# Traser P6506 Commander Titanium - Review



## MikoDel

Traser P6506 Commander Titanium - Review

I wanted a light, rugged watch that I wouldn't even know I had on, and could be read easily in the dark. This is it. I could have purchased any tritium military watch out there. The most expensive is not much over a grand. (That I liked, anyway. That would be the MTM Seal.) Some of them are very tough looking, really cool. But a lot of them are pretty bulky. The watch I was wearing before the P6506 was a medium-heavy automatic Seiko Superior diver. I love it, it definitely is superior in many ways. But I am taking a break from the "wrist watch that doubles as a wrist weight" experience. Be wary, landlubbers... you don't feel the mass of a diver's watch when you're diving, so who cares how much it weighs. But for everyday use, that's another story. I almost bought the Citizen Eco-zilla instead of the Seiko, until I read a comment on YouTube about how crazy thick 18.5mm really is. A lot of watches rated for 200M depth are heavy and bulky. This Traser definitely is not.

Keep in mind I have only owned this watch for a few days.

Traser P6506 Pros
- 200M depth rating
- Shock resistant. Survives repeated one meter drops onto a wooden floor according to the literature.
- The H3 tritium tubes are BRITE, and oh so convenient. It's hard to fully explain how often I am surprised by how dependable and natural it feels to be able to see the time in any conditions. For example, driving at night... no more scanning for a clock on the dash. 
- Easy read in any light. Contrast between the hands and the face of the watch is stark and defined. I never have any trouble - no reading glasses needed.
- Sapphire crystal is hard to scratch, and is anti-reflective.
- Light as a feather, with the NATO nylon strap and titanium case. I saw it on a scale on YouTube - 47 grams. Super comfortable. Sometimes I cannot feel it and give my wrist a shake to make sure it's still there.
- Bezel is uni-directional with a very stiff detent. Doesn't re-position by accident easily. It has a tritium insert which makes seeing the zero mark as easy as seeing the time. Minute markers from zero to fifteen only, making the last quarter even more distinguishable.
- Strap slides off easily for cleaning or replacement. No need to muck about with the pins.
- Battery has "end of life" indicator. Second hand jumps in 4 sec intervals when batt is ready for replacement. Battery life is said to be about 40 months.
- Accuracy. Hey, it's quartz.
- Pulling crown to second position "hacks" the mov't and stops the second hand. It's a pro for me anyway.
- The beveled edge of the sapphire crystal where it meets the bezel sparkles brilliantly when light hits it just right.

Traser P6506 Cons
- Date window is pretty small
- Bezel is carbon fiber? I wonder. I can see the little mark where it looks like it's been torn off from the flash after injection molding. It looks nothing like carbon fiber, a material with which I am very familiar. And I have another Traser diver, one not advertised as having a CF bezel. And guess what? They are identical. _(EDIT) - No, my mistake, they are not. The P6506 Commander has minute markings that count down from 15 to zero. The Ladies Diver has markings that count down from 20, and these last demarcations are colored yellow, not white. And the Ladies Diver has a yellow-colored zero tritium tube, whereas the Commander has an orange one._

- Quartz watch, battery powered. Is this really a con? I don't know. I like automatics, but after all I've said about how light and airy this thing is, I'd better stop. 
- Water resistance has a lot of caveats. The gaskets and the metal case expand and contract at different rates so don't expose to sudden extremes. Don't take hot showers. Are there any other kind? I own a 200M water resistant watch and I can't shower with it? Ha! I'll let you know.
- According to the manual it needs to be serviced every 2 years to maintain water resistance. Gaskets dry out and so forth. Just wondering if there are timepieces out there that use longer lasting material.
- Second hand occasionally does the "wobble" thing I have read about in Traser customer reviews, but hardly at all and then hardly noticeable. Mostly it ticks and then is motionless. But the fact it varies at all from a hard stop makes me question the quality of the Ronda 715 mov't. I have another Traser diver and I have seen this phenomena more pronounced on that watch. Strangely enough, when I "hacked" it to a stop and got it locked perfectly on the 12, it was less pronounced once started again.


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## nam6869usmc1

Great review & just a fantastic well rounded watch....... I bought my 1st Commander 100 3 years ago, but after a couple of days I gave to my Son as a Xmas present and I really don't think he'll own a different watch at this point. I turned right around & ordered me a Commander, it's defintely a goto watch all through the week. If you haven't done it yet, go to TraserUSA Site & register your Commander to get a total of 3 year Warranty..

