I’m a huge fan of German-style utility tool watches. I say German, due to Sinn and Damasko being, well, quite possibly the best definition of what the Draken Kruger aspires to be: watches that are built to a disgustingly high level of craftsmanship, offering unbeatable durability and utility.

The Draken Kruger, however, is a fraction of the price of those Bavarian juggernauts. How does it stack up? Let’s check it out.

But first, here it is with some tools. As it is a tool watch after all.

The specs

• Dimensions: 44mm diameter x 14.2mm height x 49.5mm lug to lug
• Weight: 131g
• Water resistance rating: 30ATM / 300m
• Movement: Seiko VK63 mechaquartz
• Lug width: 22mm
• Warranty: 2 years
• Price: RRP NZD$639 / ~£320 / ~$435, DLC version: NZD$699 / ~£350 / ~$475
• Available from: https://www.drakenwatches.com/product/kruger-white/

The Kruger is described as being designed with maximum contrast in mind, for a clear functional dial. Looking at it, I certainly agree – and I see the benefits too. Whilst I have decent eyesight, I appreciate it when a watch has superb legibility, not only from a practical point but also from a design standpoint. The stark contrast between the ice white dial and jet black numerals and dial markings, plus the bold and thick font type and details throughout makes it a pleasure to view and use.

Additionally, the black sword hands are suitably thick to match the entire ethos of the watch; oftentimes I feel a watch manufacturer doesn’t get the balance right – not the case here.

There’s a subtle concentric circular pattern to the subdials at 3 and 9 to introduce some texture and depth, the latter being complemented by the date wheel at 6. I like a date wheel at 6 as it keeps the dial symmetrical, this one featuring a subtle black border to draw the eye.

The entire dial is lumed, which looks pretty great in the dark. The lume consists of Super-LumiNova® X1-C3 and BGW9, and performs as expected – it’s not mind-blowing, but for a watch costing this much, it behaves as expected. One cool thing to mention about lume though is how the logo at the end of the crown is lumed up, as is Draken’s custom.

As is the case with the Tugela, the case looks simple but has so much thought behind it. It extrudes outwards creating a singular shape, joining up with the bezel, which also maximises the grip on the outer edge of the bezel. If you look at the case lug-on, it looks like a flowering flower which is just such a pleasure to view.

On the flat side of the case is Draken embossed – in a sort of Invicta style but nowhere near as gaudy. The other side features the simple and responsive cylindrical pushers to control the chronograph, flanking the screw-in crown with the aforementioned lumed logo, with an effective knurled grip.

The 120-click divers bezel has a very rugged looking matte black ceramic insert with luminous markers. The grip is excellent and it’s easy to use. It also lines up pretty well.

The Kruger is constructed of titanium, but in addition, you can opt for a Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) coating which adds extra scratch resistance, up to 4000HV hardness. I love the feel and look of titanium, although I appreciate it’s not for everyone. One thing to note is the weight; if you compare this to an equivalent watch made of steel, it’s much lighter. Lighter means so much more comfortable and easier to wear for prolonged periods; however, some might misconstrue the light weight with it feeling “cheap” – this is certainly not the case. Heavy does not always mean quality (read about the Beats Solo headphones which had weights added to them to make them feel as if they were better made than they were).

The bead-blasted finish to the case runs through to the bracelet, all of which provide an array of aggressive angles with decent edging and precision. The bead blasting has a soft touch to it, which is comfortable on the skin, and the angles provide a bit more of an aggressive and industrial visual impression – especially on the links of the bracelet, which is excellently built.

Additionally, there are quick-release pins on the bracelet which makes switching it out to a strap a breeze.

The movement found within is the well-known and often-used Seiko VK63 mechaquartz. Usually, if you come across a microbrand offering a decent quality chronograph, this will be powering it.

Ignore the markings on the casebase where it says 316L (which is a type of steel and the Kruger is titanium), this was a mistake on the prototypes.

Final comments

I’ve got to say, negatives are hard to find here. Titanium isn’t for everyone – and some might not like the surprising weight of the watch. The size is fairly decent too, but I have found it enjoyable to wear for prolonged periods. The Kruger is a definite style too, but if you didn’t like how it looks then I can’t imagine you’d be reading this.

If you dig the German-esque tool watch vibe but don’t want to splash the cash, then the Draken Kruger is a sensational option. It looks and feels fantastic, has top-notch build quality, alongside ultimate legibility – yet a very reasonable price tag. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time with deal ol’ Chad.

