Our guide to the best watch straps, just in time for the holidays

Tom Austin

It’s that time of year again, December is well and truly upon us, and we’re frantically gearing up for the holiday season with an endless to-do list, preparing for the perfect Christmas. Finding a gift for a watch enthusiast can often be a challenge because we’re a picky bunch, and nailing that heartfelt gift that we watch nerds will love can be pretty daunting (it’s why we put together a comprehensive gift guide!) You need not worry, though, because one gift in particular is an instant hit with any watch enthusiast: the humble watch strap. With choices so vast, it’s virtually impossible to go wrong. Whether it’s rubber or textile, dressy or casual, there’s a strap for everything, and everyone, so here’s our definitive guide for picking the ideal watch strap, for holiday gifting and beyond.

Bark & Jack

If you follow the world of watches on social media and YouTube, the name Adrian Barker should ring a few bells. From his incredibly popular YouTube channel and stunning photography skills to his time with the About Effing Time crew, Adrian’s influence across the scene is vast. His brand, Bark & Jack, is synonymous when it comes to textile NATO-style straps, and rightly so, as they’re some of the best in the game. 

The cornerstone of the Bark & Jack range is the Seventy30. It’s a strap for lovers of traditional, tactical NATO-style textile straps, who want something that looks perfect and feels just right. Made from 70% polyester for strength and durability and 30% cotton for a premium, supple feel, the Seventy30 is available in several colours and looks incredible on pretty much any watch.

If you need an even tougher strap, then look no further; the Bark & Jack Ribbed Nylon is the one for the job. At 1.4mm thick and featuring reinforced heat-sealed holes, it provides unparalleled strength and durability. Its ribbed nylon construction offers a striking look and feel, and like the rest of the range, they come equipped with stainless steel hardware for that peace of mind.

Then, finally, the ideal blend of comfort and durability comes in the form of the Bark & Jack Tubular Nylon. Crafted from premium 1.2mm-thick nylon, these straps are robust while remaining flexible, comfortable and supple. Again featuring heat-sealed reinforced holes and brushed stainless hardware, they’re ready for anything you can throw at them, and the tubular-weave nylon offers a unique look that pairs well with everything from field watches to divers. Price: US$65 from the Time+Tide Shop

Helvetus

If you own a beautiful stainless steel or precious metal luxury watch with a bracelet, there’s a good chance you want to keep its polished surfaces looking fresh. There are plenty of ways to mitigate that, but one of the more stylish and practical options is to swap it out for a functional rubber strap. Swiss brand Helvetus has built up a reputation as one of the country’s leading aftermarket strap makers and produces high-quality rubber straps precisely tailored for some of the most popular luxury watch brands in the world.

With straps like this, fit is the most important thing, and no, not how it fits on your wrist, but how it fits to the watch. Many modern luxury watches have their own proprietary bracelet connection systems, which can make finding straps that fit a challenge. Helvetus straps are specifically tailored to fit your exact watch, whether it’s a Rolex GMT-Master II, a Daytona, Omega Seamaster 300M, or even a MoonSwatch. Every strap is designed to the precise curvature of the case for a seamless, reliable and OEM-looking fit.

Then, there’s the choice. It’s not just rubber, either. Helvetus has probably one of the broadest selections of aftermarket strap materials than any other brand, offering denim, ostrich leather, alligator leather, sailcloth, premium leather or suede, and of course, a vast range of rubber straps in several styles and colours. Whether you want the strap to match the dial or the seconds hand on the watch, or to pair with a particular outfit, Helvetus has something for you. Price: starting from US$123.00

Serica Expédition Bracelet

For something a bit more specific, Serica has recently released a new bracelet, and it’s a stunner. Compatible with Serica references 8315, 5303, 6190, and 4512 when used with bespoke end links, the Expédition takes the fine mesh bracelet and gives it a very premium makeover.

