First Look at the Straton Tourer GMT

The Straton Watch Company is about to release a slew of new watches in their new Tourer collection, all of which are currently up for pre-order. The collection consists of three distinct timepieces, each in a wide variety of colorways and strap options. The most basic of the group, the Three Hand, is exactly what it sounds like: a three hander with a date at 6:00, and two movable bezels, one a 12 hour bezel for on-the-fly GMT capability, the other a traditional 60 minute timer (this unique bezel configuration is a defining characteristic of the collection – more information can be found below). Then we have the Triple C, a Miyota 9122 powered triple calendar. Finally, and the focus of this hands-on, Straton is introducing the Tourer GMT, available in both quartz and automatic versions. Let’s take a closer look.

Straton Tourer GMT 

• Case Material: Stainless steel
• Dial: Brown, blue 
• Dimensions: 40 x 45 x 13.4mm (Quartz), 43 x 48.5 x 13.4mm (Automatic)
• Crystal: Sapphire   
• Water Resistance: 200 meters            
• Movement: Swisstech S24-45, Ronda 515 Quartz
• Strap/bracelet: Stainless steel bracelet, leather strap 
• Price: $299-$539
• Reference Number: n/a
• Expected Release: Pre-order now open 

The Tourer GMT, like its siblings, uses a classic cushion case design straight out of the ’70s. Finishing is very strong for the price point, with brushing on the top of the case and polished flanks, which is traditional for this case shape and has an undeniable appeal as you examine the transitions along the case lines. The most noticeable feature of these watches, though, is the use of color. The brown dial of the quartz GMT seen here has a ton of texture and depth, and catches the light in interesting ways. It’s also a fun pairing with the orange accents of outer 24 hour bezel. The tones give the watch a vintage, patinated feel, without resorting to the use of dreaded radium colored lume (which, honestly, I’m dreading less and less every day). It’s a well thought out approach and the design comes together nicely.

The automatic version of the GMT is slightly larger, coming in at 43mm compared to the quartz’s 40mm. Our blue sample unit was similarly bold – this is a truly bright blue, and seems destined to be a top choice for a fun summer travel watch. Slightly different tones of blue on the dial, inner bezel, and outer bezel provide plenty of visual interest, and once again the orange accents are well executed. This time, though, they pop against a contrasting color, rather than providing a complementary effect.

As mentioned above, the key feature of the watches in the Tourer collection is the way Straton has incorporated two rotating bezels into each timepiece. Each watch has an internal rotating bezel, controlled by a crown on the case flank, and an outer bezel that can be turned by hand. On the GMT watches, the outer bezel is a 24 hour scale, allowing the wearer to track a third time zone if they choose, while the inner bezel can be used to time an event up to 60 minutes in length. The Triple C and Three Hand watches have slightly different bezel configurations, making use of a 12 hour bezel that enables the tracking of a second time zone. The end result is some added utility, and it also plays up the sportiness of these watches. If you like a busy dial (think Breitling Navitimer, or Citizen Navihawk) these watches have some of the same aesthetic appeal.  

The automatic GMT is certainly on the large side, but a side by side comparison to the smaller quartz watch doesn’t reveal any out of control proportion issues, though of course this is very much a matter of personal taste. The cushion case design helps the watch quite a bit here in terms of wearability. The movement used on the automatic GMT, we should point out, is a Swisstech S24-45 GMT caliber, not the more often used ETA 2893 or Sellita SW-330. While Swisstech has operations in both Hong Kong and Switzerland, Straton tells us that the movement used here is certified Swiss Made according to the rules of the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry. 

All watches in the Straton Tourer collection are currently available for pre-order and expected shipment is in May. More information can be found on the Straton website. Straton