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The specs

• Dimensions: 42mm diameter x 14mm height x 48.5mm lug to lug
• Weight: 190g
• Water resistance rating: 30ATM / 300m
• Movement: Seiko NH35A
• Accuracy: +17.7 sec/day
• Lug width: 22mm
• Warranty: 2 years
• Price: $349 / ~£300
• Available from: https://www.drakenwatches.com/shop/tugela-v2-super-blue-le/

The video review

The case

The first thing that impressed me was the tapering case, mirroring the shape of the Protea flower. It’s delightful how the shape flowers through the case through to the grip of the bezel. It has “Draken” engraved down the side; however it’s not gaudy like Invicta, but subtle and looks and feels pretty cool.

The matte bead-blasted finishing of the case helps hide scratches and looks very tool-like, a welcome alternative to the usual steel.

The 120-click unidirectional bezel features a bold blue insert to match the dial. It’s supremely accurate in use – there’s no back play, it’s accurate, and offers a very satisfying click. It has solid grip with a sharp edge – and as a result, is easy to use. The markings are all filled with strong lume (more on that later).

Like the bezel, the screw-in crown is a joy to use due to great grip and a perfect size. The grip is a utilitarian style knurling, and the Draken logo is engraved on the end and filled with lume (which is pretty darn epic).

Sitting on top of the case is a domed sapphire crystal – I feel this could be a little clearer and have a better anti-reflective coating. This is probably the only slight gripe I have with the entire watch.

The caseback features a detailed deep-stamped view of the Drakensberg mountains with various specifics surrounding it.

The dial

As this is the Super Blue limited edition, the dial is a vibrant blue to match the bezel. This makes the watch a real eye-catcher. However, in my opinion, it does make it slightly unwearable at certain occasions though, as the regular editions with the black dial and coloured bezels would fit in better across all situations (such as in a suit).

The dial features very distinct hour indices, inspired by the shapes found in Zulu beadwork. On top of that, the hands are wonderfully unique. This truly is a beautiful, bold watch that stands out.

The legibility is superb, as the design of the hour markers and hands are purposeful and strong.

One thing is for sure: the lume is strong and well above average for a watch at this price point; thanks to a whopping 10 layers of X1 C3 Superluminova. Lume is all over too: the hands, bold hour markers, and bezel. But that’s not all.

One awesome bit of attention to detail is the custom blue date wheel to match the dial. Not only is that cool, but even the numerals are lumed.

There’s a striking splash of orange throughout the dial too, provided by the borders of the minute hand and date window, as well as the seconds hand tip. It complements the blue very well.

The bracelet

The bracelet is bead-blasted steel which matches the case. The silky matte finish and grey colour is a welcome alternative to the regular steel finishing, and it should also prove to be pretty hard-wearing thanks to the rugged finish.

The fit to the case is with tight tolerance thanks to the custom moulded integrated end links. The links themselves are angular and despite the dull reflective properties, the angles provide a variety of reflections at different angles keeping it interesting. The links are all very thick and the build quality is apparent.

The double locking buckle feels reliable, is easy to use, and features the logo on the top bar.

The movement

I’m sure that 90% of the watches I’ve reviewed in recent memory house the Seiko NH35A. It’s everywhere, especially in the affordable microbrand market – but with good reason. It’s cheap, easy to source, and reliable. Specs include a low beat rate of 21.6k bph (6 ticks per second), hacking seconds hand, and hand and automatic winding. It’s pretty industrial to look at, but thankfully it’s behind the solid caseback on the Tugela.

Final comments

I may as well start with the two very minor niggles. Firstly, the wearability of the Super Blue limited edition. It’s a distinctive and unmistakable watch, that’s for sure. But, it’s limited to a more casual situation. I’m sure that won’t bother most, but if you’re after a watch that can handle all situations, then perhaps the regular versions with the black dial would be more suitable.

Secondly, the only other minor thing is the domed sapphire crystal – I’d love to see a more effective anti-reflective coating. But that’s all I can find about this watch.

Everything about it is truly remarkable for a watch costing $350. Epic lume everywhere. Solid build quality. Decent water resistance rating. Dependable movement.

But what strikes me most is the story and inspiration behind it. I see so many fluffy namby-pamby rubbish flaky stories that mean nothing. Not here, not Draken – you can see it for yourself: the Zulu beadwork, the Protea flowering case, the mountains on the caseback. They are all obvious inspirations taken from Michael’s homeland.

The Draken Tugela 2.0 is a real treat for the eyes and wrist. That’s why it’s impressed me so much.

