Choosing the right watch band: Our advice

A watch is nothing without its band, at least for our modern watches. The band is all too often neglected, nevertheless, a large part of your watch and remains much more than a simple accessory allowing you to hold your watch on your wrist. .

We will present to you some types of bands with their uses and specificities and will give you some advice to best select your future band!

 

The different types of bands:

For your convenience, we have divided the bands into 4 families: sport, leather, steel and vintage.
These 4 families will give your watch a special look, so let’s discover them together in more detail.

"Sport" bands

This category includes rubber or fabric bands . It could also include metal bands because they perfectly match this function, but for simplicity we decided to put them aside.

These bands are generally designed to resist water, heat, cold, humidity, etc. They give a “sporty” look to your watch but also become very useful depending on your hobbies. We find various types of bands.

Natos : These bands are made of nylon canvas and are particularly resistant. They come in various colors and are starting to be fitted to city watches! It was originally a special order from the British Ministry of Defense in the 1970s. The strap met demanding specifications.

Rubber / Tropics : In appearance, these bands are similar to leather bands but are made of... rubber! They are very resistant, adhere well to the skin and especially to diving suits.

Rope/canvas bands : We could include nato bands in this category, but we have selected wider bands in which the links are clearly visible. They are made of ropes that can be recovered to be used for various reasons, ideal for adventurers and survivalists!

 

" Leather" bands

In this category, we find all types of leather bands. Much more elegant and minimalist, these bands are the most classic. Although some prefer fairly thin metal bands, they still adorn the vast majority of “Dress watches” or “dress watches”.
It's not easy to find the ideal band given the variety of possible finishes. Between the colors, the stitching, the materials, the sizes, etc. the idea is not to describe all the leather variations but the 3 most common types of finishes.

Vegan leather bands : These bands are generally made from fruit or vegetable fibers, some are made from apples, pineapples or even corn like our bands at Gustave & Cie.

Stitched or non-stitched leather bands : The difference between these two bands is the external appearance: one has visible seams and the other is only glued.

Smooth or textured finish : Some skins like alligator or salmon are embossed while cowhide will be smooth. It is still possible to give a design to cowhide leather and imitate a crocodile pattern for example. These finishes drastically change the appearance of your watch.

 

"Steel" bands

These bands are versatile and can infiltrate each category. Thanks to the metal, they are particularly resistant but can remain elegant! They are also widely used in high jewelry for women's watches for example.

“Thick” bands : Straps often used on diving watches before the invention of nato or rubber bands. They are particularly wide and offer a style all their own.

Thin bands : These bands are discreet and can drastically change the look of a watch. Thin bands are very suitable for steel cases. One of the best known examples is the Milanese mesh band.

“Jewelry” bands : They are generally made of gold and have no links. They were widely used for women’s watches.

 

"Vintage" bands

We are entering the vintage category which is making a big comeback. These bands had various finishes as well as their designs. So, here are some examples!

Bands made from a single piece of leather : These usually have a single seam on either side of the band just below the clasp. They are once again particularly sought after by watch enthusiasts.

The perforated bands : These are the ancestors of sports bands, their holes were made to evacuate perspiration more easily and to dry faster. The bands with smaller holes were pilot bands reminiscent of the finishes of their leather seats

Bund bands : These bands were very popular, giving an aviator look. Like the nato bands, they were created on a German military order for its pilots.

Embossed bands : These bands are also making a comeback. These are bands with foam or rubber inside, thus forming a relief. For example, the band below on the right has a sort of rubber cable inside and thus forms this design.

The band you need?

Now that you know the majority of bands on the market, choose one that has a style that suits you.

If you don't know what to take, opt for the classic and timeless: the leather band. These bands will be perfect for a first watch or simply to dress up your watch without taking any risks.
If you have the possibility, opt for an interchangeable bands!

Interchangeable?

And yes, now some bands are interchangeable. They are equipped with a system that allows you to change them quickly and thus change the look of your entire watch in a few seconds. These bands are the most suitable if you do not have a large number of watches. You can thus adapt your watch to each outfit or occasion!

 

Each band gives a different style to your watch, it can be sporty, adventurous or even chic. If you know the type of band you like, you just have to choose the color, otherwise opt for an interchangeable band, you will not get tired of it and can vary at will without asking your watchmaker for help!