Following a request from the United States Army for a wristwatch with a luminous tritium-tube display, Traser was created in 1989, and tactical watches still represent a core pillar of the brand’s modern catalog. Within Traser’s current lineup, the P99 series serves as the contemporary successor to the original P6500 Type 6 that was first supplied to the US Army. The Swiss tool watch brand now offers its popular P99 tactical watch in multiple different configurations. Among the Traser’s releases to debut towards the end of 2024 is a premium expression of the P99, and the Traser P99 A Tactical Carbon expands upon the series with an automatic movement, a carbon fiber dial, and a re-worked display punctuated by bright red accents.

From a fundamental design standpoint, the Traser P99 A Tactical Carbon follows the core blueprint of the standard quartz P99 Q Tactical models, with a dual-case structure that consists of a stainless steel internal section mounted inside an outer framework made from carbon fiber-reinforced polymer. Unlike the titanium P99 T Tactical, which features a simplified case with smooth sides, the P99 A Tactical Carbon adheres to the same overall design as the standard carbon-composite models, and it includes large cut-outs along the lateral sides that reveal the stainless steel internal section that houses the movement. Just like other P99 watches, the Traser P99 A Tactical Carbon features a flat sapphire crystal with a signed screw-down crown between two guards at 3 o’clock; however, unlike its quartz siblings, a display-style caseback is fitted to the reverse side of the watch to showcase its internal self-winding movement.

As for the movement itself, inside the case of the Traser P99 A Tactical Carbon resides the familiar Sellita SW200, which is easily in the running for being the single most prevalent Swiss automatic caliber currently in production. Running at a frequency of 28,800vph (4 Hz) with a power reserve of approximately 38 hours, the Sellita SW200 offers entirely unremarkable (albeit acceptable) on-paper specifications; however, it is also a highly proven design that is trusted by hundreds of different brands throughout the industry. For a moderately priced tool watch like the P99 A Tactical Carbon, a reliable known-quantity movement will always be preferable to the latest unproven tech, and the venerable Sellita SW200 ultimately represents an entirely practical and appropriate choice.

In terms of its dimensions, the case of the Traser P99 A Tactical Carbon measures 46mm in diameter by 13.5mm thick, although its total height comes in at 14mm if you include the raised cardinal-point tabs on its bezel, which are intended to help protect its crystal from impacts. Meanwhile, the lugs of the watch are set a standard 22mm apart and extend to create a rather sizable overall lug-to-lug profile of 54mm. Not including its strap, the P99 A Tactical Carbon weighs approximately 79 grams, and despite not explicitly being a dive watch, this premium rendition of the P99 still offers a dive-capable 200 meters of water resistance. Similarly, the bezel on the P99 A Tactical Carbon features a 60-minute timing scale, although it moves bi-directionally with a 60-click action, which makes it more convenient than a unidirectional dive bezel for most day-to-day timing applications.

The dial of the Traser P99 A Tactical Carbon represents the most significant visual difference compared to the quartz P99 models, and it features a forged carbon surface with glowing tritium tubes embedded at the hour markers. Just like its quartz siblings, a large angled chapter ring surrounds the dial with Arabic numerals located at the five-minute markers; however, rather than featuring a dual day/date display at 3 o’clock, the P99 A Tactical Carbon omits the day indicator entirely, and it instead opts for a large arc-shaped date aperture that spans the entire lower-left perimeter of the dial. Since the date window simultaneously shows seven different values, a small red arrow is used to indicate the current date, and matching red accents appear on both the calendar disc and the two central time-telling hands.

Just as you would expect, luminescence is in abundance on the Traser P99 A Tactical Carbon. The hands and hour markers all receive glowing tritium gas-filled tubes, plus two smaller tubes appear on either side of the brand’s logo on the dial, and two additional tritium tubes are embedded in a cross-formation within the zero marker of the bezel. While the majority of the tritium tubes glow green, orange tubes are placed on the seconds hand and 12 o’clock marker to help provide orientation in dark environments, and due to the radioactive nature of the tritium gas that fills them, all of the tubes will glow continuously for up to 25 years, regardless of whether they receive any light exposure. With that in mind, photo-luminescent details also appear on the P99 A Tactical Carbon, and along with having Super-LumiNova applied to the cardinal points on its bezel, the crown receives a luminous ring, and even the gasket securing the front crystal emits a green-colored glow in the dark.

Similar to many of its watches, Traser offers the P99 A Tactical Carbon with a handful of different straps, and buyers have the option of choosing between a black rubber two-piece strap (ref. 110961), a black nylon NATO strap (ref. 111355), or the gray camouflage NATO strap featured here (ref. 110960). Comprised of asymmetrical sections in black and two different shades of gray, the material used for the camouflage NATO strap features a smooth silky texture, and it is completed by stainless steel hardware with a signed buckle that has all been finished black to match the dark hue of its carbon-composite case. Among the trio of available options, I personally feel that the gray camouflage strap best suits the overall aesthetic of the P99 A Tactical Carbon, and along with leaning into the tactical theme of the P99 collection, the black and gray pattern complements the similarly colored striations of its forged carbon dial.

As a premium enthusiast-driven rendition of the P99, the Traser P99 A Tactical Carbon differs in several key ways from its quartz siblings, and most of these departures do not necessarily improve its functionality as a tool watch. Along with omitting a day indicator entirely, most individuals would tend to agree that extended date windows displaying multiple values are not the best for outright legibility. Similarly, a closed caseback would have undeniably been a more practical option for a function-forward tactical watch, although a similar statement could be said in favor of a quartz movement, and for those who want the absolute most utilitarian expression of the P99, Traser already offers a highly function-forward configuration in the form of its standard P99 Tactical models.

Today’s tool watch brands find themselves in somewhat of a strange position, where they are expected to make highly component and functional products, yet a significant portion of their customers are enthusiasts who also want a traditional timepiece with an analog display and a mechanical movement. For those who need a tactical timepiece strictly as a tool, Traser’s quartz P99 models are easily the preferred option. However, the P99 A Tactical Carbon is the version intended for collectors who appreciate the design and history of Traser’s tactical watches, but who also want a timepiece that incorporates enthusiast-oriented details. Priced at $1,165 USD when paired with a NATO strap or $1,220 USD when buyers opt for the rubber strap configuration, the Traser P99 A Tactical Carbon costs roughly twice what the brand charges for its entry-level P99 models, although it undeniably offers more a premium experience that brings Traser’s quintessential tactical watch to a more horologically discerning audience. For more information on the Traser P99 A Tactical Carbon, please visit the brand’s website.