The thing with metal straps though, is that as your wrist expand, they'll get uncomfortably tight. If you then choose to have it looser, when your wrist shrinks, the low friction it has to the skin, will mean it then slides down under your wrist-bone every time your hand points downward. (Not the case with an equally loose rubber band or some nato's, which has a different friction to skin). Therefore I wear mine a bit tighter than the optimal comfort, which makes me long for a NATO a little bit :/ Metal also isn't good in extreme cold situations, it can lead to you freezing your hand off (not literally, but frostbite at least), but I guess most people don't have to deal with that... :P Nato straps seem to be the best casual all-rounder unless you dislike the look. There's a bit of a hidden problem though. They'll get smelly, and the smell will sneak up on you slowly. That way they won't really smell that bad or that much to you, while others will definitely notice. You need to have more than one, and put them on a regular washing cycle. Rubber can be more comfortable, long lasting, and good looking (as well as better smelling actually) than one might think at first. It's always on the sporty side in looks though. Leather is the most comfortable of all, looks the most classy, closely followed by metal. It doesn't stand up to the elements though. Which limits it to dressy types of watches if you have a sporty/adventurous lifestyle. I'd say that leaves rubber and NATOs as the optimal casual/sporty strap. Leather is the optimal casual/dressy strap. Metal is still the optimal "everything" strap, since it has both versatile looks and can withstand water/sweat. It is however flawed in comfort compared to the others IMO.
Thanks for the very detailed thoughts... I think I generally agree with all that. Only big difference for me is that my experience with metal is quite different in that I usually can find a nice length that is comfy for both cold and warm days, and doesn't slide excessively even when cold. Hence I gravitate towards metal.
Leather straps are my favorite due to comfort and design. Im okay with the others too, but the comfort just matters too much to me especially if I’m going to wear it for long hours.
I have leather and metal straps. In my personal opinion. Nylon or rubber straps just makes any watch look cheap and almost tacky. Although rubber would be better for divers or swimming. But leather and metal have a certain class look about them. Makes them more versatile. Can wear either for casual wear or smart wear. I also find a good leather strap to be very comfortable. All my leather straps are Italian calf leather. And are extremely comfortable! My metal bracelets are used for best occasions. Also I find rubber or nylon tend to be pretty uncomfortable for long periods of time.. And I find rubber the worse for sweat.
Thanks for that - I am inclined to agree with most of your thoughts there. Nylon can be made to look quite good I think, for example the Bond Spectre watch.
@@PerthWAtch as I said mate, its personal preference. Each to there own sort of thing. I guess I'm a lil old school. Leather and metal bracelets have always been my thing. Accept for when I was in the Forces, then it was G-shocks only lol
Leather on diving watches seems like a bad idea and I think it looks bad. I find the Oris rubber straps to be comfortable if not too tight. I think a quality metal bracelet looks the best, but poor quality bracelets are the worst.
Good point about poor quality bracelets - they really show their weaknesses! For diving leather, I agree it looks bad on many typical divers - Panerai is foremost for this I think, and they do look pretty good.
midnight here in NYC and had to check this channel after a day of neurosurgery, informative and relaxing which is your forte, i must say it gives me great pleasure to know your channel will register a well deserved milestone in about a day , my wife and i are so happy to see this happen, mush credit goes to your friends and pets the chickens who ensure that you are organically nourished , yes i prefer metal micro adjustment bands, best , V. Oliver Harmon MD
Thanks Oliver, always good to hear from you... and glad that I could provide some relaxing entertainment after a day of hard work! :) The 10K is indeed coming in the next couple of days... never dreamed I would have this much support!
I have used alot of resin when i was young. But they kept breaking. Ever since i got a full time job i swapped to metal. Best disition i ever made. Much more durable. I used 4 resin straps in only 2 years. Maby bad luck, maby i exposr them to hard conditions. But the metal i got is now already 2 year old. Only a few scraches, but no major defects. It works perfectly. The extra weight was something to get used to(took a few weeks). But the strenght and perfect fit so nice. And its doesnt stretch over time. I like the low maintenance. Rare thing in the watch communitie but i prefeur digital over analoge. Currently i use battery powered. But i am thinking about swaping to a solar powered one.
