Is rubber becoming the superior strap choice?

Andrew O'Connor

Strap choice can make or break a watch-wearing experience. With a variety of materials, textures, and colours, let alone clasp options, getting the right strap on a watch can range from fun experimentation to a source of first world infuriation. There are also conventions when it comes to which material is most appropriate for certain watch types and occasions. Metal bracelets, textile, and rubber straps for sport watches and leather on dress watches for formal occasions. Ditching conventions, though, can lead to some fun results, allowing for personalization and aiding dressing a watch up or down depending on one’s personal style. It can also lead to some polarising opinions.

Mostly for the sake of making a fun argument, I think there is one strap option that is maybe the best all-around option. Sure, a good amount of this comes down to my own personal preferences, but with an attempt to remain objective, there is one material that has gained popularity, dramatically improved in quality, and has a variety of options that can be tailored to best suit different watches and styles. All of this is to say that rubber straps might be the most versatile strap choice currently available.

A brief history of rubber watch straps

This development obviously didn’t happen over night, and any long term enthusiasts rightfully knows that not all rubber straps are created equal, or have been worthy of premium luxury products in the past. So how did we get to the point that rubber straps were a viable everyday, all occasion, watch strap material?

Rubber as a resource has been harvested since at least the 1600s, when the sap from rubber trees was gathered and processed to make balls for games in Mesoamerica. It wasn’t until 1834 that vulcanized rubber was discovered by an American inventor, Charles Goodyear, for use in automotive tires. As demand for rubber increased dramatically with the Industrial Revolution and the expanded adoption of automobiles, the need for a more affordable and readily available rubber became apparent. In 1909, Fritz Hofman, working for Bayer in Germany, developed the first synthetic rubber by polymerizing isoprene.

Untreated natural rubber is not viable as a strap material, as it will stick to skin and crack. Vulcanised rubber made it possible to make rubber a viable strap choice, with nitrile butadiene rubber being the most ideal, maintaining a soft texture, flexibility, and durability to a degree that can withstand wear and tear. With vulcanised rubber, the first watch straps to gain any sort of wide stream success were Tropic’s (yes, the brand), first introduced in 1955. Frequently paired with watches from Rolex, Tudor, IWC, and Blancpain, Tropic rubber straps were durable, water and sweat-resistant, and much more affordable than metal bracelets.

Rubber straps largely remained the domain of aquatic-focused tool watches, or those who swapped rubber straps on their watches for whatever reason. Rubber was not even remotely considered a viable material for a luxury watch (especially post-quartz Crisis) until 1980. Famed horological disruptor Hublot released the first solid gold watch with a rubber strap. Designed by Carlo Crocco, the Hublot Classic (the ancestor to the current Classic Fusion line) featured the now widely known porthole design, an 18k gold case, and an integrated natural rubber strap. This development paved the way for Hublot’s “Art of Fusion,” and for the rest of the industry to start pairing rubber straps with high-end timepieces.

Today, there are a plethora of different types of rubber used for watch straps. In addition to the natural rubber varieties already mentioned, there is hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber, which results in a more stable natural rubber with greater temperature and chemical resistance. Silicone is commonly used as a more affordable option, and while soft and comfortable, is prone to tearing and attracts dust. Polyurethane results in a very tough, but firmer (stiffer) strap, that is very resilient, but may not be as comfortable as other options. FKM (fluoroelastomer) has become the premium and most popular option as of late, as it is resistant to heat, chemicals, and wear, but is able to have a reasonably soft and stretchy feel, resulting in a strap that is both comfortable and durable.

Rubber isn’t just for divers, and is becoming ultra-luxe

Now that we have rubber straps on everything from G-Shocks to gold Vacheron Constantine Overseas models, they have seemingly remained the domaine of “sporty” watches, at least at the OEM level. Brands from Hublot to Omega have offered rubber backed straps with exotic leather inserts, combining the comfort and sweat resistance of rubber with the dressy appearance of exotic leather. For example, Tudor offers a hybrid rubber strap with a leather or Alcantara textile upper combined with a rubber backing. Even adding stitching and texture to a rubber strap elevates the look in my eyes, as seen on the Omega Aqua Terra, a configuration I wore daily for a few years exclusively.

Some big brands have leaned into rubber in all of its glory, even on upscale offerings. Possibly the most well known execution of this is the Rolex Oysterflex bracelet (as it is not a strap, according to The Crown). It was first introduced on the 37mm Everrose gold Yacht-Master in 2015. The patented design utilizes a titanium and nickel alloy blade, surrounded by rubber to bolster the bracelets rigidity and durability. Furthermore, the underside of the bracelet features a prominent raised “cushion,” increasing comfort by increasing airflow between the wrist and the bracelet.

Since the original was released in 2015, Rolex has expanded the Oysterflex bracelet to the Daytona, Sky-Dweller, and other Yacht-Master models – the caveat being, however, is that it has remained the domain of precious metal pieces only, and has yet made its way to stainless steel models. On one hand, we could all bemoan the fact that Rolex typically releases new features on precious metal timepieces first, but it could also be a testament to Rolex’s belief in rubber as a material, and the brand’s engineering involved to create the Oysterflex. That statement being that it is worthy of some of their most premium timepieces. I will add that the yellow gold Daytona with the black dial and red minutes track on Oysterflex is a personal favorite.