*- Mineral crystal is hard to scratch, and is anti-reflective I believe. >>>> not mineral but Sapphire on the 6506 Commanders, one BIG BIG reason I purchased it.*


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## JML

The bezel has carbon fiber included in the material that's injection molded to form the bezel. It's not pure carbon fiber, so you won't see any weave. But I agree, they should not have made a mold for the bezel that had the sprue attach to the outer edge of the bezel!

And yes, the crystal is sapphire, not mineral glass. You're not going to scratch it unless you get something like a diamond for the job. It's AR only on the inside.

The battery will last for about four years. At that time, send it to the authorized service center for a replacement battery & gasket. They'll also pressure-test it.

Virtually all quartz watches have that lash-up wobble in the second hand. The varying alignment of the second hand and indexes is caused more by the printing of the dial and the tolerances of the whole assembly more than a problem with the movement. Although it can drive some of us nuts, only the newest quartz movements from Casio, Seiko, and Citizen have something designed to deal with the play in the second hand.


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## MikoDel

I love this forum. You people know a lot. Thanks for clearing some of this up. And yes, I did go to the Traser site to register it, thanks. 

As for the "don't take hot showers" thing in the owner's manual, I actually developed a work around. Since the nylon strap can get a little "sweet" smelling after a time, I use my daughter's plastic play bucket, splash in a bit of shampoo, and toss in the Traser when I first start the water. This way it has a chance to totally soak in a soapy solution that isn't very hot, and before I rinse it I unravel the band a little to work the water and shampoo in. It's a fast and easy way to wash sweat and skin oils from the NATO band, plus it serves as a great little slosh bucket for my washcloth. Now I can crank the water up to "icy hot" if I want and not worry about "blowing a gasket". Ha!


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## Crusader

I just toss nylon bands into the washing machine, in a little perforated sack usually intended for delicate underwear. That way the metal parts are kept from damaging the rest of the laundry load. Works perfect, and is very time efficient.


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## Nalu

I put them in the dishwasher - fasten them to the upper rack.


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## Nolans

The laundry bag method works well for me in the washing machine, they get regular runs in the summer


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## Giant

I know you said that you've only owned this watch for a few days, but I'm interested to see how the bezel holds up over time. I have a Luminox Navy SEAL from 2000 and over the years the bezel has become very glossy from wear. I wonder if the carbon bezel will keep its matte finish.


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## MikoDel

Giant said:


> I know you said that you've only owned this watch for a few days, but I'm interested to see how the bezel holds up over time. I have a Luminox Navy SEAL from 2000 and over the years the bezel has become very glossy from wear. I wonder if the carbon bezel will keep its matte finish.


Yes, I have read that the bezel is one of the Traser's weak points. The numbers wear off after a time, etc. I think that was from an Amazon review. Anyway, you could always get yourself the full titanium commander, which has a Ti bezel, if you happen to like that one. This watch, as expensive as it is at almost $400, would completely satisfy me if it just runs for 10 or 15 years. I am fully prepared to concede wear to the bezel (even though, as you say, CF should wear differently, read tougher, than plastic) down time to replace batteries, etc. My real fear is that it will just "stop working" as some of the other contributors to this forum have described their Trasers. $390 is not $8,000, it's not a Rolex, I'm not going to baby it. (That's actually funny because I do own a Rolex GMT and I was a working arborist in that watch for years. Stupid. But it's a tough watch.) But if it stops working I will be bummed, because I have an auto Seiko that I will use whenever I do tough out-doorsy stuff, and I don't plan on subjecting this P6506 to any real shock. If it stops working, like more than one person has talked about, I will be sad and pissed off. It IS a Swiss mov't and they should go on and on. Maybe water is getting in?


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## MarkNZ

I have one of the P6506 12/24 models with military format dial. These can still be found if you search the web but are difficult to find. Having said that the watch is very durable and is now 4 years old and I have used it at times for trips to remote places where it has taken a real hammering and the bezel is still tight and the who thing looks pretty good after trips to deserts and jungles. I have a lot of watches so they tend to share my wrist time! This one though has been used quite a bit and was lent to a friend who did a 6 month Thailand, Nam, Cambodia and Laos trip and I am sure he was up to got knows what when it comes to extreme sports so I would recommend this 100% as a GTLS watch.


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## nitrojunky

i have the 3100 luminox which i believe to be pretty much the same watch, except in stainless. in fact, my guess is that it's produced by the same company... it's been a great watch; wear it daily, and i shower with it regularly. 

two comments: 

1) the second hand wobbling issue could be partly due to the gas tube.... i = mr^2 and the second hand on this watch has its mass concentrated at the end. i'll have to look at it when i get home, but IIRC, mine has the ETA movement. i haven't really noticed anything resembling a 'wobble'.
2) i have the identical bezel, down to the casting tit. no problems whatsoever with it.


