Everyday Carry

Traser P59 Essential Series

Authored by:
Bernard Capulong
Traser P59 Essential Series

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Plenty of watches can be the statement piece of your EDC during the day, but few make the same impact in pitch black darkness. As pioneers of using self-illuminating tritium in their military timepieces, Traser makes watches that look even better at night. The new P59 Essential series dials down the military styling and size you'd expect from the Swiss brand, resulting in a comfortable and versatile EDC watch option that doesn't sacrifice legibility in the dark.

If you think the P59 Essential looks great during the day, wait til you see it at night. It features Trigalight, a technology invented by Traser and used in countless military watches, for legibility in complete darkness without ever needing to charge. It consists of tubes containing tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen that continuously self-illuminates. The P59 Essential S still uses traditional SuperLuminova lume around the dual and on the markers that glows brightly but requires a charge under the sun or other light source. But even long after the lume fades, you'll still be able to tell the time thanks to green tritium inserts on the hands and at the 3, 6, and 9 positions with a contrasting orange insert at 12 o'clock. The tritium glows at a consistent intensity that's legible but low enough to preserve your night vision.

The P59 Essential S also sets itself apart with its size. At a conservative 37mm diameter and 10mm thickness, it's wearable even on smaller wrists and keeps a low profile. Combine that with a black dial and black PVD stainless steel case for a subtly stealthy look. The smaller size and infinitely adjustable Milanese mesh strap also make the watch extremely comfortable to wear. If you do prefer a watch with more presence, the P59 Essential does come in a 42mm diameter with identical features to its 37mm counterpart, called the Essential M (for "medium").

The Traser P59 Essential comes with many of the EDC-worthy specs and features you'd expect coming from one of the leading manufacturers of military watches. It's a Swiss-made watch with a quartz movement and 100m water resistance, making it a reliable option for your daily driver. An anti-reflective, scratch-resistant sapphire lens offers excellent clarity. The metallic black dial is as dressy as it is tactical, with green-tinted Arabic numerals (oversized at 12, 6, and 9) bordered by tick markers, and a small date display at 3 o'clock.

The P59 Essential S comes in two colors (silver case with blue dial and black on black), two sizes (the 37mm “S” and 42mm “M”), and multiple strap options so you're sure to find a configuration that works for you. If you want a smaller watch with a dressy look and a low-profile tactical feel, the P59 Essential might be what you've been looking for.

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Bernard Capulong

Founder and Editor-in-Chief


About the Author
Bernard Capulong is an everyday carry (EDC) gear expert, entrepreneur, all-around nerd, and the founder and editor-in-chief of EverydayCarry.com—the largest online community for EDC gear enthusiasts. Since founding Everyday Carry in 2009, he’s built over a decade of experience in the industry, reviewing and highlighting brands and products, including pocket knives, flashlights, wallets, watches, bags, pens, and much more.

Bernard is known for bringing everyday carry out of obscurity and into the mainstream, having been published or featured in various publications such as GQ, TIME Magazine, The New York Times, VICE, HYPEBEAST, Outside, and many others. He has also played a part in curating, designing, and developing digital and physical products, resulting in successful crowdfunding projects or limited edition collaboration products with established softgoods brands. He stays on the pulse of the EDC industry by attending trade shows, participating in online interest communities, and actively engaging with fellow gear enthusiasts on social media.

In addition to being the editor-in-chief and main social media personality for EverydayCarry.com, Bernard is an avid gearhead and collector in general. His personal collections span technical bags, fountain pens, digital cameras, retro gaming hardware, personal hi-fi audio gear, and mechanical wristwatches, to name a few. Bernard Capulong is a prominent figure and trusted authority in the everyday carry industry with a career dedicated to helping people discover this hobby and stay prepared with quality gear.

Discussion (3 total)

Sam Nead ·
This looks like a damn nice watch. No reviews showing though (yet). Added to my wishlist.
Bernard Capulong ·
I've been wearing my sample and it's growing on me -- took it out camping over the weekend and the tritium is really helpful when it's totally pitch black. Banged up the bracelet against some boulders as well and barely a scratch visible, it's some tough stuff. I think it's a nice value for the sub-$200 price point considering how it's smaller and has unique H3 features, but keep in mind I did receive mine as a sample free of charge and I have smaller wrists so I value that highly (but it may not be as important if you're looking at the 42mm since there are plenty of options in that space).
Sam Nead ·
Thanks, B.C.!