Men's watch straps
The strap that holds your watch to your wrist is more important than you may think. Of course, without it, your
watch would not stick to your wrist very well, but the strap is also an important part of the overall style of your watch.
A new strap can give an entirely different look to a watch you've had for ages, and make you fall in love with it all over again. A strap is also much cheaper than a new watch and therefore offers a great option for making your old watch look brand new again. Let's have a look at the different types of straps you can get for your watch collection.
Leather watch straps
Leather straps are very popular because of their versatility. They are often worn with more formal wear, but will also look great with more casual outfits.
There are many different qualities of leather watch straps available, from imitation leather to premium quality vegetable tanned leather. Generally, the better the quality of the leather, the higher the price will be.
Leather is versatile, but one thing to keep in mind is that it does not like water. So if you plan to wear your watch in the water a lot, it would be better to opt for a different material such as rubber, silicone, or some type of plastic.
Rubber/silicone/plastic straps
Any of these strap materials will give your watch a much more casual appearance and are great for wearing it while swimming or during any other activity that may involve water or a lot of sweat.
These straps are also cheap, so if you want to buy one all-around watch that you can use for any occasion, it may be a good idea to get a water resistant watch with a leather strap and then buy an extra rubber strap for on those more active days.
Metal watch bands
Metal bands (also referred to as bracelets) are a great choice for most occasions, except the more formal ones (don't wear it with a tuxedo, for example).
There are many different types, from stainless steel to titanium, aluminum and real gold (sorry, none of those at Trendhim just yet). Stainless steel is the best compromise between quality and value, in our opinion. Most steel bands use links, which can be removed to get a perfect fit for your wrist. It's advised to have your local jeweler remove the links to avoid any damage to the bracelet. Metal mesh straps are quite popular as well.
NATO straps
NATO watch straps have gained in popularity during the last decade. What is a NATO strap? Well, its history dates back to the British military, but we won't bore you with the details. Originally, it was a 20mm wide one-piece nylon strap, with extra nylon webbing and a keeper at the end that helps the watch fit more snugly on your wrist.
These days, there are a lot of NATO strap variations. You can buy nylon NATO straps in all colors and can find them in leather as well. NATO straps provide a low-cost way of adding a more casual and distinctive look to any watch.
Watch band tips
- Keep a NATO strap in your dopp kit in case you break the strap you're wearing
- If you can have only one, make sure it's a genuine leather watch strap
- Got 35 straps in your collection? Don't worry, you're not the only one!