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## Crusader

I have noticed the wobble on quartz second hands without the gas tube as well ... I don't think it has any influence.


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## nitrojunky

just upgraded to the traser p 6506. very nice, very light weight. actually, it feels like i'm wearing a NATO strap without a watch attached. if it's as reliable as the lumi, this is going to be a keeper.

as far as second hand wobble is concerned, it's just like my luminox 3100, which has the ETA movement. i guess there's 'wobble', but it's really nothing that i find distracting.


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## JML

I just put a Hirsch Accent rubber strap on mine. Perfect, comfortable, but pricey! Changed the buckle to a bead-blasted one, too.


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## notexcessive

I'll just throw my 5 cents in here (used to be 2c but accounting for inflation).

I bought my P6506 back in April of 2004. As I do a lot of 4WDing, I wanted a lightweight watch that wouldn't be hammering into my wrist when driving over badly corrugated tracks, was waterproof enough to survive anything in the wet, and had self-illumination so I could read the time at two in the morning in the middle of nowhere.

Since I've had it, it's been vibrated to buggery over corrugated bulldust tracks in the outback, as well as when using chainsaws to clear tracks at three in the morning (as you do), been immersed in sand, clay, mud, snow, fresh water and salt water (mind you, not all at the same time, but I'm working on it) whilst shoveling and winching during recovery operations, been whacked with an oar whilst kayaking, taken tumbles with me when I've been dumped in the surf on remote beaches, and withstood freezing rain, and stifling heat, timing everything from tyre inflation times to shutter opening times for my night photography.

To steal an old Timex tag line, it takes a licking and keeps on ticking.

I've driven about 250,000km with it (just on my third truck now); in all of that time I can honestly state that the titanium case and the crystal are unscratched and literally look as good as new. The NATO band (chosen so that it won't rot or smell, just give it a quick wash) only shows wear on a couple of holes which are elongated, but that's it... no fraying anywhere else. Not that I deliberately go out to damage the Traser, but I happily wear it when working inside the engine bay or underneath the chassis - I'm not worried about it being damaged. The P6506 is so thin, I rarely get it hung up on stuff as I'm moving my arms around when working on a vehicle.

So no, it's not exactly a high-end watch - don't want it to be. I just wanted something that would survive what I do, and I can really recommend the P6506 (quartz movement and all).

I'm sending mine back to MB Microtec in Switzerland tomorrow, so they can drop in a new set of tritium tubes, change the worn-out bezel for a new one, and throw in a new set of gaskets (waking up after a cold night in camp a few weeks ago and finding the crystal covered in condensation on the _inside_ for the whole day, I thought that might be a good idea). I didn't realise how dim the tubes were until I compared the Traser to the Ball Spacemaster Orbital I bought a few months ago and saw how feeble the Traser was. And the bezel, honestly, I can't complain about all the numbers dropping off after the life it's had.

Consider this a long-term review: after having one for eight and a half years, I'm quite happy to send it back, pay them about a hundred bucks to overhaul it, and look forward to abusing it for another round out in the bush.


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## JML

Here are some pics with the Hirsch strap and bead-blasted buckle.


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## notexcessive

That looks good. Which model strap and buckle?


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## JML

Hirsch Accent strap, 22mm, which is made from natural rubber (not silicone). Pricey, but worth it. Very comfortable, and I like it better than anything else I've tried on the Traser (NATO, Traser's rubber, Italian rubber, and leather). The shape seems just right, and the color matches the bezel perfectly.

The Hirsch buckle is polished. This is a replacement buckle I got from an online German watch band dealer. To get the tang to fit without too much lateral movement, I put one very thin washer on each side of the tang (the Hirsch buckle/tang is oval).


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## WatchObsession

*That Hirsch Accent rocks !! We've been asking Hirsch about the possibility of adding Brushed buckles to the range, they should be available soon !!









*


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## lawdawg715

I have had my Traser watch since 2004 when a girlfriend completley by accident bought it for me as a present from Botach tactical for 175.00 dollars U.S..... It has been to Iraq twice on two police advisory tours... it has been in numerous fights on the streets as I am a retired Police Officer and now I work in the oilfields during retirement..... I think the oilfield has been the roughest on this watch and I very seldom take it off.... I have been unable to scratch the crystal yet.... many times it should have been broken... or so I thought.... very nice and reliable light weight classy watch..... I have had so many compliments on it.... I love it so much I recently bought another on ebay that has the titanium band and bezel... I cannot say enough good about this watch.... well I cant figure out how to add a picture..... the watch looks basically new!


