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NATO straps - UK

AlphaToOmega
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Who sells the best NATO straps in the UK, that are not Omega branded? Want to buy a couple and can't seem to be able to work out which company to go for as there seem to be so many options. Keen to know if there is a majority view.
 
stevec14
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I’ve bought loads of NATO’s over the years and they’ve all been fairly poor - aside from the omega ones, which are the only ones I’ve kept.

I’d buy one of those over 10 others any day of the week.

watch gecko sell some ok ones however if that’s what you are looking for.
 
AlphaToOmega
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stevec14 stevec14
I’ve bought loads of NATO’s over the years and they’ve all been fairly poor - aside from the omega ones, which are the only ones I’ve kept.

I’d buy one of those over 10 others any day of the week.

watch gecko sell some ok ones however if that’s what you are looking for.
At ten times the cost of most the Omega option begins to make sense using your experience. Surely somebody makes/sells a quality option at a more acceptable price point?
 
madjestikmoose
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AlphaToOmega AlphaToOmega
At ten times the cost of most the Omega option begins to make sense using your experience. Surely somebody makes/sells a quality option at a more acceptable price point?

If there is, I’ve yet to find them. I’ve tried various brands over the years but frankly the cheap and shitty ones ended up making my watch look cheap and shitty, so they all got binned. The Omega ones are the only ones I’ve kept.
 
AlphaToOmega
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rootbeer7 rootbeer7
I like Phoenix who made the original ones and still do. Find them on eBay.
I like the colours and the weave but are the holes fraying? This is the type of thing I am looking to avoid.
 
AlphaToOmega
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I was hoping someone would mention CWC NATO straps. Has anyone had any experience of them? From my research they seem to come up positively but would like to hear a few more experiences with their straps before I go down that route.
 
SkunkPrince
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340pd 340pd
CWC NATO straps are made by Phoenix
Interesting, I was told they didn't. I ordered a grey one and got black with flat black hardware. They are allegedly sending a new one.
 
340pd
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My mistake, they SELL Phoenix natos on their web site. 😵‍💫
 
rootbeer7
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AlphaToOmega AlphaToOmega
I like the colours and the weave but are the holes fraying? This is the type of thing I am looking to avoid.
They are slightly, but for me that’s part of their charm!!
 
AlphaToOmega
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340pd 340pd
My mistake, they SELL Phoenix natos on their web site. 😵‍💫
Ok, didn't realise that. I noted they are both sold on the same site but thought CWC sold Phoenix straps whilst also having a line of own label straps.
 
AlphaToOmega
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340pd 340pd
My mistake, they SELL Phoenix natos on their web site. 😵‍💫
Ah, just noted your 2nd message. You might be right though. It isn't clear.
 
AlphaToOmega
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SkunkPrince SkunkPrince
Interesting, I was told they didn't. I ordered a grey one and got black with flat black hardware. They are allegedly sending a new one.
I'd be interested to hear your views on the CWC strap when you get it?
 
zwjk
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Phenomenato in my opinion is the closest to OEM Omega. Not in the UK and there’s quite a long lead time for these.

Try Crown & Buckle or Cincy Watch too.
 
AlphaToOmega
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zwjk zwjk
Phenomenato in my opinion is the closest to OEM Omega. Not in the UK and there’s quite a long lead time for these.

Try Crown & Buckle or Cincy Watch too.
Thank you for your suggestions. Not come across Phonomenato before but they look great quality. Have you bought a few of theirs in the past? How do they stand up to wear and tear?
 
zwjk
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AlphaToOmega AlphaToOmega
Thank you for your suggestions. Not come across Phonomenato before but they look great quality. Have you bought a few of theirs in the past? How do they stand up to wear and tear?

Yes, I own a few. I have had them for over two years now and not one fray.
 
SkunkPrince
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AlphaToOmega AlphaToOmega
I'd be interested to hear your views on the CWC strap when you get it?
IMG_0669.jpeg


Three G10 straps. At top is the Phoenex, in the middle is Maratac, what I consider "the best" of what I have personally handled, and CWC at bottom.

As you can see, all three have a different weave. The Maratac has more holes that are more closely spaced. Ring placement is mostly the same. Those of you with sharp eyes will notice a 20mm Omega buckle in the Phoenix strap. They all wear similarly, and my complaint applies to all of these straps, so far, except the orange Maratac, which I have washed, which maybe says I should wash them all. They're somewhat stiff, and slide around on my wrist in ways that annoy me. But overall, I think I prefer the Maratac.
 
KPIE
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A quick bump on this thread as it relates to the same topic.

I recently bought a 60s SMDV off of @Sturmvogel (pics, feedback posts, updated avatar picture etc. all pending!) and, as I intend it for a daily wearer, am really keen to put a NATO on it (specifically a blue grey one).

I went into the Omega Boutique on Old Bond Street to get some advice. I was sure I'd read on this forum (thinking in particular of this thread and the brief strap discussion on @Revo 's entertaining welcome thread here https://omegaforums.net/threads/considering-a-vintage-seamaster.130269/page-3) that it was possible to put a 1m wider strap on a vintage watch if you used curved spring bars. My watch has 18mm lug width, and the smallest Omega offering is 19-20mm.

The attendant pretty much dismissed this out of hand, despite me trying a few different angles. So, that was a bit of a dead end.

Obviously the various offerings from CWC et. al. mentioned here come in 18mm. But I do like the idea of getting a proper Omega one.

Can anyone advise whether the attendant was mistaken, if I should try and sort it all out myself (i.e. buy the strap and some curved bars if I can get them) or opt for another brand (if my heart is set on a NATO!)

KP
 
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