Watch Review: Trafford Touring GMT

I was surprised to see that we hadn’t covered Trafford Watch Company on the site. The Austin, Texas-based brand is small — it’s run entirely by Nathan Trafford — but it exploded last year after Kevin O’Leary picked it as the winner out of eight other affordable watch brands. Of course, I’ve been a fan of the brand since before that, having first encountered the brand when it launched its debut S.O.E. Roadster chronograph on Kickstarter in 2021. Since then, the brand has grown considerably (including no longer using Kickstarter) with three collections and a fourth on its way. The Trafford Touring GMT is the most recent and the first GMT offered by the brand, and it continues its use of bold colorways and introduces an all-new case to the catalog.

The colorful dial is what will likely lure people to the Trafford Touring GMT, but a closer examination will reveal that the case is the true star. It’s almost discus-shaped, but more sculpted than that. You won’t find any slab sides or flat surfaces here: the polished chamfer is vanishingly slim at the midcase and twists out around the lugs, the brushed sides curve under to taper the width like a bowl, and a narrow polished ring serves as a platform for the box sapphire crystal. It’s all smooth, flowing lines and curves, and it’s one of my personal favorite cases I’ve seen, handled, and worn in quite some time. Even the crown flares out with a rounded end.

That is not to say it wears perfectly, but it’s close. With a width of 39mm and a height of 13mm, it can be a bit pronounced on the wrist. I never noticed much, but that’s not the thinnest of 39mm watches, for sure. On the fitted bracelet any notion of bulk disappears. The quick-release 20mm bracelet complements the watch nicely and the folding clasp (with a Trafford logo in red) has a push-button quick adjust mechanism for easy sizing. On the other hand, the strap is padded, and requires break-in, a luxury I didn’t have. I’m generally against padded straps, which have the tendency to make watches wear oddly on my wrist and often require a break-in period, a necessity I think should be well in our watch accessory past. The watch also comes with one of the finest woven Perlon straps I’ve ever used. It’s thicker and more substantial than most I’ve encountered, with excellent, durable hardware.

The Trafford Touring GMT comes in three dial options: the Bluebird you see here, Saxon (black/white/teal), and Troubadour (white/green/orange). I’m personally partial to the Saxon, but each has its own charm. You simply have to be comfortable with a lot of color, and especially bright color, to enjoy this watch. The Bluebird has seven difference colors on its dial, and while they all work together, it’s still a lot. I wouldn’t have argued against some editing here, but I enjoy the playfulness. Of note is the GMT track: instead of a typical 24-hour scale, Trafford has used a bicolor ring with 12-hour markings. The lighter top half is daylight hours with a sun at 12 o’clock, the lower is nighttime hours with a moon. It’s actually far more intuitive than a 24-hour scale, which requires math, which everyone hates. Overall, the use of color may be intense, but it offers levity and legibility, and that’s what I’m here for. (Note: You can check out a lume shot from the brand in the gallery, because I completely forgot to take one. I’m sorry and I’ll do my best to ensure it doesn’t happen again.)

For the Touring GMT, Trafford has gone with the obvious choice of an automatic Miyota 9075. This provides the independent hour hand functionality, as well as 42 hours of power at 28,800 vph. The bright red custom rotor adds a bit of fun to the striped bridges, but the actual caseback deserves attention. Notice how the smooth, flowing design of the case isn’t halted simply because it’s not going to be visible most of the time. Instead, there’s a polished ribbon that traces its edge with a slim brushed transitional area that curves down to meet the convex caseback. It doesn’t just look great, but as mentioned above, it helps the watch wear more comfortably.

This watch may not be for everyone. The use of big bold colors, and plenty of them, across all three dial options just isn’t something that clicks for some people. I think the dials continue the brand’s great use of color while keeping things tied more tightly to their inspirations than other brands (still looking at you Grand Seiko). But for me, the real story here is the case. It’s simply sensational in its sculptural form. As mentioned, it serves as the basis for Trafford’s next release, meaning it’s being used as a platform instead of a one-off. That’s an auspicious sign of a company that’s growing and poised to do big(ger) things. The Trafford Touring GMT is priced at $849 USD on leather and $998 USD on bracelet, both of which include a Perlon strap. While the Touring GMT is currently only available in the Saxon, a special edition will release later this year, followed by a restock of all three launch models. For more information, please visit the Trafford website.