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## Bear1845

That's a great-looking watch. Blue Thunder makes the sterile dial in this model but it comes with blue tritium instead of the green/yellow. I haven't seen one in person yet but I'm close to pulling the trigger anyways. It's called a Blue Thunder P6506 Titan. Same maker of Trasers. Same warranty, etc...


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## Bear1845

accidentally posted twice. whoops.​


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## Bonesaw335

Is there any major differences between this and the black storm pro tactical pvd?


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## azigman

Bonesaw335 said:


> Is there any major differences between this and the black storm pro tactical pvd?


Titanium vs. Stainless Steel

Be well,

AZ


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## Bonesaw335

azigman said:


> Titanium vs. Stainless Steel
> 
> Be well,
> 
> AZ


Is there an advantage between the different materials? The titanium should save weight. Any other benefits? Thanks


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## Magnum_308

I have had my Commander 100 for 9 plus years and it has performed flawlessly. Replace the battery every couple of years. it doesn't stop when the battery needs replacing just tells you by advancing the second hand every 4 seconds. Always on time and correct. Will get another when this one is at the end of its life, though no signs of this yet. Only other watch I would get would be a Rolex GMT Master.


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## Magnum_308

I should add, I like the white hands (including the second hand) on the black face you pick it up immediately. Current model Survivor has a red second hand, not sure I would prefer this.


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## Magnum_308

Not sure if this is the right place for this or if this thread is still active. Admin please move it if appropriate.

I have a Traser Commander 100 Titanium with a titanium band. This watch has been in my possession (from new) for over 9 years now and has performed flawlessly. I would not be without it. However the band recently broke, a pin broke I think, and I am finding it difficult to source a new titanium band. I live in Australia but would be happy to get one internationally.

I would welcome any advice or comments.


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## Snaggletooth

I had exactly the same thing happen to me; securing pin on bracelet sheared off, watch and rest of bracelet working fine after years of use. I scoured the www for a replacement bracelet to no avail, and was told by Traser UK that Traser had discontinued that particular model in favour of the Commander Force 100 I think.

I tried it on a rubber strap from Traser, but this didn't sit right on my wrist, so now wear it quite happily on a Timefactors NATO. I'd have it back on the original bracelet if I could source one though.

Good luck in your search, maybe you'll find one being offered second hand somewhere.


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## Magnum_308

Snaggletooth said:


> I had exactly the same thing happen to me; securing pin on bracelet sheared off, watch and rest of bracelet working fine after years of use. I scoured the www for a replacement bracelet to no avail, and was told by Traser UK that Traser had discontinued that particular model in favour of the Commander Force 100 I think.
> 
> I tried it on a rubber strap from Traser, but this didn't sit right on my wrist, so now wear it quite happily on a Timefactors NATO. I'd have it back on the original bracelet if I could source one though.
> 
> Good luck in your search, maybe you'll find one being offered second hand somewhere.


Thanks for the heads up. Yes I was told the same thing by the UK people and the distributor here in Australia. With the new Commander force 100 they changed how the band attached to the watch and discontinued the old band. Not good Traser. Your watches are great and they last and last, but deleting the band off a model that is only a few years out of manufacture is not good.

Nevertheless, in talking to the/an Australian Distributor, GearZone (they are highly recommended), they made me a very attractive offer on the new (2015 introduction, I think) on the Traser Special Force 100 and they are supplying me with a NATO strap for my old (Commander 100) watch. So I'll have the old Commander 100 with the NATO strap and the new Special Force 100 with the titanium strap. Best of all worlds. Just waiting for the latter (and the strap) to arrive. By the way the new watch then goes into secure storage until my birthday in early September, so I'll need to wait about a month to enjoy it.

I might sell my Commander 100 once I am wearing my new Special Force 100 watch. Is there a place on the forum for selling watches? On the other hand I might keep it too.


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## maysatanong

great review thank you bro.

Sent from my Redmi Note 3 using Tapatalk


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## Snaggletooth

Just sent my P6506 off for a service & new tritium tubes. Found this on the bay, might give it a go.





















https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TRASER-L...529019?hash=item43fabd74bb:g:NKEAAOSwA3dYP6Pv


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## Snaggletooth




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## Snaggletooth

New strap.








I'd forgotten how incredibly legible this watch is - white hands on a black face work really well during the day, and the tritium tubes push traditional lume into the shade (pun intended ;-)) in the dark. Great watch.


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## Snaggletooth




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