Just trekking around – Trek from UBIQ watches

When you enter the watch hobby, there Is something satisfying about complicated watches. To keep track of different time zones, dates and months it is quite enjoyable. That said, there is always 2 sides of the coin, and a simple grab and go watch can be just as enjoyable.

We have review the Brand UBIQ before, their dual series was one of the best summer watches we have experienced in terms of colours and fit but now, they are here to aim at simplicity with their new watch, the Trek.

The Trek is a watch that continues the brand philosophy with bright colours and great built quality without forgiving the price range that they operate (more on that later). The Trek is one of those watches which are a joy to use, from the proportions to how it wears, there are several versions which will be available soon, but we managed to get hands on with what I believe is one of the coolest ones: the Blackmint.

Join me to discover a watch that can be considered a true GADA,specially this summer. Let’s begin.

The specifications

The part of making a watch design successful depends on is how easy it is to wear. The proportions of the Trek are spot on with 38mm in diameter with a lug to lug of 44mm which translates great on my 6.25-inch wrist. This version, the Blackmint, comes with a black DLC titanium grade 2 case and although it hides some of the curves and design elements, the watch looks great, aggressive. Because of the titanium, the Trek feels light and technical and with all the curves on the case, a much more expensive proposition.

The dial has a lot going on for it, it is busy but quite well executed. We start with the blocks of superluminova, not only the markers but also the numerals. The black matte dial contrast well with the electric blue rehaut and then, the yellow accents of the hour hands and half markers are the cherry on top. Another part that needs to be highlighted are the hands. The hour hand is shorter and thicker, all highlighted in yellow while the minute hand is in silver, it might not sound like much but the finishing on them is flawless, hope the macros shots are doing justice.

The watch has some good hidden features under the hood. The Trek can be ordered with 2 types of movements, a Miyota 9039 automatic with 42 hours power reserve or a Seiko hi-beat VH31 mecaquartz, and yes, the seconds hands sweep nicely, this is the version we had as a sample.

The Trek also has 100 meters of water resistance which is quite good for a watch that you want to use every day, quite an impressive feat.

On the wrist

As mentioned, with the dimension on the Trek, the watch should be comfortable, at least on paper. In real life it wears much better that it reads, the thinness of the watch is an element that also enjoyed at 11mm including the sapphire crystal, it feels thin but still has some presence on the wrist, best of both worlds.

The watch also comes with 2 different strap and an optional titanium bracelet, effectively they make feel the Trek like a different watch. The optional titanium DLC bracelet, it is comfortable with a beads of rice design that matches the case to perfection. The second one, which is my favourite, is a yellow marine recycled strap, it looks perfect for the Trek, and it was my go-to because it keeps the lightness while remaining playful. And third, we have the single pass nylon strap with yellow accent to keep the motif alive, looks great and to have the option is always pleasant.

Wearing the Trek was very easy. I used it more for sports activities than anything, gym, bike riding. But what I like is that it is a watch that you keep reaching for, maybe is because it is the quartz version and it is always set (plus it has a sweeping seconds hand) or perhaps is because of the lightness.

Of course, because of the colour pattern, the watch is more suited to a non-casual or elegant environment, that said and as mentioned, as a grab and go watch for everyday use, it is unbeatable.

Concluding thoughts

The Trek, as a watch is a very refreshing proposition. Not only the colour scheme is quite different but also ticks a lot of boxes to be a perfect field watch. Which also brings us to the variations that UBIQ offers. The Trek comes with a non DLC coated case in blue or orange called Aqualight and Orangepop respectively. There is a fourth version with DLC black coated and a very bright greed dial called Coralglow, which judging by the pictures could be one of my favourite versions.

Now coming to the price, which is the best part. The Trek starts at 282 GBP which in our eyes is an absolute bargain. Ther price not only is competitive but also it’s an original design that cannot be found elsewhere.

We can definitely say that the Trek has a great face, a great case and options for everyone, even down to the movement. This is a great value proposition, and we cannot wait to see the other versions in the wild. UBIQ is a brand to follow, we are looking forward to more innovative designs in the future.

For more information, please visit https://ubiqwatches.com/collections/trek

Technical Specifications

Materials: Grade 2 Titanium case with 1200HV hardness coating (600HV on black DLC models), raised flat sapphire crystal with curved edges and inner AR coating over stepped dial

Bracelet/Strap: Marine recycled, vegan-free, quick-release strap and custom single pass nylon strap with 2x quick-release spring bars (optional hardened titanium, fully brushed flat multi-link bracelet with quick-release and on-the-fly micro-adjust)

Lume: Grade A Swiss Super-LumiNova® BGW9 lume block numerals and indices, orange/C3 full lume dial (selected models) and BGW9 filled custom hands

Movement: Miyota 9039, 4Hz, 28,800vph, 42 hours power reserve with hacking seconds OR Seiko hi-beat VH31 mechaquartz, 2Hz, 14,400vph, cell: 371 (SR920SW)

Water resistance: 10bar/100m/330ft via screw-down crown and solid engraved caseback

Dimensions

• 38mm diameter

• 44mm lug to lug

• 20mm lug width

• 11.1mm