Buying a watch can be tricky sometimes, well, most times. Besides the usual facts that we consider, movement, case shape, crystal etc. When you are not that into watches, you might believe that the bracelet or strap is something your are married to as soon as you make the purchase. Well, that is not totally true.
Whenever I purchase a watch, yes, I do consider what comes with it, if a bracelet or a strap. But this doesn’t mean you are stuck with it. This issue has a very quick fix. Watch straps and bracelets are held by spring bars. These spring bars can be detached by using the proper tools (recommended).
Following are some examples of the variety of straps you may find:
Metal Bracelets.
Every time I purchase a watch I try to get it with a metal bracelet. Most of the times, if you try to purchase the bracelet after the fact, it ends up being more expensive.
Nato Straps.
Nato straps can be single pass or double pass. The ones I usually use are double pass, since they offer extra protection if one of the spring bars fails.
Leather Straps.
Leather straps are really interesting, since you have different “feels” depending on the finishing that the manufacturer puts on them, different shapes. There is something about leather straps that make them a little different, there is also vegan leather offerings.
Sail Cloth Straps.
I don’t have a lot of experience with these but from what I have seen, I like them. I wish I could say my experience with these was a little better. The inside leather part can disengage from the cloth part, an it can make it a little difficult to buckle.
Rubber Straps.
Rubber straps are great if you want something versatile and not being scared of getting them wet. Depending who you buy from, you can get very soft rubber or a very stiff rubber. They come in different colors, shapes and forms, depending on what you are looking for to match your watch.
I hope this has been helpful. Any questions or concerns, please let me know.
DL