Over the summer of 2020, Swiss Traser released a brand new collection of pro-style diver’s watches with the Traser P67 SuperSub (debuted on aBlogtowatch here with more information about the fuller collection). Today I’d like to go hands-on with one of these impressive new tool watches. The P67 SuperSub (aka Super-Sub 500) certainly isn’t for everyone, but it is a well-priced watch with attractive features that will certainly hit many of the right boxes for particular (large-wristed) timepiece fans.
From the perspective of a seasoned watch-lover, the most impressive novel feature of the P67 is the luminant right around the periphery of the dial. You don’t really notice this until the watch is in the dark, but in addition to the tritium gas tubes for the hour markers and the hands, there is an additional ring of luminant under the sapphire crystal. In fact, according to Traser it is the glass sealant itself which is luminous. I may have seen this feature on some very high-end watches in the past, but as far as I know there is nothing else like it at this price point. It also happens to look really cool…
Speaking of lumination, Traser offers two versions of the P67 SuperSub dials to choose from across the at least 12 versions of the P67 SuperSub that are available at debut. At a glance, the two dial options appear to be merely aesthetic variations, but upon closer inspection, you will see that each has different volumes of overall tritium on them. Traser is the in-house watch brand of the Swiss company that makes tritium gas tubes, in general. That means they also like to use their products to showcase the various tubes available. Three of the new P67 SuperSub models are labeled “T100,” as opposed to the T25 rating of the other models. The T100 models essentially have larger hour markers filled with more of the luminous material, which explains the T100 versus T25 tritium content rating. It is worth noting that the T100 models have a roughly $50 price premium over the T25 models.
The P67 SuperSub T100 models make use of the fatter, flat gas tubes as the hour markers. Photos here represent the T25 reference 109378 P67 SuperSub watch. Indeed, it isn’t quite as bright in the dark as the T100 model, but it is also a bit more visually attractive, in my opinion, making for a better daily wear. This is the black-dialed model with the matching steel bracelet. Traser also produces the P67 with an orange or a blue dial. Indeed the hands are a bit on the shorter side, but legibility is still good. My suspicion is that the hands aren’t quite as long as they should be due to hand weight. The P67 SuperSub collection uses Swiss Made Ronda quartz movements, which aren’t rated for hands as heavy as possible in more traditional mechanical movements.
Adding to the hand weight issue is the presence of (relatively speaking) tritium gas tubes, and the fact that the dial is so large. Overall, the P67 SuperSub watch is a hefty 46mm-wide in steel, rated to 500 meters of water resistance. The steel case is very nicely polished/brushed for this price point, but there is no way around the fact that the P67 is a larger timepiece. Those who love the concept of the watch but are worried about the size/weight should focus on the P67 SuperSub models that come on the fitted rubber strap. This strap isn’t as stylish as the metal bracelet, but it will fit more snugly and help reduce the sense of overall weight. To complement the bracelet quality, I will say that I like its use of solid deployant hardware (versus the more flimsy stamped metal parts so frequently seen at this price point), as well as the welcome presence of a micro-adjust slider system.
Other desirable features in the P67 SuperSub include the ceramic insert for the uni-directional rotating diver’s bezel and the high-level of dial legibility (a must for a professional diver’s watch of course). Even though Traser is known for its relatively functional/tool/tactical approach to watchmaking, the P67 SuperSub comes equipped with a manual helium release value. Indeed, there are a small number of professional divers on the planet who still spend time in decompression chambers, but for the most part, this feature isn’t actually useful. Instead, Traser seems to be channeling its inner Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean (which uses a manual helium release valve, not to add utility value to the watches but rather to create a sense of visual distinctiveness).
Watch fans will lament the lack of a mechanical movement in the P67 SuperSub, but Traser could easily retort, reminding people that for many applications, precision quartz time-keeping is more effective than a mechanical movement. Most Traser watches are actually quartz, even though the brand does offer mechanical models (see the aBlogtoWatch review of the Traser P66 Automatic Pro here). On the rear of the case is the motif of an angler fish (for obvious reasons given the creature’s natural bioluminescent qualities).
Even as a tool watch, the P67 SuperSub benefits from Swiss pedigree design and construction quality. At under $700 USD, there is just a lot of value here for people who want a daily wear or a beefy-sized beater watch. Price for the Traser P67 SuperSub T25 on a strap is $595 USD, and as seen in reference 109378 from on the matching steel bracelet, the Traser P67 SuperSub costs $695 USD. Learn more via the Traser website here.