Another surprising release to feature rubber was the Breguet Experimentale 1 released towards the end of last year. A true haute horologie tour de force, the Experimentale 1 features a hi-beat escapement beating at 10Hz, a tourbillon, a magnetic constant-force escapement, and a regulator style layout. Considering Breguet’s design language leans towards the very traditional side of things, the case design was equally surprising. Cased up in a 43.5mm Breguet Gold (the brand’s proprietary rose gold alloy), the case has an integrated lug design with a blue rubber strap. And before anyone complains about a non-water resistant haute horologie piece with a rubber strap, Breguet backed the Experimentale 1 up with 100 meters of water resistance.

With the integrated lug design and rubber strap juxtaposed against the traditional Breguet coin-edge case and dial design language, its a juxtaposition that I can get behind. To me, it takes high-end watch making and makes it approachable in its wearability and usability. Breguet has put rubber straps on other high-end, non-aquatic focused timepieces in the past, so if rubber is good enough for Breguet, it should be good enough for just about any watch you’re willing to get strap happy with.

Adding some rubber to your life

Third party strap suppliers have developed a wide variety of rubber straps and straps that are rubber lined that can be used on everything from a Rolex Deep-Sea to a Cartier Tank. Some strap makers even offer straps that keep the traditional strap materials and construction with a rubber lining, which makes for a more durable and possibly more comfortable dressy strap, especially for those in hotter climates.

A veteran of the strap industry, serving as both an OEM supplier and as a source for aftermarket straps, Hirsch has its line of Performance Straps, a series of straps with a stitched outer layer and rubber backing. With options including calf skin, alligator embossed, textiles, and even vegan leather, these rubber clad straps offer a more traditional appearance while providing the benefits of rubber, especially in regards to sweat resistance. With the calf skin and alligator embossed options representing the dressy end of the spectrum, the perforated leather, textile, and brightly colored options provide plenty of casual and straight up fun options. Hirsch’s white alligator embossed option seems prime for a tropical summer. It would go with anything, but it would be super fun on some sort of white ceramic timepiece.

The proliferation of FKM rubber straps has played a large role in the more widespread recent popularity of rubber straps.. Brands such as Delugs have been the most widely visible and successful in making rubber straps a top consideration for a wide range of watches and collectors. Delug’s smooth FKM Cut-To-Size strap was the first that I saw that looked good on a variety of watches, without it appearing to me as a purposeful dichotomy of a casual strap with a high-end watch. With a great rubber material, cut-to-size format making finding an ideal size possible, and the spring loaded butterfly deployant clasp featuring additional pin-holes for facilitating a more precise fit, there is a lot to love. Product photos features everything from vintage Rolex sport watches, to Cartier and complicated Patek Philippe watches. Great product photography aside, I think these straps genuinely look great on these watches.

If smooth rubber still leans too casual for you, Delugs has also released a “mosaic” pattern strap and a sailcloth look FKM rubber strap, both of which will help dress up the appearance of a timepiece. Again, on everything from a Panerai to a Calatrava, these straps work. Available in a variety of colors, you could go safe with a black sailcloth look strap and easily wear it with a suit, or opt for a bright white mosaic strap should you want to make your wrist wear more bold.

Should you want to keep your rubber straps looking and feeling like conventional rubber straps, Tropic has you covered. While many consider “tropic strap” to be a generic trademark that refers to any basket-weave-embossed and perforated rubber strap is a tropic strap, Tropic is the OG. With the original released in 1955, the brand was revitalized in 2003, and is currently run by the team at Synchron Watches out of Vienna, Austria. The modern Tropic straps are made out of a propriety vulcanized rubber, which increases wearing comfort while providing all the quality and reliability you’d expect from the iconic dive watch strap, with the same iconic style we’ve come to know and love.

While they look most at home on a wide array of dive watches, if someone comes up to me with an A. Lange & Söhne on a Tropic strap, they will get a very enthusiastic high five. (Editor’s note: I would also love to see this.) We also sell Tropic straps in the Time+Tide Shop, if you’re interested.

Closing thoughts

While I would feel comfortable donning more formal attire with an appropriate rubber strap, I do see a couple caveats. First of all, I know some people who can’t stand the feel of rubber against their skin, so for them, even the best FKM rubber straps are likely a no-go. That slight stickiness can be a pro as well though, as it allows for a slightly looser fit while keeping the watch in place.

A second downside that comes to mind is there is a look and feel to a really great high-end leather strap. Similar to putting on a pair of great dress shoes, there is something mentally that happens when putting on a watch with a great, dressy, leather strap. It makes me feel like I’m more put together, even if I’m still wearing casual clothes. Wearing a rubber strap feels like the horological equivalent of “dress” sneakers. It may look more formal and put together, but my brain is still saying that I’m dressed for comfort and activity.

Many brands currently offering similar straps to those mentioned, at a variety of price points, so there are multiple entry points into playing around with rubber straps. With various textures and structures offered, rubber straps have progressed a great deal in aesthetics and feel from the domain of stiff pieces of plastic and G-shock straps you maybe more familiar with. Not only can they be comfortable, but the best rubber straps also feel luxurious, making them feel at home when paired with your favorite high-end watch. With increased comfort and durability over leather straps and metal bracelets, in addition to the elevated aesthetics currently offered, I think there is a strong case for rubber straps being the most ideal strap choice.