A Guide to Choosing Your Perfect Watch Strap

Much thought is poured into the conception of a watch, and that includes the strap that is seen as the finishing touch to a horological masterpiece. Some straps are a nod to the classic. Others can be playful, unique or unconventional. A bracelet may be embellished with gemstones to unearth extra effervescence, while a leather strap could be accented with a pop of colour to enhance its contrast. Its design can also serve a utilitarian objective. A fine example is the perforated leather strap featured in automotive-influenced watches. Varied in their diameters, the holes help hasten the evaporation of perspiration while dialing up the cool factor.

In the pursuits of perfection, watchmakers leave no stones unturned. Their consideration goes beyond aesthetics, materials and into criteria like tactility and durability. When choosing the right strap for your watch, you should also consider its comfort and whether it truly resonates with you. Furthermore, a significant number of watches today are equipped with a quick-change mechanism, as well as a complimentary second strap, for mix and match.

As a prospective buyer, a quick visit to Cortina Watch, where you can make comparisons between strap options of different materials and colours, will ease the process of finding the perfect match.

Before arriving at the decision, contemplate on your needs (think of the occasion of which the watch is for, the feeling that you wish it would elicit, and your personal style and preference), the purpose, size, shape and material of the watch and the corresponding strap, and your wrist size.

Each material offers a list of advantages. Platinum and silver are hypoallergenic. The silvery sheen of stainless steel is unfading, while 18K gold fuses strength with opulence. Titanium provides remarkable robustness. Leather can be dyed in a range of colours and stamped in an assortment of motifs. Calfskin is versatile and supple, while alligator leather is visually stunning and feels exclusive. However, leather is not especially water resistant. On the other hand, fabrics can be woven or articulated into a fine tapestry. It also can be combined with leather to form a technical strap, uniting the best of both worlds. There’s also rubber, which yields a degree of antibacterial protection and is naturally water resistant.

Looks aside, one should also evaluate the size of the strap. The width of a strap is determined by the breadth of the lugs. A larger watch typically has a wider set of lugs, resulting in the inclusion of a broader strap. Depending on the size and profile of your wrist, the watch may or may not sit elegantly on yours. Therefore, you should choose a watch whose size is suitable for you to avoid any ill-fitting. The length of the strap is equally as important. A metal bracelet comes with adjustable links that can be removed to help shorten its length in order to fit, while a leather or fabric strap is pre-set with a series of punched holes.

The colour of a watch strap or bracelet can engender a different emotion based on its symbolism and deeper meaning. For example, red represents vitality and love. For some, a red leather strap could bring good fortune or as a perfect gift for loved ones. Likewise, a stainless steel bracelet exudes timelessness, while a gold bracelet is a hallmark of luxury. In short, colour and materials possess transformative power to impart a watch with desired qualities.

The vanguard of sports luxe, the Bell & Ross BR-05 GMT blends a brilliant design with futuristic elements. As epitomised by the GMT function, which allows travellers to traverse time zones and leap forward through an effortless adjustment of the home time and the second time zone, the steely timepiece in 41mm is powered by the automatic BR-CAL.325 movement.

Distinguished for its circle within a square, the BR-05 GMT is prepared for any unexpected situation that could arise during travel thanks to its reliability and numerous strap options. For unrivalled versatility, the rubber strap makes the best fit with its superior water and sweat resistance, sportiness and suppleness.

Be in command in life, as well as out in the open ocean, with the nautical-flavoured Corum Admiral made for modern living. Featuring a dodecagonal case invigorated via a slew of sizes, materials and colours, the Admiral collection is flavoured with multiple complications and combinations. The Admiral 42 Automatic Black and Gold marries two of the most popular sources of inspiration in watchmaking – sailing and alchemy – to produce a cutting-edge sandblasted black ceramic case enriched with a carbon and gold bezel. Rubber is used extensively in the marine industry. In the case of the rubber-strapped limited edition, this inexorable link serves to elevate its seafaring character. It is a timepiece worthy of its salt – so to speak.

The Admiral 42 Automatic Black and Gold is a collaboration between Corum and Cortina Watch, a limited edition of 50 pieces available exclusively online at shop.cortinawatch.com. Inspired by the special tourbillon edition designed for Cortina Watch’s 50th Anniversary, the watch marks over two decades of continuous partnership between the watchmaker and the retailer. It cements Cortina Watch’s status as an enabler of haute horlogerie.

