What is your favourite watch strap/bracelet or does it vary?
Discussion
Apologies if this has been done before but I couldn’t find anything recent in a search and thought it might be a fun opportunity for people to post pictures of their watches on different straps or bracelets. There’s no real aim to the thread, just a chance to talk about our preferences and show some nice watches on a variety of straps.
For me, I always think I’m going to like a watch on a NATO but it never quite works - wrists too small, perhaps. I end up leaning towards leather but appreciate that means my divers are somewhat compromised (and most of my watches are divers!)
So, over to you good people
For me, I always think I’m going to like a watch on a NATO but it never quite works - wrists too small, perhaps. I end up leaning towards leather but appreciate that means my divers are somewhat compromised (and most of my watches are divers!)
So, over to you good people
I'm a real fan of the Omega bracelets.
I bought a bracelet recently designed by someone in the redbar meetup I go to, it's really nice but is in the UK. Kind of an engineer style I suppose you'd call it (I've bought one of the watches he designed too). I was very impressed with it.
Like you I'm not big on NATOs, although I've been wearing one recently and it does work on the SKX better than anything else I tried it on (I think it spent about 30s on my Speedy).
I have a leather on the Speedy now which I like.
I'm loving the rubber I have on the Mido at the moment. Feels very summery.
I'd like a mesh, apparently the Heimdallr ones are decent.
I dunno, seems pretty hit and miss. I am often disappointed.
Some pics you've all seen before
Speedy on leather:

Awesome Omega bracelet:

Halios on grey NATO (I liked this set up)

Mido on Orange rubber (I have the black coming)

I bought a bracelet recently designed by someone in the redbar meetup I go to, it's really nice but is in the UK. Kind of an engineer style I suppose you'd call it (I've bought one of the watches he designed too). I was very impressed with it.
Like you I'm not big on NATOs, although I've been wearing one recently and it does work on the SKX better than anything else I tried it on (I think it spent about 30s on my Speedy).
I have a leather on the Speedy now which I like.
I'm loving the rubber I have on the Mido at the moment. Feels very summery.
I'd like a mesh, apparently the Heimdallr ones are decent.
I dunno, seems pretty hit and miss. I am often disappointed.
Some pics you've all seen before

Speedy on leather:

Awesome Omega bracelet:

Halios on grey NATO (I liked this set up)

Mido on Orange rubber (I have the black coming)

gregs656 said:
I'm a real fan of the Omega bracelets.
I bought a bracelet recently designed by someone in the redbar meetup I go to, it's really nice but is in the UK. Kind of an engineer style I suppose you'd call it (I've bought one of the watches he designed too). I was very impressed with it.
Like you I'm not big on NATOs, although I've been wearing one recently and it does work on the SKX better than anything else I tried it on (I think it spent about 30s on my Speedy).
I have a leather on the Speedy now which I like.
I'm loving the rubber I have on the Mido at the moment. Feels very summery.
I'd like a mesh, apparently the Heimdallr ones are decent.
I dunno, seems pretty hit and miss. I am often disappointed.
Some pics you've all seen before
Speedy on leather:

Awesome Omega bracelet:

Halios on grey NATO (I liked this set up)

Mido on Orange rubber (I have the black coming)

That Omega looks great on the bracelet. The Mido looks awesome!I bought a bracelet recently designed by someone in the redbar meetup I go to, it's really nice but is in the UK. Kind of an engineer style I suppose you'd call it (I've bought one of the watches he designed too). I was very impressed with it.
Like you I'm not big on NATOs, although I've been wearing one recently and it does work on the SKX better than anything else I tried it on (I think it spent about 30s on my Speedy).
I have a leather on the Speedy now which I like.
I'm loving the rubber I have on the Mido at the moment. Feels very summery.
I'd like a mesh, apparently the Heimdallr ones are decent.
I dunno, seems pretty hit and miss. I am often disappointed.
Some pics you've all seen before

Speedy on leather:

Awesome Omega bracelet:

Halios on grey NATO (I liked this set up)

Mido on Orange rubber (I have the black coming)

When I first started going from being into watches to actually buying a few, it was all about Seiko for me and the guys I worked with.
The pinnacle was (and sort of still is) the Marinemaster 300.
I had many sleepless nights saving for then taking the plunge on an SBDX017 and in many, many ways it was as good as I hoped when I finally got my paws on it. It was the alpha predator!
However, the standard bracelet was a bit rubbish and the rubber that came with it was nasty.
Crafter Blue solved the problem, and with their rubber strap this thing is just the business.
I've tried it on canvas nato, Uncle Seiko tropics, leather and pretty much everything else, but the Crafter Blue makes the watch.
For something so good to be let down by the standard hardware but rescued by a bespoke aftermarket solution is astonishing, but for that reason the Crafter Blue will always be my favourite.

