7 of the best strap monsters that will eat on any NATO, leather, or rubber strap

Borna Bošnjak

If you’re working with a smaller collection and find yourself wanting more diversity, an easy way to play with your watches is putting them on different straps. With that in mind, some watches just pertain to a multitude of straps better than others. As watch nerds tend to do, we’ve nicknamed the ones that do it best, calling them strap monsters. To quickly summarise what a strap monster is, it’s a watch that not only looks great on a wide variety of strap and bracelet options, but also one that makes those changes easy – so you won’t see any integrated bracelet or 21.5mm-lug-width pieces here. Thankfully, these aren’t that far and few between – but which ones are the best of the best?

Hamilton Khaki Field Quartz

We start off with a surprising release from Hamilton, the Khaki Field Quartz, but one that just makes sense. It’s a way to make one of the brand’s most popular and affordable watches even more affordable, and pricing it under US$400 was a masterstroke. With several dial options available, and both 33mm and 38mm variants with standard lug widths (18mm and 20mm respectively), this is a no-brainer. In truth, you could pick any watch from the Khaki Field range to fit here, but the clean aesthetic of the Quartz just speaks to me. Price: US$395, available from the T+T Shop

Seiko Prospex SPB143

You could pick any number of anthracite/black-dialled Seiko divers from the brand’s current collection. But among the Willards and Turtles, the SPB143 and its 62MAS-inspired lines always stood out as victorious for me. Exhibit A above – Andrew’s personal watch looking resplendent on that green fabric (lest I say NATO) strap. The case hits those ideal Seiko diver proportions, looking a tad large on paper at 40.5mm x 47.6mm, but perfectly sitting on pretty much any wrist regardless. The lugs are 20mm wide and drilled, allowing for super easy strap changes, even if you’re putting it back onto the factory bracelet. With a 70-hour power reserve from the 6R35 movement, the SPB143 is one of the best all-round watches, period. Price: US$1,200

Sinn 556A

Sometimes, simplicity is key, and Sinn nails it with the 556A. A pilot’s watch at heart, it sports a distinctive dial that highlights the characteristics of a cockpit, but functions in pretty much any situation. At 38.5mm, it’s sized suitably for most wrist sizes, and at 11mm thick can easily fit under a shirt sleeve – or if you so wish, the elasticated cuff of your G-suit. Back on Earth though, it can suit any occasion when paired with either a black leather strap, silicon sports strap, a nylon NATO, or suede buckle-up, all made wonderfully easy with drilled lugs to make strap swaps a breeze. Visible through the sapphire exhibition case back, the automatic Sellita SW200-1 keeps things ticking. Price: US$1,500

Tudor Black Bay 58

I’ll say it now – this list will not include a Rolex Submariner. How is that possible? Well, after the Sub officially upsized to 41mm, the lug width also went up to 21mm. Sure, it’s easier to pick up odd-sized straps nowadays, but it still doesn’t beat 20mm. Thankfully, Tudor has the answer, and it’s the Black Bay 58, one of the most popular luxury watches since its release. It’s easy to see why – the diameter is a pleasant 39mm, the height doesn’t exceed 12mm, and it has all the tasty vintage tidbits with the security of a modern Kenissi movement. If the 58 is too small, go with the excellent new Black Bay “Monochrome” (though you’ll have to contend with 22mm lugs), or if you prefer the smaller, less colourful Black Bay 54, you’ll retain that all-important 20mm lug width. Price: US$3,850

Grand Seiko Heritage Collection SBGA467 “Deep Black”

You wouldn’t necessarily peg Grand Seiko and its vibrant, nature-inspired dials to gel particularly well with multiple straps. Luckily, the brand is not a one-trick pony, and it does versatility very well. The SBGA467 is one example of this, with a jet black, lacquered dial and no-nonsense silver hands and indices. The Heritage case unusually also sports drilled lug holes, which is a feature that starts to disappear as you climb up in retail price. This Deep Black Spring Drive piece is also a bit of a bargain if you ask me, as it gets you Grand Seiko’s proprietary movement tech alongside all the fine, Zaratsu-polished surfaces for under US$5,000. That seems like a pretty sweet deal to me. Price: US$4,800

Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch

The Godzilla of strap monsters, the Omega Speedmaster Professional is the epitome of versatility. Available in a vast range of finishes from stainless steel and gold to even ceramic, the trusty 42mm Speedy is a strap-changing wonder. When buying, people will often opt for the stainless steel bracelet, then continue to pair it with a multitude of different styles, each with their own classic appeal. For example, a black, velcro nylon style lends itself well to its space-faring missions, or perhaps taking the heritage back even further with a leather rally strap. There are a number of limited and non-limited models to choose from, each with their own nuances – I’d only suggest going for a Professional-cased model with 20mm lugs, as opposed to the 19mm of the Calibre 321. Price: starting from US$6,600

Rolex GMT-Master II “Bruce Wayne”

We finish this list of black-dialled sports watches with another black-dialled sports watch. The Rolex GMT-Master II needs little introduction, being one of the most recognisable watches in the world, but this year’s monochromatic GMT-Master novelty gives it the versatility the colourful Pepsi or Batman lack. Sure, you’ve got a flash of colour with the green GMT hand, but I doubt that will prevent anyone from experimenting with different straps. If anything, I see the bigger hurdle being the excellent Oyster and Jubilee bracelet options from the factory that might just make you not want to swap at all. Price: US$10,700 (Oyster), US$10,900 (Jubilee)