Review: The Trafford Crossroads S 36 & 40

It will be impossible to talk about the new Trafford Crossroads S without discussing the size of the case in great detail, which I fear might be disservice to the watch as a whole, because there are a lot of very nice things about the Crossroads, and it’s one of the most charming new watches from a microbrand that I’ve seen in some time. But the case size is critical, because Trafford has walked a very interesting line with this release, debuting the Crossroads S in two sizes and marketing each based on how they feel the case wears, not its actual measured size. It’s getting by on vibes, as the kids sometimes say. It also capitalizes smartly on the growing trend we’ve seen for smaller, more discreet watches in a really interesting way. 

The Crossroads S is actually two watches: the Crossroads S 36 and the Crossroads S 40. Neither of these watches are named for their actual measurements, though. Instead, Trafford has used these pretty commonly understood sizing conventions to name the watches based on how, in their estimation, they actually wear. The Crossroads S 40 measures 35mm x 36mm, while the Crossroads S 36 comes in at 31mm by 32mm (both are 9mm thick). Looking at the watches side by side, and compared to other watches in circular cases that are true 40mm and 36mm cases is an interesting lesson in how we perceive size depending on shape. It also, in my opinion, illustrates how one of these watches is absolutely the “correct” size while another is, well, not. But we’ll get back to that. 

Before we do though, it’s worth pointing out that the “S” in Crossroads stands for “Swiss,” as in the movement powering them. The use of the Sellita SW-210, a small and thin manually wound caliber, marks the first time Trafford has used a Swiss made movement in one of their watches, and seemingly to mark the occasion they’ve made host of other upgrades to the case and dial, ostensibly to pack as much refinement oriented value into the package as possible. These are really surprising watches with a ton of enthusiast oriented details that, taken together, work very cohesively. The Crossroads S feels like a well considered statement of intent from Trafford, and a step up from previous releases not just in ambition but in execution as well. 

The dial, to me, has a bit of an Art Deco flavor to it, with a prominent radiant sunburst texture in an outer section, and a matte finished interior. There’s also a great sense of depth here thanks to the interior section being just a little bit raised, which gives the outer sector the appearance of sloping downward, especially when viewed from an oblique angle. The lumed and applied Arabic numerals are in a clear, no nonsense typeface that is very easy to read and attractive. 

The dials are very nice and will either appeal to enthusiasts or not largely dependent on if you happen to like the colors available. My 36 sample is in the “Surf” colorway, which is a deep blue which almost registers as black in certain lighting. The 40 I’ve been evaluating is in “Seafoam,” a pastel bluish green that feels appropriately Spring-like at the current moment. There are four additional colorways as well, and each of the six colors in total are available in both 36 and 40 cases. I have to applaud Trafford here for giving their customers literally every possible option and not playing the very obnoxious game of limiting certain colors to certain case executions or strap/bracelet options. More choices and fewer limitations will always be the right move for watches at this price point. Personally, of these two, I tend to gravitate toward the dark blue, but that could also be because I much prefer the 36 over the 40 for the wearing experience. 

Square watches, as we know, tend to wear larger than their measurements indicate, and I think Trafford was basically right on the money equating the measurements of the 36 to a 36mm watch. Thanks to some clever case geometry, I think Trafford may have pulled off the trick of actually getting both of these watches, but especially the 36, to wear a little small. As I type, I’m wearing my 36mm Typsim Guide XLH, which I think has a presence that makes it feel one or two millimeters larger. Switching back and forth between the Typsim and the smaller Crossroads over the last few days,I think it’s the shorter lug to lug that ultimately makes the Trafford feel smaller, but there are a few little tricks to this case that hide some additional real estate as well. 