Thank you for sharing your experience there - I have to say my own concerns and record of wearing down resin straps is also partly what leads me to prefer metal :)
I really think they all look good. Right now I have my seiko samurai pepsi on a leather strap. Although lots of "enthusiasts" think it's not proper for a diver.. I love it for casual, non sporty wear. Il go silicon or nato for those situations.
Thanks for sharing that - yeah nothing wrong with swapping in a leather as you like. Some leather are made for diving too (see Panerai) but of course practically speaking silicone or NATO would be better suited. Cheers!
@@PerthWAtch yes sir, to me as long as you love what's on your wrist (from a Timex or Patek.. leather, rubber, etc) and it makes you feel like a champ.. that's ALL that matters! Cheers!
The rather brilliant (for the price) titanium bracelet on my Citizen BN0200 is actually not that much heavier than the thick rubber strap (with a deployment clasp) I have as an alternative for it. Haven't weighed them, but as far as I can tell the watch feel about the exact same weight with both.
Indeed Titanium is a different beast here and puts a spin on the game. I guess I'm mainly referring to steel in the comparison, which makes up the vast majority of metal bracelets overall.
One factor not mentioned in favor of metal bracelets and particularly small wrists is the lack of a "tail" from the other types. I dislike floppy bits. :P That has been my rationale or perhaps rationalization in favor of bracelets almost exclusively in my collection. Bracelets can be a PITA to fit but only once. I have had springbar failure when I was rougher on my long retired Pogue long ago and an actual link failure with an Invicta and an impact more recently. That's been it in 40+ years.
Yeah that's an absolutely valid point, and something I did leave out, mainly as personally it hasn't been too big a deal for me apart from the odd ridiculously long strap. For those with smaller wrists than mine (my wrists are not huge at 17cm) it could be quite a nuisance I imagine.
metal bracelets myself, tho I'd like to try a Milanese or shark mesh. others just don't suit me at all. Particularly dislike the distressed leather with dire contrast stitching, especially on divers.Cheers👍
I like the look of bracelets, but they often basically double the weight of the watch. People mentioned that cheap bracelets can be uncomfortable - I'd argue it may be even worse with (too stiff) leather while even cheap NATOs/Zulus usually feel decent. THE most comfortable straps are certainly somewhere in the rubber camp, but they unfortunately don't work with every watch in terms of looks...
Thanks for sharing the thoughts. Stiff leather can definitely be uncomfortable. However as mentioned, nothing else (including rubber) beats quality leather for comfort.
I've got silicone. Metal is too tight or too loose! I hate those pop open adjustable vintage metals too... Leather sucks ass. Can't get it wet. Resin breaks and cracks after 2 years, pretty well known phenomenon, hence why Casios are "disposables" it's the strap that gives. Nylon is my preferred but cause I get wet alot, the chaffing on my wrist... Silicone softness and stickiness rids the chaffing and fit problem. Idk we have bakeware that's pretty old that held up fine, including tears and decay. You can rip silicone super easy though. Especially near the lug area. Mine has been weird cause it's not really a lint magnet, at all... Metal feels the best though. Especially solid links with a 2x security deployment clasp
Let's see, rubber, great on tires. Leather, great on cows. Nylon, tents. Silicone, weather sealing. That g shock material, good glue. That leaves stainless steel. We have a winner stainless steel. As for a NATO strap, in general too bulky, it hooks on everything.
My head says that dive watches should always have bracelets or rubber straps, but my collection says otherwise. Recently had a hand made ostrich strap made for my Victorinox Nite Vision, and that really is a bit special. That's a big thanks to Steveo straps. If your prepared to wait for the delivery, the value is from China. Bought a bund leather strap for my Hamilton Khaki King from China for £14. The quality of the strap is so good it would cost in excess of £100 from a UK supplier. LOL, the strap on your Invicta is worth more than the watch.
I would say bracelet, dive rubber, or NATO. Thanks for sharing those other experiences, and yep, that leather strap does indeed cost more than the watch!
great review as usual! i like to try different types of straps--all that you mention, as well as variables in each category--you favourite watch could have several different metal bracelets(metal my preference-durable and cleanable) or several natos etc.
