Changing straps really can lift your spirits ….

Spruce · Jan 19, 2023

…. and I’m sure most of us know this already.

I’m an inveterate strap or bracelet changer.

I buy a strap or bracelet, it doesn’t work with the watch I intended it for and languishes in a drawer.
A watch I’ve enjoyed somehow stops being a regular wear.

… and then, just by chance, you pair them up and really enjoy the combo.

Here are some of my rediscovered favourite combos …

YYTIN · Jan 19, 2023

I hear you there.

Whenever I buy a watch, I spend a lot of time to find the strap to match, and I do enjoy the research... but in the process I've not been changing so often after I found the one.

Only after a few slight disappointments in my choices (Sometime, I'm playing too easy and I find them too 'dull'), and also after adding steel bracelets options, I've ended up with straps in the drawer as you have. And now I've started to mix and match regularly the bracelets. And yes this is fun and a nice way to enjoy a collection.

And just to put some pics, here is a pair of seiko I've been playing with a lot lately in 18mm:

Basically they go along very well with a lot of 18mm straps I have as they can take many colors, or type of leathers.

Spruce · Jan 19, 2023

Mind you, you could put that hi-beat on a piece of gaffer tape and it would still look good 😀

noless · Jan 19, 2023

I feel you, this chronostop came to me on a rather sorry if original black leather omega strap.

This NATO fits it just so perfectly, now I really gotta get around to servicing it so I can actually wear it...

Spruce · Jan 19, 2023

And these arrived in today’s post … gonna have fun 😀

__ryan__ · Jan 19, 2023

I agree that the strap is an important part of the package, and can really change the feel of the watch. I tend to gravitate toward lighter tans with warm tones, because (to me) it's just a happy color.

As mentioned by @YYTIN, once I find the one, I'm less inclined to swap it out. But always open to improvement.

wagudc · Jan 20, 2023

I am having fun with red.

YYTIN · Jan 21, 2023

wagudc
I am having fun with red.

Really nice,
I've a similar idea here... but obviously not as clean as yours : the white is off-white and the red is reddish brown leather 😀

hen · Jan 21, 2023

Yes but no but yes but no!

I had to take of the bracelet as it was too tight because of over eating during the holidays. Witch did not lift my spirits. But...

I put it on a black nato witch goes really good with the dial. So my spirits where lifted again, until I noticed my belly sticking out.

High Hope · Jan 21, 2023

straps and bracelets, I can never have enough!

wagudc · Jan 21, 2023

YYTIN
Really nice,
I've a similar idea here... but obviously not as clean as yours : the white is off-white and the red is reddish brown leather 😀

I think you have done well here, the brighter red strap would not match your dial. I think the red-brown works well with the cream and red numbers.

cristos71 · Jan 21, 2023

OMG I'm with you all, I've got so many straps and bracelets I could maybe open a shop, certainly a small market stall!

Marte · Jan 22, 2023

Yep a new strap can really scratch an itch and save you from a new watch purchase. Well at least for a few months.

kaplan · Jan 22, 2023

I feel you too, but I miss the feeling

I really enjoyed my Stowa pilot, it matched whatever you threw at it, and at 20mm, options were endless, I feel like for dress Omega's, impossible to find such quality around $15 - you have to exceed $50 or get lucky - sold the watch when I switched to Omega's and practically gifted 20 straps with it, it sold for like $500 net, one of my worst sales 🙁 😀

These days I have my eye set on this, to pair it with an 18mm gilt dial Seamaster, yet it's too rich for my blood now 😁

Spruce · Jan 22, 2023

I’m not sure I agree with you about paying $50 for a decent strap for a dress watch (particularly given the number of changes I ring) 😀.

Both of these straps were about £7.50 on eBay - I think they look fine on a dress watch although I accept that others may not agree.

kaplan · Jan 22, 2023

I'd suggest this store: https://www.aliexpress.com/store/1025032

You can go 2-4x the quality for 1-2x the price

Cheapest Nato Straps is also pretty awesome: https://cnswatchbands.com/ - these days cheaper than China - around $7-8 per piece when there are discounts and lots of options

But these are mostly thick straps, your strap is pretty thick for the C-Case in my opinion too, when you go thinner, prices go up up up 😀

Also always hard to find a grey strap with no other colours in it 😁

__ryan__ · Jan 22, 2023

kaplan
I really enjoyed my Stowa pilot, it matched whatever you threw at it

I enjoyed my Stowa as well, and agree that it pairs well with many straps. Here's a dark green single-pass made by our own @Duracuir1. Unfortunately, I don't wear this one all too much anymore and should probably consider moving it on. But I'm keeping the strap 😁.

kaplan · Jan 22, 2023

I had better recommendations back in the day, a seller had an overstock of NOS JB straps, when he had them in stock they were $1-5 - now that he's out of business, they became $30 a piece and hard to find

Changing straps really can lift your spirits ….

Spruce

YYTIN

Spruce

noless

Spruce

ryan

wagudc

YYTIN

hen

High Hope

wagudc

cristos71

Marte

kaplan

Spruce

kaplan

ryan

kaplan

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