First, the way the lugs come to an end point is pretty ingenious. They are flared in such a way that they disappear into the infinite at the top but shoot outward at the bottom in a kind of exaggerated lyre lug design. They are polished in such a way, though, that the geometry is not readily apparent from every angle, and you kind of only catch it when seeing the watch from the side. It’s a surprisingly ornate detail and once I noticed it, it was tough to stop looking for it whenever I would glance to check the time. 

The case also has a stepped bezel design that I see as another subtle nod to an Art Deco influence. The case sides are highly polished but the “step” is brushed which creates a satisfying contrast and draws the eye to the architecture of the case itself, which is more complex than you’d expect from taking a quick look at the watch on the brand’s website, or even at a show like Windup where you might strap the watch to your wrist for a minute or two and then quickly take it off, one such experience among many that can become a blur. But the Crossroads S has clearly been thought through from the perspective of a true enthusiast that wants to get the details right. It’s hard to think of another case at this price point that was so rewarding in a thorough examination of every little detail. 

On my roughly 7 inch wrist, I found the smaller Crossroads S 36 to be a much more enjoyable watch, both in terms of wearing comfort and in its general appearance. Visually, a small square watch is likely to have more presence than a small circular watch thanks to the immutable math that gives them more square millimeters across your wrist, not to mention the likely presence of more eye-catching 90 degree angles, and I think a lot of people who might be resistant to a square case with these measurements will be surprised by how well it works if they give it a chance. It looks completely proportional to me, and 32mm x 31mm feels like the right size for the Crossroads. This is not a watch that is meant to dominate the wrist, but one whose shape subtle dial details make it suited more toward subtlety and discretion. 

The larger Crossroads S 40, by comparison, was a little ungainly. In isolation, the 40 isn’t a mistake, but when you start looking at it next to the 36 I think it’s pretty clear that this square case was just not meant to be blown up to mimic the size of a contemporary luxury diver. It’s not “too big” in a literal sense, but it stretches the idea of what a thin, manually wound, square cased watch should be a little beyond the breaking point. 

I imagine most people, when they purchase their Crossroads S, will not be able to try both on and compare them side by side. And I certainly don’t think that Trafford customers will receive their Crossroads S 40 and think they ordered a watch that is way too big – by almost any definition it’s a true “medium” sized watch. But having the opportunity to see and wear both reveals something about the nature of the concept of the Crossroads S that I don’t imagine would be readily apparent if you only had access to the 40. 

It also solidifies in my mind that we’ve reached a point where a “small watch” is every bit as viable a preference as a “big watch” would have been in the heyday of Panerai, or the giant Mall Watches that still sit in vitrines in big department stores. What I mean by that is that there was never really any snickering among normal, average people just looking to buy a watch who actively sought out something oversized. It was (and is) a look that some people prefer and it was (and is) an option for those people. We’ve now reached a point where the small watch is just as valid a decision for certain types of watches, and maybe even for some of the same people who would want to wear a big watch in specific scenarios. 

I count myself as one of these people. I think regardless of wrist size, there are some watches that work better when they feel small, and some that work better when they feel large. There’s something inherently appealing about a small, square watch in the same way there’s a romantic appeal to a chunky oversized diver. These are tropes that are somewhat baked into the way we think about watches as enthusiasts, but to me it feels like smaller watches have not had a more widespread moment until very recently. It’s nice to see them being accepted and embraced on a wider level. 

The Crossroads S is available to pre-order now from Trafford, with all sizes and variants retailing for $899 on a strap, with a bracelet option for $249 more. At a time when price sensitivity is at an all time high in our community, I think a watch that’s as well considered as the Crossroads S with so many enthusiast oriented details and a Swiss movement and in so many size/color configurations is worth celebrating a bit. This watch is very fairly priced, and I don’t think you’ll catch a lot of people in Instagram comments snarkily remarking that they’d be a buyer if the retail price were cut in half.

Some of the colorways have already sold out, so if this is a design that strikes you, it’s worth jumping in sooner rather than later. The Crossroads S is expected to ship in Q4 of this year. Trafford