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i've got a fishskin strap and a python strap.
when you get into exotica there is pretty much anything available. Shell Cordovan is by far my favourite strap leather, but my vintage dress pieces go on Lizard just like your Beijing strap.
i personally hate rubber/silicon and get enraged when companies charge a fortune for their watches and stick a cheap rubber strap on it ( anyone thinking ROO?).
thanks Ed, an interesting read.
G.
Straps! Straps! Straps! An overview of (nearly) every material
Straps are a fairly popular way of securing watches to wrists, in fact, it is the earliest. Real quality bracelets have only appeared in the past 25 or so years with CNC machining becoming very prevalent. This article will aim to compare different strap m...
Thanks! You're right, I knew I forgot about something
thought it'd be paper but it was indeed carbon (and perhaps silicon but that's pretty much just rubber).
Welcome Ed. another just came up my mind.
Eel. It's used in shoes as well. Feels like a very close relationship between straps and shoes. cheers PAt
Oh Patrick... you're right again.
There's also elephant, hippo, and other rarer exotics. Eel isn't that common though.
Even more exotic than eel ...
... were straps made from carp and pike skin, once offered by Hirsch. Looked funny, and - thank god - had no fishy smell ... Regards, Masrcus
Looks almost like cork/wood
I'm not a fan but perhaps it could go well with some pieces.
i've got a fishskin strap and a python strap.
when you get into exotica there is pretty much anything available. Shell Cordovan is by far my favourite strap leather, but my vintage dress pieces go on Lizard just like your Beijing strap. i personally hate rubber/silicon and get enraged when companies ...
sweet stingray
loved this comprehensive survey of watch strap materials. I share your love of stingray. samurai used to wrap their sword grips with stingray skin.
Frequency of wear affects durablilty.
If you live in a warm weather climate, Leather straps, like leather shoes, should be worn on alternate days. Applicable only if you have more than 1 watch. So as to allow the leather to 'rest'. Applying some leather conditioner (i use Saphir Medaille d'Or...
I sinfully use sno seal sometimes
which effectively waterproofs the strap. But sometimes it can mess up a glossy finish so it's only recommended on matte straps. I don't take care to rotate, there are some straps I like to much and wear the hell out of, but I don't live in a high humidity...
Nice review Ed!
It is nice to see them all listed, I love the look of the stingray but am yet to order one. One more to the list... Toad! I love this strap and have ordered a couple of others due to great texture... Cheers Andrew ...
I didn't know toad was used for straps due to its fragility.
Seems like an interesting material nonetheless
Great discussion topic ...
I'm a strap person and all my watches are on a strap. A strap can "make or break" any watch. Sometimes I notice that I'm not wearing a watch frequently and the answer is always associate with a not so comfortable strap. A simple strap swap and "voila", th...
The bracelet discussion will appear eventually
but I think it's just as complicated as straps, if not more so. Screws, rivets, spring bars, solid, etc etc... Straps are a lot easier to swap in and out than bracelets. I find I almost always scratch something a bit when changing springbar bracelets.
This is very true. A change in strap on a ...
... favourite watch is always a dangerous period. It's like breaking in a new wallet every 10 years or so. Sometimes it is not as comfortable or supple, or the positions of the buckle holes are slightly different and it takes time to ajust. Sometimes you ...
I should avoid this topic, if I want to stay away from psychiatres...
I own maybe 300 straps vand bracelets, more, much more straps than bracelets, to be honest. I am not a bracelet fan, except the Rolex Oyster bracelet, which is a must, in my opinion. As for straps, Natos, in leather, nyln or Cordura, are a must for toolwa...
We can always count on you to bring the crazy Nico!
I agree that NATO works with a wide variety of watches, the only thing is the thinness sometimes is difficult to balance with a bulkier watch, especially on the side where the strap is only one layer thick.
Interesting post and nice reading...
... it is amazing how a set of straps can change the character of a watch, and how a wise selection of them can enhance its beauty, or the enjoyment of wearing one. I like to wear my watches with leather straps, and enjoy them more than with metal bracele...
Bracelets can be more comfortable in very hot and humid environments
although almost anything becomes a bit irritating in sauna weather. Thanks for your input Ed.
That's the theory ...
On hot and humid environment, that's always includes air conditioning, the wrist grows and shrinks dramatically. Of course there are those bracelets, like modern Rolex ones, with some gimmick to adjust but by and large I pass. Other point against bracelet...
Scratches are a big thing, especially with computer use.
The adjustment on the JLCs I've owned works quite well and is pretty hassle free. Haven't owned any of the newer Rolexes with the fine adjustment so can't comment.
That's another good point ...
Because almost everyone uses a computer those days. What annoys me more are the inevitable clasp scratches. Some vendors, like Omega and Rolex, uses big ones and they are scratch magnets. That's another reason that I wear straps, with pin buckles. Cheers,...
I'm still debating (for over one year now) tang vs deployant buckles.
I guess with tang you sacrifice the durability of the leather for lightness and comfort. But then you have a higher risk of dropping your watch while putting it on with a tang buckle.
That is the fun part ...
The tang will reduce the life of the strap and you have one great reason to buy another or many others. Cheers, Nilo
I wear bracelets in hot weather ...
... although might change to an animal strap in the evening for formal events, but they are usually inside and cooler. Regardless of the temperature and humidity, how quickly a leather strap becomes 'manky' depends on the skin and degree of perspiration o...
Salmon ...
This is the original strap on the Paul Gerber P10 Anniversary piece. I love the colour match but the strap ages in a certain way. Don't expect it to look the same after a few wears - the raised 'scales' on the surface are delicate and wear flat. This is f...
I'll be sure to keep the skin next time I make salmon :)
It looks quite like snakeskin although the scales are less defined. I'm sure the salmon skin is descaled before being tanned.
Hi, Ed,
Thanks for the review. It comes at an opportune time for me as I am looking to get a couple of different straps. Looking for one that will accommodate a fold over clasp from a company in the US. Your review helps a lot. :-) Aloha, Bob