I prefer a bracelet on a black dial watch with a matt black metal bezel. This goes with my black leather jacket. I only wear my Seagull Ocean Star now. Suits my comfortably depressed personality. I hate natos. I hate hardlex. I hate Seiko skx. My spare watch is my black scuba dude dial Vostok Amphibia with the ministry 710 case on its original metal bracelet. If I have to wear a suit I wear my beautiful Seagull m186s automatic with the domed Sapphire chrystal. It has a lovely old parchment colored dial, a signed onion crown on a reddish brown leather strap. 38.5mm dial. Very elegant. My most accurate watch at minus 4 seconds a day. For family events I wear my 1954 gold Omega on a vintage 14k gold Bonklip bracelet. Very comfortable. A bit small at 35mm. Although I see more people with smaller watches on these days. I am 73 and having these lovely watches makes me feel great.
Awesome range of choices and models there Neil, thanks for sharing that, and about your preferences for bracelets and straps. I had to smile at "comfortably depressed personality" :)
Always liked leather but it never held up to my lifestyle. I feel like contrary to some opinions, I feel like stainless bracelets are more formal and seem dressier because of their shiny, jewelery like appearance
Steel bracelets are definitely more "blingy" but that doesn't make it more formal. A glittering jacket would be absolutely inappropriate for black-tie, and steel bracelets likewise are considered so.
For (hot) summer they're the best for breathability. Probably as good as NATOs if a pin fails? I then go for ( cheap, but fine) marine nationale type straps for security as NATOs' method of dealing with the excess material does my head in.
@@PerthWAtch What do you think about experimental solutions such as the GWF-A1000XC from Gshock? It has a resin bracelet with carbon fiber. It should be more breathable compared to normal resin but way lighter compared to the metal bracelet. I am just worried about how much abuse it can take before the springbars chew into the resin. I am on the fence getting that watch. What do you think?
I’ve reviewed ones with the CF hybrid type resin straps, might even have seen a Kevlar one. I don’t see how it is more breathable - pretty much the same I think. Adds durability but otherwise same feel and proposes.
@@PerthWAtch Oh I might messed up my comment. Let me make it clear. The new frogman has a bracelet from carbon fiber links connected with spring bars. It looks like an oyster bracelet made out of carbon fiber instead of metal. What do you think about its durability in theory?
I am loving the bracelet on my Ball Fireman. However, spicing it up with a well matched NATO does have appeal. I find myself always changing my mind (and the strap). :)
@@PerthWAtch Well iirc they were specifically designed for rough tough underwater use. They are tank-like while still drying and comparably impervious to the elements. At the same time they, if used correctly, take off most if not all strain from the spring bars by passing all forces through the lower strap and even if a spring bar should fail the watch head remains on your wrist. No other strap type offers that amount of designed resilience, the closest contenders are the Nato strap and three ring Zulu. Metal bracelets look tough, probably are tough, but essentially every single bar is a potential point of failure that, when it breaks, usually will lead to the loss of the entire watch. Even with a metal mesh it still has two points of failure in the spring bars that, if only one breaks, will lead to the loss of the watch. Is spring bar failure something that happens often? Most likely not. But it does happen often enough that it is a point of concern when resilience is concerned and, anecdotally, it has happened to me, too. Thankfully my watch was on a Nato strap that time.
Metal is a bit of a large category. Rvs, gold, silver, titanium. They al have different caracteristics, and price tags. Also a new player on the block. Carbon fiber.
Yes you're right, although I only ever had the chance to try stainless steel and titanium. For most of my viewers it seems gold and silver are far less relevant. CF I have never even seen, let alone have a chance to try.
@@PerthWAtch well. It comes down to preference. Titanium is the strongest an can be made lighter. Rvc is tough and cheap. Gold and silver are softer metals but also very anti corrosive, and unreactive(good for sensitive skin). And more expensif. Some people want expensif. But if you only care about spec. Rvs and titanium are the onces to pick. Altough i have seen hybrides. Where it is rvs with gold stripes.
No a bad summary. I would say metal bracelet works good all the time also. NATO not so good if you need to dry off after getting it wet (e.g. changing into formals).
For my experience, metal has never been comfortable. But it is definitely the most durable of the bunch. Rubber straps I've got mixed feelings on. Some rubber straps are comfortable and pretty breathable as some have a perforated design but as I live in a humid environment, they don't tend to last very long and some of them make my wrist smell bad even though i thoroughly clean them once in a while. Then I had a seiko rubber strap and that one hurt like hell, hate it. I gave it some time to break in but it still felt the same. Leather is the best comfort wise, but yeah, they don't last very long. I'm thinking of getting a nato strap, heard it gets dirty but I clean my straps anyway so it might be not that much of a chore.
