First Look: The Legera Chronograph from Straton Watch Co.

Straton Watch Co. is at it again on Kickstarter with their bold new Legera model, a retro-styled chronograph that manages to balance a number of different design elements into a cohesive — and what I think is a fun — package. Bright colors, funky shapes, and a mix of polished and brushed finishes can all be seen in various parts of the Legera, but Straton has paid attention to more than just the design details — the watch has a solid set of specs too. 

Each variant features a case crafted from 316L grade stainless steel. There’s an additional black case that utilizes a DLC coating to achieve a stealthy and handsome looking finish. There are two case styles — the Standard (44 x 50 millimeters) and the Bullhead (42 x 48 millimeters) — each available with a Seiko Meca-quartz or Valjoux 7750 automatic mechanical movement. Protecting the dial is a domed sapphire crystal, which is surrounded by a 120-click, 12-hour GMT bezel. Smaller details include a screw down crown, and a case rated to 100 meters of water resistance. When the lights go out, you’ll notice the generous application of BG W9 luminous paint on the main handset, chronograph hands, and even in the numerals on the GMT bezel. 

Like their last watch, the Legera comes in a plethora of options, with one sure to suit your tastes. As I wrote above, one can choose from either the Bullhead or Standard style case with one of two movements — a Valjoux 7750 automatic or a Seiko VK67 Mechaquartz. That’s not all, however. There are five different color ways to choose from for each model, so that’s a total of 20 different models. Make sure you hit up their campaign page for examples of each.

The Legera ships on a leather band, but you can opt for a vintage-style bracelet option as well. The bracelet has cool rounded links that give off a distinct vintage vibe, very similar to the sought after ref. 1450 Speedmaster bracelet.

To me, one of the most standout options is the offering of a bullhead chronograph style watch. Instead of the pushers and crown coming out of the side of the case, they’re located on top like the horns of a bull, hence the nickname. The shape case of the Bullhead is slightly different from the Standard. It’s a bit more rounded, and overall it makes more sense with the Bullhead style. The choice of pushers is interesting too. Instead of the more common cylindrical pushers, the Legera has rectangular buttons. In between you’ll find a large, onion-shaped crown with ample ridges for a secure grip.  Bullhead watches already stand out from the pack and Straton’s choice in pushers and crown make the Legera even more unique.

At the time of writing, The Legera has smashed its goal by over 600%. Straton has in the past successfully brought several watches to market, a few of which we’ve reviewed here on the site. Kickstarter can be a toss up sometimes, but Straton is definitely one of the brands who know how to do it right. You can head over to the Kickstarter page to check out the watch and all its options, there’s just under a month remaining in the campaign. Pricing is roughly $329 for the Meca-quartz caliber and $860 for the Valjoux 7750. Straton via Kickstarter