Great stuff, just to clarify 2 points, when in the military, if we didn’t tuck the excess ‘inside’ as you correctly demonstrated, the drill instructor would tear you apart… clean and tidy it has to be! Also, the ‘understrapping’ by using a thinner strap in wider lugs is an historic feature, as the Royal Navy dive watches were all 20mm lugs, but the only width NATO was an 18mm.. real men still understrap 😉
Something we were taught was to place the watch-head towards the fixed keepers (not centered) so that the bottom side of the wrist is flat, or only has one nylon strap over it. Logic behind this was to prevent getting snagged/caught up while crawling around or reaching in a pocket. Sweet vintage rolex btw too!! 5517? “Due to batch webbing dye procedure and also some computer monitors do not give a true colour rendition, the shade of the strap may vary from that shown in photograph. Buckles are stainless steel but may vary being either one piece wire buckle or springbar type”
Hey - Great video. Just to nerd out a little more, the different colours in the Phoenix straps is due to the dyeing process. Dyeing the nylon (old school method) was not an exact science & each batch could come out slightly different. I run a watch strap store & we stocked Phoenix from 2010-2018, it was a nice quirk between batches & dark admiralty grey was gorgeous. These are the OG of Nato straps & the owner a true gent.
Original Nato strap MOD UK spec also called for heat sealed joints only with no stitching. That together with the chrome plated brass hardware and the no spring bar buckle type are giveaway signs of military issue. . I believe too that Admiralty grey and 19mm width was the original one size fits all.
I’ve used these exclusively since I got my 5513 20 years ago (have never once used the bracelet) but I now prefer the single pass over the “authentic” with the keeper.
I've see the one with single layer called as "RAF strap". The main difference between ZULU strap and NATO strap is the use of two (metal) loop's in the end the short strap of ZULU, that allow use as "D" lock. I've see a commentary saying that ZULU type was create for overcame a US seller trickery, who register "NATO strap" as their brand name, and start and started charging royalties if anyone wanted to sell a NATO strap in the USA. So another manufacture create the ZULU strap, with thicker hardware and 4 loops - not counting the buckle; instead three of the NATO.
Back in my day the keeper style watch straps were something to do with RM SBS swimboards. The watch was fixed to a board along with a compass and the strap became more secure to the board with this feature?
