hardness treatment that boosts its Vickers rating to 1200Hv – roughly four times that of typical 316L steel used on watches.
The case design echoes the classic Oyster aesthetic, with high-polished, slightly rounded sides reminiscent of a traditional Oyster Perpetual, but with distinct, polished bevels on the lugs and a mid-case thickness of just 5.25mm. The 20mm lugs are drilled through, emphasizing its tool watch credentials.
The standout feature for me is the bezel, which sports a stunning radial brush finish and a polished bevel that catches light beautifully. Topping it off is the crystal, delivering a vintage plexiglass feel with subtle edge distortion and ample anti-reflective coating.
The 6mm screw-down crown is exceptional – it feels smoother than most high end luxury watches, thanks to a clever decoupling mechanism that eliminates roughness when screwing it in. On the flip side, a solid screw-down case-back ensures 100m of water resistance.
While the design leans heavily on familiar inspirations, Traska’s execution is top-notch, with thoughtful details like the crystal, bezel, and crown adding a refined touch to a well-loved style.
Dial
The Summiteer 38 is available in four dial colors, and the one I’m reviewing here is the Oxblood Red variant. This shade looks fantastic in person, though it’s tough to capture its true tone in photos and videos – it tends to appear brighter under studio lights than it does in natural settings. The dial has a somewhat metallic look with a subtle matte finish, which, combined with the distortion from the vintage-inspired box sapphire crystal, gives it a lot of depth and character.
There’s a crisp white minute track along the outer edge, featuring bold rectangular markers at the cardinal positions for easy reading. Moving inward, large solid luminous markers made of ceramic lume contrast nicely against the rich red background.
The layout includes a triangle at 12, numerals at 3, 6, and 9, and elongated indices elsewhere, clearly drawing inspiration from classic military and field watches, particularly the Rolex Explorer 1. The brand’s logo sits neatly below the 12 o’clock triangle, with “Automatic” printed above the 6 o’clock marker. While the overall print quality is good, I did notice a few stray paint particles on the dial – something I’m willing to overlook given the value offered at this price point.
Breaking away from the typical handset found on watches of this style, the Summiteer uses a pair of broadsword hands, which are my favorite for a sports watch. The hands are well-finished with generous lume plots, while the white-painted seconds hand features a lumed triangular tip. Overall, the dial design is both distinctive and pleasing, with impressive attention to detail for its price range.
Lume
The Summiteer 38 uses solid blocks of shaped lume for its hour markers and indices, which, if you’ve been following my reviews, you’ll know is my preferred type. Traska doesn’t mention what supplier they use, but I suspect this is Lumicast, since they do mention the underlying luminous material is Swiss Made BGW9 Super LumiNova. This ceramic-based luminous material allows for sculpted indices without needing metal borders, resulting in denser elements with greater surface area – typically meaning increased brightness and longer-lasting glow.
While the hands use traditional liquid-filled lume, they are well-matched in intensity to the dial markers, creating a cohesive look. The lume shines bright and holds up impressively well throughout the night, comparing favorably to some of my other watches. Personally, I love the aesthetic of these luminous blocks, and I believe the performance will satisfy even the most demanding lume enthusiasts like myself.
Movement
The Summiteer is powered by the Miyota 9039 movement, a solid choice in the sub-$1000 range, most notable for its slim profile. The 9039 is thinner than many comparable movements from Sellita, ETA, and Seiko, which contributes positively to the roughly 10mm case thickness.
It has a reputation for durability and reasonable accuracy, making it a dependable choice for everyday wear. Known for ease of service, and cost-effective replacement options if needed, the 9039 is practical for long-term use. Personally, I prefer the 9015 and 9039 movements from Miyota to the ETA 2824 or the Sellita SW200, even taking into account the louder rotors on these. While I didn’t measure the prototypes’ accuracy with a timegrapher, it appeared to be running within a single-digit daily deviation. In terms of value, Traska’s choice of the Miyota 9039 fits the watch well within its price category, and I couldn’t think of a better movement choice.
On The Wrist
The watch wears exceptionally well on my 6.75″ wrist, thanks to its compact 38mm diameter, 45.6mm lug-to-lug length, and relatively slim 10.6mm overall thickness, which helps it sit low and comfortably. Its vintage-inspired proportions place it somewhere between a modern 36mm and 40mm Rolex Explorer I in terms of fit.
The fully articulating end links are a great touch, adding no extra length beyond the lugs, and the bracelet’s taper from 20mm at the lugs to 16mm at the clasp ensures a sleek, comfortable fit. The end links fit precisely with no wiggle, and the bracelet’s build quality matches the case perfectly, making it feel like a cohesive, solid product.
The clasp, with its 5 tool-free micro-adjustment positions, allows for up to 9mm of adjustment – I had no trouble dialing in the perfect fit. Overall, the bracelet is exceptionally well executed, with fully articulating links that combine a vintage feel with modern durability.
And, as a Delugs ambassador, I had to try it on their new 20mm black sailcloth strap, which complements the watch beautifully. That said, I think it would also pair nicely with various rubber or textile straps for a versatile and slightly tactical look.
Wrapping Up
To wrap this up quickly – I really like the Traska Summiteer 38. After checking out Traska’s entire lineup at WindUp, I was excited to get my hands on this model. I asked to review the Summiteer over the divers because I’ve been craving an Explorer 1-style dial, and the combination of this rich colorway with the broadsword hands really drew me in.
Features like the de-coupling crown, solid blocks of lume, excellent case finishing, and the comfortable bracelet make it stand out in the sub-$1000 category. While the design clearly draws from familiar inspirations, I appreciate the unique touches and character Traska infused into it. All in all, I’m genuinely impressed – and honestly, I’m tempted to pick one up for myself.
