![]() ![]() Some men find this extra material between your wrist and the watch too bulky. ![]() The extra step is said to help prevent the watch from moving, no doubt a failsafe artifact from the military. The main nylon strap is extra long, and is worn by slipping it behind the watch (instead of the ends) before wearing it on your wrist. Traditional NATO straps are notorious for being a bit “overkill”. The tactical, military style can be too much of a contrast with a suit and tie. However, for your $400 Apple Watch (which is already polarizing enough), it’ll give you some cool tactical vibes. Putting a nylon strap on a Rolex ala Sean Connery’s Bond can be a polarizing move. Like a lot of menswear, the NATO strap watch band originates from the military. The tactical military band: The IWC Mark 11 NATO strap If you want to keep it classic, I recommend a black or brown croc strap with a silver or gold metal buckle.Ĭourtesy of IWC 4. My client’s also loved the ability to choose different buckle options. Hadley is the only brand I’ve seen offer real croc straps ($133) along with a much more affordable gator-embossed cowskin option ($63). The Cartier Tank croc straps are also finished with a more “invisible” tone-on-tone edge stitching, creating a cleaner, elegant look. Just check out Muhammad Ali rocking one with a white t-shirt. Style is great forĭespite its dressier appearance, the style surprisingly works especially well with casual looks. Thanks to its signature rectangular design, the Cartier Tank’s aesthetic vibe translates well to the Apple Watch. Seen on the wrist of men like Muhammed Ali to Andy Warhol, the Cartier Tank with a croc strap is my all-time favorite watch. For any other situation that might require you to dress up a bit, nothing tops the look of a croc strap on a watch (including your Apple.) I don’t recommend you sporting your Apple Watch when you’re rocking a tux. The dressy leather band: The Cartier Tank leather croc band Bandwerk only lists 40mm and 44mm, but will ship you a 42mm band adapter.Ĭourtesy of Cartier 3. Note: If you own a 42mm Apple Watch, make sure you note that in your order. That tells me they know their stuff when it comes to leatherwork! The ability to add a butterfly clasp is a nice option. The quality of the leather was top-notch.īandwerk also chose Gütermann thread, an extremely nice quality thread that I preferred when I designed leather jackets. (Cheaper brands will use thinner threads for the edge stitching, which can snap easier over time.) My pickīandwerk’s Berlin Apple Watch strap ($97)While Bandwerk uses Italian cowhide, it wasn’t a dealbreaker for my clients or me. The other key detail of the band is the thick edge stitching, which gives the strap a bit more visual punch. Because you get more leather from a full-grown cow, calfskin can be 1.5-2x more expensive than cowskin. Like many luxury brands, IWC’s leather straps are crafted from calfskin, known for their durability and softness. I don’t recommend pairing it with formal looks. The thicker band style and patina of the leather gives it a more casual feel. The move from NATO to leather tones the military vibes down, making it more wearable in dressier situations. While the original IWC Mark 11 Pilot watch often sported a NATO strap (see #4!), I’ve always been a fan of the Mark XVIII edge-stitch calfskin leather strap. Rugged leather band: The IWC Pilot's Watch Mark XVIII leather band We returned bands that didn’t live up to expectations in quality and/or design.Ĭourtesy of IWC & Bandwerk 2. I drew inspiration from classic men’s watches, imagining if brands like Rolex, IWC, and Cartier designed their own Apple Watch.įrom there, we hunted down and tested bands that matched these classic watches. How I chose these stylish bands for my clients In this post, I share my client’s favorite, stylish Apple Watch bands, along with the watches that inspired them. You just need to be a little more thoughtful when choosing your bands! The large screen size is great for usability, but can feel big on some wrists.īut making the Apple Watch more stylish isn’t as tricky as it seems. You’re locked into the non-traditional square shape. The Apple Watch always had a few aesthetic features that bugged me. As someone specializing in styling men in tech, is it any surprise that “stylish Apple watch bands” are one of the more common requests from my clients? ![]()
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