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Named after the biggest desert of Southern Africa, and using an altimeter for inspiration – it has a distinctive “tool watch” theme to it. Talk about versatility from the brand; 3 watches, 3 completely different looking watches covering 3 major themes.

Currently on Kickstarter (launched on July 15th 2018), let’s take a closer look to see how it fares.

The specs

• Dimensions: 44mm diameter x 15.1mm height x 51.3mm lug to lug
• Weight: 124g
• Water resistance rating: 10ATM / 100m
• Movement: Seiko NE57
• Accuracy: +5.4 sec/day
• Lug width: 22mm
• Warranty: 2 years
• Price: Pledges start from NZD$634 / $429 / ~£324, RRP $699 / ~£525
• Available from: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tugela/the-draken-kalahari-automatic-military-watch

The case

Like it’s siblings, the case utilises the splendid “flowering” shape – which is wider at the bezel than the base. No only does it make the case more interesting than a standard barrel shape, it also makes the watch wear smaller than the 44mm diameter suggests – as the section in contact with your wrist is more like 40-42mm.

I really love a good blasted finish, and the case has the Draken logo text engraved on the side. Very desert inspired.

There’s an intriguing radial chevron texture to the bezel, flowing through seamlessly from the case to the domed crystal.

The cool thing about Draken watches is that there’s always lume a plenty – here we have a helping on both crowns and also the caseback; much like their other offerings. Whilst it’s not really required or technically functional, it’s a nice touch to see the effort that’s been put into creating a really interesting case.

Dual crowns are always welcome, there’s something unconventional about them due to their rarity – and I like that. Both are screw-in, the top at 2 is for the movement whilst the bottom at 4 is for the internal rotating GMT bezel. When you unscrew them they pop out nicely allowing you to rotate, and have a really smooth thread; which is lovely to use. The top has the logo and the bottom crown has a circle, with both boasting decent knurled grip which is easy to use.

The screw-in caseback is very interesting – with the lumed logo in the centre, surrounded by a really rugged patterned black backdrop. Details on the outer edge are deeply and accurately engraved.

Sitting on top of the case is a very thick, double domed sapphire crystal – tapping it provides a considerable thud. It has decent anti-reflective coating on the underside which splashes a blue flash when the light hits it right.

The dial

The dial is completely lumed – sand coloured luminous paint continues the desert theme. If I’m being really picky, perhaps it’s not quite sandy enough – maybe a little too yellow, but that’s me being very harsh.

It’s multilayered, with an upper central disc which is also the power reserve, a lower surround containing the date and inset hour markers. These are completely flanked by an inner rotating GMT bezel. As you can imagine, there’s lots of depth going on and plenty to see.

The hands are interesting; bold thanks to the sheer size and the thick borders too, yet the skeletonised aspect allow them not to be too overbearing. The seconds hand is a simple straight red point providing a flash of colour to the dial.

The power reserve and date indicators are discs rather than the usual hands. The date is located at 4, nice and snug underneath the central power reserve disc. The power reserve indicator is basically a coloured section below the top central disc – which is what rotates clockwise. The more charge, the more the disc rotates, allowing more coloured filling to be displayed.

It’s interesting that there is no logo on the dial; at first I didn’t even notice. It’s obvious why – as the entire central section rotates with the power level, placing it there is out of the question. I find it honourable that Draken have decided to leave it off. Rather than cram it on the dial somewhere else, they’ve opted to go for legibility and overall aesthetics rather than obvious brand awareness.

The strap

The strap is canvas, and suits the watch style perfectly. The cream / sand colour is a pleasant alternative to the norm, but has the potential to get grubby quickly. The leather bottom ensures the strap is comfortable on the wrist.

Ah, quick release pins. I’m so happy to see you. They should be on every strap – making taking them off a doddle.

The sand blasted buckle matches the case, it is very chunky and well designed. The Draken logo is engraved on the top bar, perhaps it could be a tad deeper but that’s just me being picky.

The movement

The movement used is the Seiko NE57. It’s one I’ve not seen used before – the main reason we have it in the Kalahari is for the central axis power reserve indicator, and date as a hand 6. The entire movement is rotated 30 degrees to offset the date, move the main crown to 2, allowing the additional crown at 4 for the internal rotating bezel.

Specs include ~41 hour power reserve, 29 jewels, hand & automatic winding, 21.6k bph (6 ticks per second), and a hacking second hand.

Final comments

I’ve found the Draken Kalahari to be as well-built and thought-through as their previous models. Every angle is obviously deeply considered, creating a very pleasurable viewing experience. Yes the price is more than the others – but you’re getting a more unique look, with more unique features too: especially the power reserve indicator and concealed date wheel.

