ProTek Watches is the latest venture from Barry Cohen. You know him from these pages as the man behind the TimeConcepts brands Szanto, Icon, Bia, 420 Waldos, Hawaiian Lifeguard, and CT Scuderia. You might not know that he was one of the founders of Luminox, but that tool watch experience is readily apparent in ProTek’s three debut models: the carbon composite 1000 Diver, the stainless steel 2000 Diver, and the titanium 3000 Field. I tried one of each for this review.
While all three watches have their personalities, they share key elements. They utilize sturdy Miyota three-hand quartz movements. All have flat sapphire crystals with an anti-reflective coating. The casebacks are also shared, displaying the logo in high relief and differing only in the name and specifications listed.
Perhaps most importantly, all use tritium tube illumination. If you have never owned a tritium watch, I urge you to try one. It’s not the brightest lume option, but that’s not the point. Conventional photoluminescent materials, like SuperLuminova or Seiko’s Lumibrite, absorb and emit light. This makes for a nice zap when fully charged and then fades over time until it has nothing left to give and must be recharged. Tritium tubes need no light source. They contain radioactive gas and phosphorescent material. The electrons shed by the tritium as it decays bounce off that phosphor layer, generating a steady glow. SuperLuminova might last several hours before losing all of its energy, whereas, with a half-life of 12 years, tritium tubes glow for decades. It’s pretty incredible.
You will find tritium tubes in the hour markers, the semi-skeletonized hands, and the second hand and bezel pip. The other markers go stealthy at night. I like how ProTek used more than one color, not just for variety but because it helps differentiate the hands and identify the 12 o’clock marker.
The 1000 series is perhaps the most “toolish” of all these tool watches because its carbon composite case fits most watch fans’ mental image of a military or law enforcement watch, and for good reason; the stuff is rugged, exceptionally lightweight, and that charcoal black weave is just plain cool to look at. The case sports dramatic facets with crisp angles and edges.
Measuring 42mm, 49mm long, and about 14.5mm thick at the highest point of the bezel, the 1000 is not a small watch but wears remarkably well, even on my 6.75″ wrist.
There is no edge texture on the bezel but a series of raised blocks that provide more than adequate grip. Bezel action is smooth through its 60-click rotation, requiring only light pressure and exhibiting no back play.
Of the three models, the 1000 is the most seaworthy, its screw-down crown helping to seal it to an impressive 300m water resistance. The movement is a Miyota 2S60 three-hand quartz, chosen for its durability, longevity, and hassle-free 10-year battery.
The 1000’s layout has a field watch’s 24-hour index, a complete minutes track on the bezel, and an attractive color-matched ring on the chapter index that matches pops of color on the crown and strap. In addition to the green shown here, red, blue, and all-black variants are also offered.
ProTek’s design department went deep into the details on this one. I rather like the molded dial’s rough texture, raised markers, and recessed logo. Its date disk is keyed to the markers and neatly framed in white.
It is a rare thing for me to find a rubber strap that I like. This is one of them. It is natural rubber, the color and texture are fabulous, and I appreciate that it echos the styling cues used on the watch head, notably, the blocky chevrons from the bezel that look like armor plates on the strap’s lug ends and keepers. A signed, black metal buckle secures it.
The ProTek 1000 Diver series sells for $525.
Moving on to the 2000 Dive Series, you’ll notice a very similar case design, handset, and dimensions (42mm wide, 50mm long, and 14mm thick to the bumps on the bezel) and the same Miyota 2S60.
This case is brushed stainless steel or IP gunmetal, and while its design is similar the that of the 1000, it has soft edges and rounded corners, as well as simpler blocks on the bezel. Even the handset is softer; note how the tails are rounded instead of angular with rounded tails on the minute and hour hands.
Of course, the 2000’s stainless steel case is heavier than the 1000’s carbon composite, but it is still on par with most other quartz divers, which is to say, not enough to mention. Being the same size as the 1000 series, it wears exactly as well.
Its dial shares the 1000’s layout but swaps the rough surface for one with horizontal ribs. ProTek offers blue, black, and silver dials. Unlike the composite crown head on the 1000, the 2000’s is signed. This watch is rated for only 200m, which is lower than the model 1000 but likely more than twice the capability its owners will ever require. The 120-click bezel on this model felt oddly loose compared to the exceptional action on the composite.
The 2000 Dive series comes on a 22mm leather strap. Now, before the purists get up in arms about leather on a diver, I must say that it is of very nice quality and has the added benefit of being waterproof. The buckle’s shape is unique to this model. Its mixed finishes complement those of the case.
The ProTek 2000 Dive series sells for $550 or $595 for the IP gunmetal case; however, if you were to head over to the ProTek page right now (please finish the article first), you would discover the 2000 series is entirely sold out, as are about half of the 1000s. This is because the brand has redesigned the second hand to minimize the tiny shudder at the tip that can occur with a quartz “tick.” It will look the same at a glance, but it will be lighter, ever so slightly shorter, and the tube will be repositioned. All current owners are eligible for replacement, and all new orders will already have the upgrade. I’m quite sure the ProTek team would have preferred a seamless rollout, but hey, stuff happens. What’s important is how it’s handled, and ProTek has done so in an exemplary fashion.
That brings us to the 3000 Field. This one stands apart from its siblings as the dapper one. It has fewer overt tool watch design cues, instead taking a more subdued approach. That 40mm wide, 47mm long, and just 11mm thick case lays low enough to slip under a buttoned cuff. Thanks to its titanium construction, it is also incredibly lightweight, tipping the scales at just over 50g.
Now, it’s hardly a dress watch (the brushed finish, crown guards, and tritium tubes give away that game), but it’s a handsome piece and the only one of the three you can dress up and take out.
The “Field” designation makes sense in the context of the two Dive watches, although it is curious to note that it is the only one of the three lacking a traditional field watch’s 24-hour markers. In keeping with its land-based purpose, water resistance is 100m, and the crown does not screw down.
Its handset is similar to its stablemates, distinguished here by the absence of tails on the hour and minute hands. The real eye-catchers on this dial are the markers: oversize flat tritium tubes in three colors that command attention and cut right into the chapter index. With such a potent element, the rest of the dial was wisely left unadorned save for the Protek name and logo. In addition to the silver dial shown here, ProTek offers it in green, black, blue, and a double-black dial and IP-coated case.
The 3000 Field uses a Miyota Super 2035 with a 4-year battery. While it is a different movement than that used for Divers (smaller and thinner with no date), it is no less rugged. This watch is fitted with a 20mm leather strap and a rather nice one at that; lightly padded and with contrasting stitching for a bit of a pilot look. The buckle is well-done but not signed.
The 3000 Field series sells for $550, or $595 for the IP black. It is in stock and ready for delivery.
I think Barry and the rest of the ProTek team have created a winning trio for the brand’s launch. All three have their charms. I suspect the burly, composite case 1000 Dive will be the runaway hit due to its industrial good looks and 300m water resistance rating. And yet, it was the titanium 3000 Field with its clean dial and bricks of tritium that won me over. For those who “three bears” their watches, the more conventional 2000 might be just right. Whichever you choose, you will have a tough, stylish watch produced by a respected industry veteran. If you act soon, you can use the code TIMEBUM10 for 10% off. Head over to ProTek.com or TimeConcepts.net for more.
