For all the wizardry watch companies put into their timepieces鈥攅xotic case materials, unique functions, innovative movements鈥攖he real magic is often in the bands. Wristwatches began replacing pocket watches during the first World War, when pilots and infantryman found advantages in being able to read the time with a quick glance. Ever since then, bands have evolved. Leather straps, metal bracelets, and fabric bands have all been used to hold watches securely, comfortably, and attractively. Some straps were born out of specific needs, like fitting over a diving suit or protecting the wrist from burns. But today, with the wristwatch largely a stylish accessory, straps have become a way to set a watch apart.
While the aftermarket strap business is booming, watch companies have upped their game, and some of the highest-quality straps and bands come on watches right from the factory. Here are five of the best.
Seiko Prospex Automatic Diver SRPC44聽($525)
As a scuba diver descends below the surface, water pressure compresses her neoprene wetsuit sleeve, which can cause a tight watch strap to become loose on the wrist. In 1975, Seiko introduced a simple but effective solution for this problem: a rubber strap with accordion-like ripples that can be pulled tight on the surface but then take up the slack as the water pressure increases. Other brands followed Seiko鈥檚 lead, but the Japanese brand still makes the best rubber straps and they鈥檝e become a bit of a calling card for the company鈥檚 dive watches. The strap on the is the latest version, made from a rubber and silicone blend that is supple yet durable鈥攁nd ready to go deep.
Tudor Black Bay 58 ($3,250)
In the 1970s, French military divers improvised straps for their issued Tudor watches by using excess elastic webbing from reserve parachute packs and crudely sewing it together. Tudor has improved on the concept, using jacquard fabric woven in the same factory that makes robes for the Vatican while keeping the telltale central stripe of those old parachute straps. The result is a that鈥檚 treads the line between tactical and luxurious.
Mido Multifort Escape Horween – leather ($1,090)
Chicago鈥檚 Horween tannery produces perhaps the world鈥檚 best known leather, which has a reputation for a lustrous finish and excellent durability (NFL footballs are made from the stuff). Mido offers a of its Multifort Escape with two interchangeable Horween leather straps, one a smooth brown version that sets off nicely against the watch鈥檚 gunmetal finish, and the other, a rugged black strap with the same pebbled texture as the old pigskin.
Omega Seamaster Ploprof聽($9,700)
A big, bold watch needs a big, bold strap, and , short for Plongeur Professionel (鈥減rofessional diver鈥 en fran莽ais) is perhaps the biggest and boldest of them all. Originally developed for commercial divers, the Ploprof can be worn with a strap made from what looks like a knight鈥檚 chain mail, a woven metal that Omega calls sharkproof mesh. This band is finished off with a folding clasp that ratchets out to a full 26 millimeters of adjustability for fitting over a diving suit. If you run into sharks鈥 聽well, at least your wrist will be safe.
Victorinox INOX Mechanical ($795)
And now for something completely different. Yes, Victorinox Swiss Army has created , which is actually a thin flexible veneer of sustainably sourced wood cross-hatched to match the hobnail pattern of the watch鈥檚 dial. There鈥檚 no telling how well the strap will hold up long term but it鈥檚 sure to be a conversation starter, if not a bit of kindling in a pinch.