Strayer is a new watch brand from the creative mind of Mr. Ola Stray. An accomplished Swedish industrial designer, Mr. Stray answered the “call of horology” in deciding to develop his own watch brand, starting with an interesting debut model family known as the STR 4601. “STR” stands for “System-Turn-Release,” a term related to how this watch case was engineered. In short, there is a mechanism that locks and unlocks the middle case from the outer case (the turning lever near the crown is the switch). When unlocked, the middle case is able to be pushed out and then put into another outer case (each STR 4601 watch comes with two outer cases). The idea is to further a sense of giving the watch fashionable versatility. What is probably more interesting is how well the case system is actually engineered.

To understand the design and theme of the STR 4601, let’s look at Strayer founder, Ola Stray. He has been designing high-precision, computer-controlled, hand-operated screwdrivers and other tools for a variety of industrial uses for much of his professional career. He understands ergonomics, longevity, durability, precision in use and manufacturing, the need for a positive human+tool connection, and interfaces (among other things). Putting these skills together, the STR 4601 is hopefully the start of this creative mind’s approach to contemporary watch design and a blossoming brand vision. Strayer is a good concept if only because an intelligent mind created something for himself — that he wants to wear. It encompasses years of values and preferences he has honed, which are not brought to the arena of timepieces. This is often the correct formula for how novel watch designs and brands are birthed.

The Strayer STR watch was designed in Sweden and produced in Switzerland as a Swiss Made product. The core design is inspired by analog precision measuring instruments, and the really slick STR dial design is a reflection of that. Stray did something here that is, in my opinion, quite clever. He took one of the most effective and least sexy tool watch dial designs (the German B-uhr flieger watch dial) and actually made it look good. Available in five dial colors to start, the dial is a contemporary combination of an instrument dial and an aviator watch. The brilliance of the B-uhr dial is that it offers a more visually logical display that has the hour hand touch an inner hour scale while the minute hand touches a minute scale. Most dials require your brain to do extra work as the minute hand touches the hour makers most of the time.

The inner part of the dial is slightly recessed, offering a welcome sense of depth to the watch – which it needs given that the entire composition is on the thicker side. The hands and markers are all the right sizes and excellently proportioned. You can tell that Stray spent a lot of time and passion tweaking various elements of the dials. Through the various color options (some of which are pictured in this article and the total current dial variety includes blue, black, brown, green, white, and pink), Strayer offers little differences such as the color of the hands and if there is an orange accent color or not.

Other details on the dials are very well done, such as the color and texture of the hands. The seconds hand, in particular, is total matte black in its finish and contrasts nicely with the dial for ideal legibility. While the Strayer STR watch dial is not revolutionary, it is a wonderfully refined and still original composition that feels familiar enough.

Inside the STR watch is a base Swiss Made Sellita automatic movement (I believe an SW200-1) that operates at 4Hz with 41 hours of power reserve. The movement’s automatic rotor is given some special decoration in the form of mini-perlage, which can be seen through the small sapphire crystal caseback window. The case is water resistant to 100 meters and has a flat, AR-coated sapphire crystal over the dial.

While at first, the Strayer STR 4601 watch case might appear thicker than it needs to be, the size is related to the inner case with the watch movement being able to separate from the outer case. Ola Stray developed a new “STR” system that very securely locks the inner case in place with a turn of the lever on the crown. In the down position, the inner case can be gently popped out. A rubber gasket helps keep the inner part of the case clean but also helps secure the inner case giving it a very secure fit even when it is locked in place. This is important because at a price level like this, it would be unthinkable for the inner case to be anything but absolutely secured to the outer case.

Each Strayer STR 4601 watch you buy is actually a small kit that includes both a polished steel case and a specially PVD-coated (just such a really good black finishing) steel case in matte black. The kit also comes with two high-quality and very soft leather straps. Strayer will also sell you additional straps, but any 22mm-wide strap should fit the case. The straps themselves come on quick-release spring bars that facilitate easy changing, but you will need some tools if you wish to move the ardillon buckle hardware from one strap to another. Given the two straps and the two cases that come with each timepiece; the kit allows for a total of four (actually nice) looks for each STR 4601 right outside of the box.

It is relatively uncommon for new brands to have a debut product as polished and interesting as the STR 4601 by Strayer. The watch is handsome and bold, legible and versatile, and which a mechanically interesting case that is fun to play with. Products like this can only come from mature, determined creatives who not only understand how to manufacture world-class machines but also understand what is missing (and thus not merely redundant) in the world of watches. Strayer’s STR 4601 clearly comes from a long study and period of development. I can attest to the fact that the final product is rather nice.

The watch of course isn’t for everyone. It does come with a price that is uncommon for newer brands and the size of the case will put off some people. In fact, Strayer has made it clear that provided the STR 4601 is a success, it would make a lot of sense to create a similar version with a narrower-diameter case. The current case size (which wears well) is 45.8mm-wide, about 13mm-thick, and has a roughly 55mm-long lug-to-lug distance. The steel used is Swedish (Rolex also mainly uses recycled Swedish steel), and is also quite durable. (The added processing actually makes the steel alloy tougher much of the time.)

The Strayer STR 4601 is a niche watch with a mainstream design. The simplicity quickly grows on you, and the quirky case rapidly starts to show value as you find yourself switching between the two options. Strayer even sells additional cases, which can be purchased if you lose one or simply want to attach other strap options since it is actually much faster to change the case than straps, if you think about it that way. I look forward to seeing what the larger community has to say about Stray and his interesting Strayer brand. The watch primarily shot for this review is the Strayer STR 4601 WHT, and the retail price for the kit is $5,046 USD. Learn more at the Strayer watches website here.

Necessary Data
>Brand: Strayer
>Model: STR 4601 (white dial reference STR 4601 WHT as tested)
>Price: $5,046 USD
>Size: 45.8mm-wide, ~13mm-thick, ~55mm lug-to-lug distance
>When reviewer would personally wear it: Handsome daily wear when its size does not get in the way.
>Friend we’d recommend it to first: Fan of larger instrument-style watches who are sympathetic to modern high precision tools and manufacturing.
>Best characteristic of watch: Beautiful, legible dial designs produced from quality materials. Satisfying case engineering. Handsome while on the wrist. High amount of brand refinement even at launch.
>Worst characteristic of watch: Size could be too large for some. Expensive ask from a new brand with a three-hand watch. Currently no crown and lever hardware in black PVD.