Bands & Straps

Watch straps are more straightforward than watch bands and are more widely used in the industry today.

They are commonly made from a non-metallic material, mainly rubber. However, there are many other materials used today, such as:

• Leather
• Nylon
• Cloth

Years ago, the market consisted of metallic or leather straps, but times have changed, and many people prefer rubber as it holds its shape and doesn't get worn or smell like leather can after long periods of use.

Rubber is also considerably more robust than its counterparts which is helpful for people who conduct heavy-duty work daily.

• Rubber Straps
• Stainless Steel Straps
• NATO Straps
• Leather Straps
• Silicone Straps
• Nylon Straps

As a rule of thumb, the strap width should be around 50% of the case diameter.

Here are some examples to follow:

Leather Band Pros:

• It has a traditional look most coveted by many
• Leather is seen as more comfortable to wear
• Leather will Shape your wrist over time
• Leather is fairly strong
• Even when the leather starts to wear, it still looks good – with many people believing that it adds character over time

Rubber Band Pros:

• Vulcanized Rubber is solid
• Comfortable to wear and is tight around the wrist
• Ideal for athletes and also easy to clean
• Ideal for swimmers as it repels water
• It has more colour varieties than its counterparts
• It always looks like new
• Vulcanized rubber straps not only last for many years, but unlike leather straps, they do not develop odours regardless of years of use.

Make a note of the width of your clasp or buckle on your current watch strap before purchasing a new one.

The buckle width is not necessarily the same as the width of the lug, with straps sometimes tapering to the buckle.

For large buckles, you must check that you have suitable-sized holes on your watch strap. As a rule of thumb, metal watch bands are generally unsuitable for leather ones and vice versa.