I’m not gonna lie, I’m a sucker for rugged tool watches, and this is a perfect example of one. It’s sure going to take a beating, whilst looking very cool. In a market where pretty much every watch seems to be a diver; the Kalahari is a refreshing foray into that little bit different, that little bit extraordinary.

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At a glance, it seems like a cracker – Seiko automatic movement, sapphire crystal, 42mm sandblasted case, rugged good looks, rustic thick leather strap; all for a reasonable £225. It ticks all the right boxes: let’s take a closer look to see if it truly is a decent buy.

The specs

Dimensions: 42mm diameter x 13.5mm height x 48.5mm lug to lug
Weight: 105g
Water resistance rating: 30ATM / 300m
Movement: Seiko NH35A
Accuracy: -25.5 sec/day
Lug width: 22mm
Warranty: 2 years
Price: $420NZD / £225
Available from: https://drakenwatches.com/tugela/

The case

The case is a lovely example of simple elegance. The bezel and case flows through together to create an outward singular shape. Draken likens this to the opening of a flower – and indeed Mike takes a lot of inspiration from nature and his homeland, New Zealand.

The size is comfortable with a 42mm diameter and a reasonable 13.5mm height. It provides a good amount of wrist presence whilst not being too ridiculously huge.

The Tugela utilises viton gaskets – a synthetic rubber that is more resistant than the regular gaskets used in many watches. This means they have a much higher temperature and chemical resistance.

I find a sandblasted finish is always a nice alternative to the regular brushed. It provides a very tool-like appearance too, and will no doubt prove to be hard-wearing.

The bezel is the only real negative I’ve noticed with the entire watch. It has a minuscule amount of wiggle at the bottom right corner, by 5. There’s also a small chip of paint missing by 7, which is barely noticeable.

The screw-in caseback features a splendidly detailed deep-stamped landscape illustration. The quality is really impressive and not really something that you’d usually see on a watch of this price. Various specs are deeply engraved surrounding this.

The sapphire crystal is domed on top, with a bluey anti-reflective coating. The AR could do with being a bit better, but it’s nice to see it there.

The Draken Tugela has a pretty insane 300m water resistance. This is much deeper than I’ll ever need to go, and I’m sure that’s the same for most of you too – so it’s great to know that you’re really covered.

The crown has a great knurled grip and a very impressive and  accurate engraving of the Draken logo on the end.

The dial

Everything on the bold, legible dial is flat and printed. The hour markers are all fairly unique in shape; a mixture of triangles and trapezoids.

The printwork is fine and precise – with the logo in the centre of the top half, and in the bottom half is Tugela in red and automatic beneath it. There is also a subtle minute track surrounding the outer edge with white markings.

The hour and minute hands are an aggressive, chunky sword shape. The majority of the hands are a matte finish, to match the sandblasted case, with the minute hand having a red border to the top section to inject a splash of colour and to help make differentiation between the hands. The second hand has a diamond near the end, a red tip and a thicker end for the counterweight. The hands are a pleasant unusual alternative to what you usually se on a diving watch.

The date wheel is also something that’s clearly been thought about. The numerals are lumed and in a which is really cool, and it’s black to match the dial. It’s actually quite surprising to get such a customised date wheel at this price. The date window is circular, neatly cut out of the dial with a red border which is connected to the minute track – this line is also red.

The lume is strong and impressive for the price – the hour markers, hands and date wheel all work together well to create a very legible experience in the dark.

The strap

The strap is made from a pleasant rustic, thick leather which smells great. It has a beautifully textured top grain which is soft to the touch and on the wrist.

There are a couple of little stitched pieces of detailing; at the bottom of the long length and at top either side of the strap by the lugs.

The buckle is the same sandblasted finish as the case and matches it well. It has an angular shape with squared edges, and the Draken logo deeply engraved on the top bar.

It’s also worth mentioning that the Tugela came with a spare NATO strap, black and white stripes. It’s a pretty standard affair as far as NATO straps come.

The movement

The movement powering the Draken Tugela is the Seiko NH35A: one we see so often in micro brands thanks to how reliable and affordable it is.

It has the ability to be regulated to a very accurate standard. However, this one is not, coming in at a pretty wild -25.5 sec/day.

Final comments

The Draken Tugela sure is a lot of watch for the money. The specs and features are all there: Seiko auto movement, sapphire crystal, decent 300m water resistance, and lovely design. It also comes with a spare NATO strap and handy travel case (see the video review to check it out) – so it feels like it comes with a lot of thought and care.