An iconic watch calls for a classic leather strap. OMEGA’s Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional has touched the souls of innumerous watch collectors. The storied watch that enabled the maiden lunar landing, a monumental achievement rarely repeated since, is synonymous with sophistication, innovation and precision. Its evolving looks, over the years, are living testimonials of design nuances and technological breakthroughs.

From the alluring 18K Canopus Gold™, to the regal 18K Moonshine™ Gold, to stainless steel, the Moonwatch sets the standards of watchmaking. Be it a mixed strap highlighting an alligator upper and a calf leather on the underside, or a perforated strap that converges grained and non-grain calfskin, OMEGA furnishes the handsome timepiece with top-notch leather.

Cartier is a classy Maison renowned for its range of chic leather goods, timepieces and jewellery. On the Tank Must watch, all of Cartier’s know-how melds together to realise a design so singular that it transcends watchmaking and verges on cultural heritage. No watch collection is complete without the rectangular design. Its elegance is spellbinding, while its aesthetics, timeless and extraordinary.

Various coloured editions exist. At times they feature leather straps that match the colours of the dials, other times, an interesting juxtaposition is offered. From the case, to movement, to the leather strap, the Tank Must’s craftsmanship and flair are indisputable. It is without a doubt a dress watch made for the ages.

The sky’s the limit for Breitling‘s Avenger timepieces. An aviation-inspired collection conceived to be at once robust, practical and luxurious, the Avenger spans chronographs and GMTs and is available in 42mm, 44mm and 46mm. Its colourways are as numerous as they are striking.

To fly, aerospace engineers often have to think outside the box. Similarly, Breitling’s bracelet is celebrated for its unique slanted composition, where links are machined, finished and joined at a tilted angle. This unusual attribute enhances the brand’s identity and guarantees the bracelet’s optimal durability. If the hardy case of the Avenger conjures up the hull of an aircraft, the bracelets are its wings. Strap up, it is time to take flight.

A match made in heaven. That’s the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph and its three-link stainless steel bracelet. A timepiece that revolves around a long motorsport lineage, the Carrera was a product of Jack Heuer’s sporting passion. While attending the 12 Hours Race at Sebring, Florida in 1962, Heuer heard of the Carrera Panamericana, a perilous open-road car race that took place in Mexican in the 1950s. The episode sparked the beginning of the Carrera collection, whence upon return, he instantly registered the name Heuer Carrera.

Today, TAG Heuer boasts a long-standing partnership with Formula 1, while the Carrera commands over 60 years of history. It is classic in reputation and a modern racing chronograph in construction. A sensible yet gracefully finished bracelet is most definitely the wise choice for the prudent watch collector with a love of speed.

An avant-garde timepiece calls for a daring trim. The Franck Muller Curvex CX, eye-catching for its audacious colour, is a high-performance creation that has successfully distilled all the beloved elements of motorsport, such as the curvaceous aerodynamics, impactful paint job and fibre carbon body of a race car, into a sporty wristwatch.

Like sports cars decorated with painted rims and audacious vinyl wraps, the boldness of Curvex CX is heightened with nylon straps in a bright neon colour that mirror the tone deployed on the dial’s hour markers. The woven nature of the nylon strap is evocative of carbon fibre, amplifying its textural visual appeal that can’t be achieved with the use of other traditional materials. For those in search of a statement timepiece, the Curvex CX is love at first sight.

Blancpain understands the versatility of its Fifty Fathoms collection. A modern vintage-inspired dive watch that is equally at ease in the ocean and on land, any Fifty Fathoms timepiece is generally fitted with a water-resistant strap or bracelet. Non-metal options range from rubber-lined sail canvas to NATO style. No one should feel left out. One of the most recent additions to the collection, the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe, combines an understated black ceramic case with cool colours, namely green verging on deep Irish and blue as dark as navy, to engender a feeling the watch is a dependable companion in the jungle or the sea.

If an adventure is on the card, NATO straps make perfect sense. Made of nylon, the NATO strap derives its name from the alphanumeric code used in the British Ministry of Defence to identify all standardised material items of supply. Originally developed to meet military needs in 1973, the strap has since branched out from the initial admiralty grey to an assortment of colours and adopted by civilians. In the case of Blancpain, the watchmaking and watch-loving community too.