Based on a woven 316L stainless steel mesh, the bracelet comes in one size to fit all, with an adjustment range of 14.5cm to 22cm. It features folded sides that are beautifully polished and a spring-loaded clasp finished with a Serica logo. Another neat feature is how the strap terminates at the watch, which is something most Milanese, or mesh-style bracelets, often struggle with. The straps’ ends are finished off with machined and polished plates that keep things neat, which then blend into what Serica calls “guilloché” fluted end links, featuring an almost classical finish. Price: US$414

Tropic

Tropic is a brand with a long history, dating back to around 1955 in Switzerland, when it began producing rubber straps that could replace metal bracelets for dive watches. Skin divers needed something flexible, resilient and reliable, and Tropic fit the bill perfectly. Over time, the Tropic strap became an icon, even worn by the likes of Marlon Brando in the movie Apocalypse Now, fitted to his legendary GMT Master. Today, Tropic straps are still up there as one of the best, and are widely imitated. They’re light, flexible and comfortable, and on the right watch, look cool as hell.

Available in monochromatic shades of black, anthracite, or light grey; the subtle earthy tones of green and brown; or the vibrantly eye-catching yellow, orange, or royal blue, there’s a strap to suit everyone’s needs. Each strap features the recognisable checkerboard pattern, something carried over from the original vintage Tropic straps of the 1960s, and all are available in either 20mm or 22mm widths, with stainless steel pin buckles. Price: US$98 from the Time+Tide Shop

ISOfrane

ISOfrane is another watch strap brand with a rich heritage dating back to the 1960s. Outside of Tropic, at the time, the choice was pretty limited, and even then, most rubber straps available were uncomfortable, prone to cracking, and lacked ventilation. However, ISOfrane, based in Switzerland, changed the game by using special rubber compounds to make the straps more flexible, comfortable and resilient.

In 2010, the brand was revived and, under new management, repeated the process of refining the chemical composition of the rubber to offer the best rubber strap possible. ISOfrane straps today use isoprene, a silicone-free, hypoallergenic, water and dust-proof rubber that gives them their trademark flexibility and tactile, supple feel. They’re also fully ventilated for extra comfort, and come in a vast array of colours, plus feature integrated quick-release spring bars for added convenience. Price: US$149 from the Time+Tide Shop 

Montreux

Florida-based Montreux is one of those awesome companies started by enthusiasts, for enthusiasts. The brand uses premium materials such as French Epsom leather, sourced from Haas tanneries, one of the most renowned leather tanneries in France. Montreux’s rubber range is crafted from FKM rubber, widely regarded as the premium rubber material for the most comfortable and functional rubber straps out there.

The colourways are carefully selected, with a focus on material quality and comfort. For the leather straps, there are colours such as black, dark brown, navy blue, and an awesomely vibrant aqua blue. The rubber straps, however, come in a much wider variety, and while only red or white are currently available via the Time+Tide Shop, there are 13 different colours to choose from directly from Montreux. All of their straps come complete with engraved stainless steel pin buckles, quick-release spring bars, and premium branded packaging. Price: US$51 from the Time+Tide Shop 

MING Polymesh

We couldn’t have a strap list without including probably the coolest strap release of the year. In October, Malaysian-Swiss brand MING unveiled a world-first: a 3D-printed, full-titanium bracelet-strap hybrid. Designed to combine the “flow” or fluidity of metal bracelets with the suppleness of a fabric strap, the Polymesh combines 1,693 tiny links together to create a fabric-like material.

Each link is 3D-printed using laser sintering, and all done in place in a single operation, meaning that when the strap, sorry, bracelet finishes printing, it is already complete. It’s adjusted just like a Milanese bracelet, so there’s no need to remove links to achieve the most comfortable fit, which shouldn’t be too hard, as the material is designed to flow over the skin. While it is a MING-branded bracelet, it would pair excellently with other titanium watches and offer probably the most unique wear experience available. Price: US$1,875 plus tax