And as for favourite OEM with sentimentality removed: new Rolex Oyster with the glidelock.
The pinnacle was (and sort of still is) the Marinemaster 300.
I had many sleepless nights saving for then taking the plunge on an SBDX017 and in many, many ways it was as good as I hoped when I finally got my paws on it. It was the alpha predator!
However, the standard bracelet was a bit rubbish and the rubber that came with it was nasty.
Crafter Blue solved the problem, and with their rubber strap this thing is just the business.
I've tried it on canvas nato, Uncle Seiko tropics, leather and pretty much everything else, but the Crafter Blue makes the watch.
For something so good to be let down by the standard hardware but rescued by a bespoke aftermarket solution is astonishing, but for that reason the Crafter Blue will always be my favourite.
And as for favourite OEM with sentimentality removed: new Rolex Oyster with the glidelock.
For me, I like to try rubber on the sport watches. If it doesn't work, then it'll revert back to factory metal bracelet it came with. If it's a dress watch, I prefer leather.
here are some watches that no longer sit on the metal strap it came with, only exception is the Seiko, which came on a rubber but swapped out for a crafter blue.




here are some watches that no longer sit on the metal strap it came with, only exception is the Seiko, which came on a rubber but swapped out for a crafter blue.
My Breguet, which was probably my first 'serious' watch, came on a leather strap... when it was lost on a golf course in France (but subsequently found after an hour of searching) I found that the glue on the part that attached to the buckle had given way in the heat. I then switched to a rubber strap which, at the time, was thought to be a bit odd. A gold Breguet on a rubber strap?! It seems that I was, for once in my life, ahead of the curve in fashion terms! Now it's a thing.
That watch had a death wish. It's now at the bottom of the Solent after a boating accident. I replaced it on insurance, but it's a shame that it's gone to a watery grave.
It took me a few years and many watches to decide that I like a metal bracelet - I don't need to pay it any attention and they're comfortable. My daily watch is on an Oyster bracelet, very comfortable and I don't really give it a seconds thought.
My Omega and Breguet are on blue rubber - but I rarely wear them, only because I like my daily too much. I am considering a Laureato as it's a bit more under the radar, but again it will be on a steel bracelet. I don't vary from that style these days.
That watch had a death wish. It's now at the bottom of the Solent after a boating accident. I replaced it on insurance, but it's a shame that it's gone to a watery grave.
It took me a few years and many watches to decide that I like a metal bracelet - I don't need to pay it any attention and they're comfortable. My daily watch is on an Oyster bracelet, very comfortable and I don't really give it a seconds thought.
My Omega and Breguet are on blue rubber - but I rarely wear them, only because I like my daily too much. I am considering a Laureato as it's a bit more under the radar, but again it will be on a steel bracelet. I don't vary from that style these days.
Ninjin said:
For me, I like to try rubber on the sport watches. If it doesn't work, then it'll revert back to factory metal bracelet it came with. If it's a dress watch, I prefer leather.
here are some watches that no longer sit on the metal strap it came with, only exception is the Seiko, which came on a rubber but swapped out for a crafter blue.




That Seiko has caught my eye! Please could you share exact model and year, and strap? Thanks here are some watches that no longer sit on the metal strap it came with, only exception is the Seiko, which came on a rubber but swapped out for a crafter blue.
I always prefer a strap over a bracelet longer term. My absolute favourite bracelet is the Planet Ocean one, but I don’t own one so I’ve only tried it on; I doubt even that would persuade me to stick with a bracelet every day.
For straps, leather is always my preference but it depends on the watch; you have to choose something which goes with it. I have a lot of straps from lawr389 on eBay. Hand made, I like his soft leather ones. They’re barely more than a tenner each so I’ve got loads of different colours. Love them, probably got them on half my collection.
For straps, leather is always my preference but it depends on the watch; you have to choose something which goes with it. I have a lot of straps from lawr389 on eBay. Hand made, I like his soft leather ones. They’re barely more than a tenner each so I’ve got loads of different colours. Love them, probably got them on half my collection.
Ah, straps. The subject of much (deserved) p155taking of me, on here. I like to replace metal bracelets with straps, often in fairy lairy iterations. I like to vary them a great deal too, so tend to go for quick release straps. My watches rarely get worn for use where they are at risk, as I have a battered old Seiko solar chrono I use for this. The exception is my Omega Seamaster Professional 300, which I wore skiing on its original blue rubber strap.
Harry Flashman said:
Ah, straps. The subject of much (deserved) p155taking of me, on here. I like to replace metal bracelets with straps, often in fairy lairy iterations. I like to vary them a great deal too, so tend to go for quick release straps. My watches rarely get worn for use where they are at risk, as I have a battered old Seiko solar chrono I use for this. The exception is my Omega Seamaster Professional 300, which I wore skiing on its original blue rubber strap.
Hi Harry, I’m quite an admirer of your strap choices! If you get chance, post some pictures for us allNot a huge fan of metal bracelets either, my best two watches are an Omega Planet Ocean on a genuine Omega rubber strap with quick release clasp and today i'm wearing a Seamaster 300m with white face on an Omega Nato strap, black with white stripe down the middle, I would post a pic but I don't have my phone to hand to take one.
My PO was bought on the rubber strap and my Seamaster 300 was bought on a bracelet but I have taken that off and kept it in the box and put the Nato on instead, I find it much more comfortable and usable, i'm not worried about scratching the bracelet on my desk.
My PO was bought on the rubber strap and my Seamaster 300 was bought on a bracelet but I have taken that off and kept it in the box and put the Nato on instead, I find it much more comfortable and usable, i'm not worried about scratching the bracelet on my desk.
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