The thing with metal straps is that you need to get the good quality ones or it will ruin the watch. I had a metal bracelet watch that cost around £150 once and I didn't really like it. It felt too light, cheap, too shiny, and made that terrible plastic colliding noise. I like wearing leather watches now.
@@PerthWAtch To be honest I don't even know 😂. I got it on a massive sale and I remember I literally returned the watch like 2 or 3 times until I just stuck with it. One time the bezel just popped off, most of the time the strap would just...detach, and all of the time the strap was always weak, fragile and loose. I guess they just gave away broken watches 🤷. I'm more into leather/any comfortable animal skin strap watches now, especially the Patek Phillipe 5980r-001. Incase you were wandering the watch brand is "Andre Belfort".
I miss canvas and silk straps. Leather = vintage or dress watches. Metal = dress or heavy watches or extrem heavy divers . But only If I can change the lenght quick without a tool. Zulu = big divers. Nato = small diver. Canvas and silk = for small summer watches.
Thanks for those summary thoughts, you have a clear logic there. Yeah I wish I had canvas for compare, but none of the watches I have been interested in come with that option, nor is it sold very commonly by strap companies. Silk - now that I have never seen!
@@PerthWAtch Yes, silk straps are very hard to find. I saw some in a shop in Venice last summer. There were also straps with a mix of leather and silk. They all were marked with - made in japan - . They all had a little female touch with nice flower printings. Colours were light blue, light green, yellow, pink and white. By the way, at the Art Deco period, velvet was also a material for straps at female watches.
I kinda lump them under metal but you’re right, they are kinda their own category. When well made can be very comfy but poorer made ones tend to catch hair and can be annoying.
I'm torn over leather and metal. For smart casual to formal. I want one good watch with versatility rather than several lower quality watches for specific occasions. I hope someone throws their cents in, coz I have no idea...
@@PerthWAtch Whole unit. I have the dark brown one. Bought mine directly from the sentai seller www.amazon.com/dp/B075R4DNZV/ref=cm_sw_r_em_apa_i_pHKoFbY15Q3VJ
You can tell a lot by a mans watch bracelet. If its rubber/silicone. he's packing a glock. If its SS, he's got a 1911. one has class, the other has durability.
NATO for the comfort, i dont like the glas or metal on my wirst. It gets sweaty over the time and i will get Irritation on my Skin. But Metal hast the cooler Look.
@@johnreggie7797 you think I don't work for a living? I'm 28, working a full time job. kids these days... give my a break. Maybe there is factors such as being overweight that makes a person to sweat a lot. I'm very skinny so my wrist is dry most of the time even carrying boxes all day.
Ark calm down there guy, it was just a joke. Well kinda. If you have ever done any real hard labor work outside in the sun, inevitably I guarantee your wrists will sweat. Lol
Driving in Cali weather already makes my wrist sweat and my skin gets irritated with stainless steel. I try to wear steel bracelet only when it's cooler.
1) leather straps suck....cant go to beach and wear your watch 2) either waterborne or apollo dive strap If not, wear stainless steel and call it a day
Yes you're right, not all are directly taken from Casio but undoubtedly the inspiration for the resin (not sure if it's really resin or just rubber) has to be attributed to Casio.
Metal bracelet best for looks but clearly the most expensive Stainless Steel, Yellow Gold,White Gold, Rose Gold, Platinum. Leather generally more comfortable as its more flexible. Rubber, Silicone, Nylon and Resin if you have several watches in your selection ,have a Rubber, Silicone, Nylon or Resin as l don't think there good as every days watches they will fall apart.
@@PerthWAtch I dont really like the way they look. Especially the striped ones. But given i havent seen one in person or tried one on, they may look better in person:)
I think some of the striped designs are really quite tacky... hence I've stuck to more demure colours like the one I showed here. My biggest issue with them is the lift they give to the case off the wrist, which is accentuated if you already have a thick case.
Depends on the material I think - the cheap and nasty ones are a bit of luck of the draw... but going up to $30 odd price range you get better material with much more consistently, and they are indeed comfortable. When you get to Omega or Tudor level they feel almost like silk!
