Having recently developed a renewed interest in NATO straps, I thought I'd do a bit of research to see when they first appeared. But the information I'm finding is either incomplete or plain wrong, because all the sites I've found - including this one and this one) talk about them originating in 1973. However, I know for a fact that they existed before that, because when my father retired from the RAF in 1964 he gave me his Navigator's chronometer - a Lemania single pusher on, you guessed it, a grey nylon NATO strap. So although the MOD standard may have been introduced in 1973, the straps were definitely in use prior to that - but I can't seem to find any reference to them in the '60s. Anyone have any clues or thoughts?
Try before WW2 as many trench/military watches had fixed bars as a prerequisite. Have seen original NATOs on many military watches over the years. ( I think ) Set here all have fixed springbars and are on NOS canvas straps. ( not sure they are technically NATOs but others will know ) calling @RCAFBuster for some education as they are he's watches below https://omegaforums.net/threads/fs-complete-set-www-dirty-dozen.25048/
I think what we're saying is that "style" of strap may have existed since well before WW2 but it can't technically be called a "NATO" strap if it was made before April 1949 (when the Treaty itself was signed)..... Was there a NATO standard in existence before the MOD standard was issued?
There are sites that hold free downloads of thousands of U S Army manuals and specification sheets for just about any issued items. If you can dig up specs for the USAF Navigator watches used by B-52 crews you might find the numbers for bands and such and go from there. Navigating those sites is tedious. I'm still trying to find instructions on how to lace my survival kit mukluks. Found everything about them but lacing instructions or images of a laced pair. This site has some interesting info on the NATO Strap. https://gearpatrol.com/2017/12/06/icon-nato-strap/ Apparently the NATO strap as we know it was settled on around 1973 but Sean Connery wore a near identical strap on his Submariner in the 1964 film "Goldfinger". I suspect then that the strap is a simple evolution of an already commercially produced band intended for use by divers.
Here's an interesting article on the history of issued straps - https://thespringbar.com/blogs/guides/the-nato-strap
Interesting article - thanks for posting. I have still yet to see an example of the type of strap that was on Dad's watch - it was for all intents and purposes what we know today as the "classic" NATO strap, made of nylon, and I remember the holes appeared to have been punched with a hot needle, because they were "cauterized" but nowhere near as neatly as today's ultrasonic technology. And it definitely wasn't what we now call a Zulu strap, because I remember wondering at the time what that second strap behind the watch was for.
" I have still yet to see an example of the type of strap that was on Dad's watch " Could it have been a strap hand made by someone who had access to scrap nylon straps used for parachutes or other equipment? it was fairly common for non standard items such as customized knife sheaths and such to be cobbled together by skilled craftsmen among the ground crews. Some later standard equipment started out that way.
If this screen cap is correct the band is a one piece striped nylon band slightly too narrow for the lugs.
Gah, got it wrong. I thought I remembered it correctly, but not quite. It is not a two-piece strap, but it is not what we'd call a NATO strap either. There are no metal keepers for the ends, nor does it fold back. The 16mm look on a Submariner thankfully went out of fashion! Source
We were both right it appears there were two watches worn in Gold finger or the same watch with two different bands. The watch worn during the scenes at Fort Knox had a two piece band. The nylon band is described as an "RAF band". The watch with the RAF Band was also worn in "Thunderball".
I've found a band much like this one on Amazon described as an RAF band, and found that a very similar cloth band was in use by the U S Army at about the same time. Could it be that this was an earlier pattern of RAF band, basically no different from previous bands other than the material and perhaps the stripes?
I supposed that's possible, though I seem to remember it was quite well made. Gah, I could kick myself for tossing it out when I did.
