On the Wrist: Choosing the Best Watch Strap Designs for You

Let’s begin with some general history about watch straps.

Men did not wear watches on their wrists up until the early 1800s. Watchmakers designed watches in a way where men wore pocket timepieces and women wore wristwatches.

By the late 1800s, when the two Boers Wars in South Africa occurred, this gender differentiation in consumer watches had begun to shift. Due to the hot weather in South Africa during the Boers Wars, soldiers could not wear pocket watches, so troopers improvised a crude leather strap to hold their “male” pocket watches to their wrists.

Because soldiers were required to wear their watches on their wrists, watchmakers created “masculine” wristwatches with metallic straps rather than “feminine” leather straps.

Metal bracelets are available in a variety of metals, styles, and finishes. Metals used range from bare stainless steel to valuable metals such as white gold or platinum and yellow gold for luxury or jewellery watches.

The Best Watch Strap Designs

1. Oyster Bracelet

The ‘oyster’ moniker was given to this bracelet design by Rolex developers about diving or water-resistant watch cases manufactured in the 1930s. Several watch manufacturers currently use various versions of the Oyster bracelet—and many people associate the design with watches.

Rolex’s Oyster bracelet is the most casual bracelet used to fit its field or professional/sports watches. The Oyster bracelet is used in the Submariner, Sea Dweller, Yacht-Master, Daytona, Air King, and Explorer watches.

Several design changes over the years have resulted in the current version, which has solid links and a robust clasp to provide secure attachment to the wrist, and some have a system to adjust the length quickly.

The Oyster bracelet is one of the most long-lasting metal bracelets available in the watch industry. The large links settle more proportionately on a more oversized watch, but they can also look great on a smaller one. 

2. Jubilee Bracelet

The Jubilee metal bracelet was first introduced in 1945 to mark Rolex’s 40th anniversary, and it has remained substantially unchanged ever since.

The Jubilee was later offered in two-tone gold and stainless steel and with sports watch versions like the GMT Master. Along with the exquisite Rolex Datejust luxury timepiece in pure gold, Rolex unveiled the Jubilee bracelet.

When worn on a wristwatch, the Jubilee bracelet draws attention to the dial’s centre, reducing the watch’s footprint. The strap can also be worn to complement perfectly with a Seiko SKX dial. 

Two-tone versions heighten the illusion, especially when the central links are different from the watch shell. The pins that hold each link together expand and loosen over time, eventually stretching past the wearer’s natural wrist size.

Conclusion

Naturally, personal preferences are a critical thing to consider when selecting a watch and its band. If you enjoy the aesthetic of a metal watch band, your search is over.

When it comes to personal expression with watches, you have many options, and your strap choice is just one of them. Wearing a high-quality metal strap communicates to the world that you take business seriously and understand how to dress appropriately for any situation. It’s a fantastic match for virtually any timepiece.

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