I really like the sandblasted case, it feels like the Tugela is a seamless crossover of a diver and tool watch, which makes it stand out in a busy and rather overcrowded watch market at the moment. The only negatives are the lack of regulation on the movement and the slight play on the bezel. Let’s hope they rectify those moving forward. Otherwise, the Draken Tugela is a lovely piece for the money.

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The specs

• Dimensions: 44mm diameter x 14.5mm height x 52mm lug to lug
• Weight: 112g
• Water resistance rating: 100m / 10ATM
• Movement: Miyota 9130
• Accuracy: +6.8 sec/day
• Lug width: 22mm
• Warranty: 2 years
• Price: Kickstarter starting at NZD$420 / £225, RRP NZD$700 / £375
• Available from: https://drakenwatches.com/ (Kickstarter link not available at time of publishing)

The case

The case is bead-blasted which is a simple, matte affair. The 44mm diameter is fairly usual for an aviation themed watch, think of the traditional B-Uhr’s and the like. The height is definitely on the tall side though at 14.5mm, and this is because of the power reserve behind the logo… but more on that later.

Whilst the shape is technically a standard barrel; there’s a slight tuck in on the underside (the top is wider than the bottom) which provides a flowering shape. It also makes it easier to wear thanks to the smaller base.

The screw-in crown is a little too wide for my liking – it sticks out a bit too much. Ideally it could do with being about three quarters of the depth in my eyes. It’s very well executed though, with excellent knurled grip. The Draken logo is intricately engraved, and it’s also full of lume which is a very cool plus.

The screw-in caseback is fairly standard, with a central exhibition window and surrounding details deeply engraved around it.

The Peregrine is loaded with a double domed sapphire crystal – which provides good visibility at the tightest of angles. It also has an effective anti-reflective coating on the underside, which gives a blue flash when the light hits it just right.

The dial

The main feature that’s stood out to me is the concealed power reserve indicator behind the logo. It has a dual colour scheme, that of white to signify charge and red to show depleted. The wheel (if you can call it that?) is located behind a cut-out in shape of the Draken logo which has a polished metal surround. It has the Draken text applied below – however, I would have liked it to be deeper, thicker and a better quality application.

The Peregrine is loaded with great applied hour markers. There’s a triangle and two dots to signify 12, which is a textbook aviation feature; lumed numerals printed at 3, 6 and 9; and batons everywhere else. All other applied items to the logo are very deep and well made.

The BGW9 lume strength is average on the dial – not mind blowing but probably what you’d expect at a watch of this price.

The hands are big and bold, very legible – traditional aviation themed hands. There’s a splash of colour thanks to the blue stick seconds hand and Peregrine in the bottom half, as well as subtle blue arrows in each corner.

The strap

The strap comes in at 22mm wide at the lugs which is a suitable size to match the case – it gives good balance whilst on the wrist. It’s a pleasant oaky brown colour with lighter stitching. It’s good quality, soft and supple leather.

The tang buckle is the same bead blasted finish as the case. It has the Draken logo deeply engraved on the top bar.

The movement

The movement powering the Draken Peregrine is the Miyota 9130. It’s basically the same as the 9015 (which we all know very well by now) – but with a power reserve indicator at 12. The specs are more or less the same: high beat rate of 28.8k bph, 40 hours power reserve, 26 jewels.

The accuracy is coming in at a very reasonable +6.8 sec/day – anything within 10 seconds a day is great for a non-COSC movement.

Whilst the looks of the movement itself is fairly plain and industrial, the rotor brings in a refreshing piece of customisation. It’s the standard shape, but has a black covering and a lumed logo – another cool element.

Final comments

The Kickstarter pledges starting at NZD$420 / £225 is a very tempting proposition indeed. The Draken Peregrine is very well constructed, and whilst it’s a very traditional aviation timepiece, there’s a few little touches here and there that make it stand out. These include the extra lume – in the crown, rotor and power reserve, and of course the concealed power reserve indicator itself. Really, the only negative I’ve found is the light / thin application of the logo (which I see quite a lot so Draken aren’t alone in this).

I’ve actually heard from Mike Blythe of Draken, and he plans to make those adjustments to the watch – I feel they will make a great amount of difference (crown width and logo application). He’s not increasing the price of the watch either to cover the adjustments, so that’s pretty great, and I look forward to seeing the pictures of the revised timepiece.

The RRP of NZD$700 / £375 is less of a good deal, so if it takes your fancy then be ready to pledge when it returns to Kickstarter in mid November 2017.

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