Not long ago I was working at the computer when the leather strap on my 18ct gold vintage Eterna popped open without warning. Luckily the arm rest was there and I was able to grab it with no damage done, but only an hour ago I was outdoors walking in the road and it could have been a lot worse.

I've never had a strap in seemingly good condition just pop open like that before without warning and I wondered if others have ever experienced this or are you changing straps every six months as a precaution. It looks like this one was only attached by glue and in future I'll look for straps with added stitching around those points.

 

Yikes. Thankfully I like straps with side stitching so no such worries but this is creepy.

 

Kinda a poster child for why cheap straps are “penny wise and pound foolish”.

 

You may well be right there. It was the strap that came with the watch when purchased from the previous seller. Naturally I'm relieved there was no damage, but if nothing else I hope this thread might encourage others to look carefully at their watch straps.

 

Maybe you had too tight.

 

I believe this was the original reason for the NATO style strap. I’m guessing it’s rather tight around your wrist?

 

No definitely not too tight. This one doesn't see a lot of wrist time, partly because it's 18ct gold and quite slim, so not something you would want to risk bashing.

 

Here is another shot of the watch with the same strap before it broke...

 

a nice watch deserving a better quality strap..

 

99% sure that is a Di-Modell strap. Not sure you will find much higher quality. All straps get old.

 

are glued ends a common feature on high quality leather straps? I ask because even my no-name, inexpensive leather, eBay-sourced straps are completely sewn at the lugs end... and the strap shown by the OP does not look too old/worn down...

 

I have never heard of massive failures on Di-Modell straps. Has anyone? They certainly glue the ends on some straps. And looking at the lining of the OPs strap I would say the strap is not only very well worn,but looks to be cracking and rotten.

 

neither do I, but looking at how that strap failed it becomes one too many for me to consider that type of construction - don’t want any of my watches to unexpectedly fly away from my wrist

 

but both straps shown here appear to be only glued....

hey! another reason to have multiple watches! daily rotation reduces stress/wear and tear on straps!

 

You can see what it is like here. It does show a bit more sign of wear now, but nevertheless this is a watch I normally wear no more than one or two days a month at most and it never goes near water or hostile environments, so it certainly wasn't abused.

 

I can’t see any stitching in them..

 

I think it's pretty clear there is stitching on the main part, but not on going through that flap which passes over the pin between the lugs. That glue has failed without warning.

 

thus my point..I get the construction idea of being both glued and stitched, but to only glue this section? does not make sense..