Toyota’s TRD Professional vehicles carry some severe cachet — it is solely going to get extra severe after Friday’s reveal of the 2024 Toyota Tacoma lineup that includes the rugged TRD Professional trim, a part of the one-two off-road punch alongside the brand new top-of-the-line Trailhunter. Something branded TRD Professional is fairly sought-after right here in California. A vivid orange 4Runner TRD Professional obtained extra thumbs up than simply about any press automotive I’ve pushed, and that features the likes of high-end Benzes, Porsches, and a Nissan GT-R. So it was in all probability solely pure {that a} line of TRD Professional-branded watches would ultimately come into existence.
Toyota has partnered with Authentic Grain, a San Diego-based watch firm that carved a distinct segment for itself by utilizing sustainably harvested wooden to craft their timepieces. Known as the Photo voltaic Octane assortment, subtlety is just not their forte. The watches are named after the orange shade unique to TRD Professional Tacoma, Tundra, 4Runner and Sequoia for 2023.
Considerably confusingly, there are three watches named after three completely different trims for Toyota’s off-road rigs. The highest-of-the-line TRD Professional is a 44mm with computerized motion constructed of “racing grade” aluminum and blackwood. It wears a camouflage — in case you can name vivid orange digital camouflage — sample and is available in its personal orange rugged case. It prices $749 and is restricted to 250 items, every serial numbered.
The center-grade one is known as the TRD Off-Highway, named after the grade that is not as hard-core as TRD Professional however nonetheless pretty off-road succesful. It is a 45mm case with photo voltaic motion product of chrome steel and blackwood. It too includes a digital camouflage print, however not less than the first shade is black. It is priced at $549 and can also be restricted to 250 individually numbered items.
Lastly there’s the TRD Sport, named for vehicles tuned for avenue use. It has a 45mm case, makes use of photo voltaic motion and is product of chrome steel. It prices $595 and isn’t a restricted manufacturing merchandise.
The watches are a far cry from the understated magnificence of a Porsche Tag Heuer or Nissan GT-R Grand Seiko, every of which may value over $23,000. Nonetheless, there are in all probability sufficient TRD Professional die-hards on the market who will spring for this type of wrist accent. They’re on the flashy aspect, however then once more so is an eye-searing orange pickup.
