Everything you need to know about the most common types of watch bracelets

Zach Blass

As the world has gravitated towards steel and sporty designs, strap-bound dress watches – though regaining popular traction – are not go-to daily wearers for most. Therefore, in the modern day, watches on bracelets reign supreme. But not all bracelets are made the same, and different ones serve different purposes – and you might not know what all the different styles are called. Below are some of the most common watch bracelets you will encounter so that you’re armed with all the jargon you’ll need.

Three-link bracelet

I feel very safe in claiming that the three-link bracelet is the most common bracelet style you will encounter. Rolex popularised the three-link format within the context of its own catalogue with the Oyster bracelet, and tons of brands have copied this simple, yet effective link layout for their designs.

Three-link bracelets cater more towards sporty, tool-watch designs, and are more often than not found with links that are mostly brushed. Brands such as Rolex do introduce mirror-polished finishes, however, often to make a watch appear dressier and more elegant. For example, the Oyster Perpetual, Submariner, Explorer, and Explorer II all have brushed Oyster bracelets, while the Datejust, Daytona, GMT-Master II, Yacht-Master, Yacht-Master II, and Sky-Dweller incorporate mixed finishing due to being more complicated or tiered as higher-end.

Five-link bracelet

Another style popularised by Rolex is the five-link bracelet, most commonly called the Jubilee as per Rolex’s internal naming schemes. Whereas the Oyster has a more tool watch feel, the Jubilee (and five-link bracelets in general) impart a greater sense of elegance and are more often than not executed with a mixed finish.

Whether on a Rolex, Tudor, or Seiko, Jubilee-style five-link bracelets will have two broader links on the outside and three narrower ones in the centre, with the two often receiving contrasting finishes. Five-link bracelets done in this style offer more articulation and aeration of the wrist, boasting a silkier feel due to the increased number of links.

That being said, not all five-link bracelets are Jubilee style. Grand Seiko, for example, most commonly uses a five-link remix on an Oyster-like bracelet that confuses many into thinking it only has three links. The additional two links afford Grand Seiko and others that have adopted such a style a means to inject hints of polish without completely polishing a broader centre link. This is slightly pedantic, I know.

Beads-of-rice bracelet

A beads-of-rice bracelet is a cousin of the five-link, but is ultimately distinguished through a more rounded link profile down the centre of the bracelet. Also, these narrower pieces which can number anywhere between three to five, look like grains of rice – hence the name. This creates greater emphasis and presence for these narrower centre pieces, but the tradeoff is that the individual link length for a beads-of-rice bracelet is often longer than those of Jubilee-style bracelets.

H-link bracelet

An H-link bracelet has become very common, most often seen on integrated bracelet watches like the Patek Philippe Nautilus. Due to a single integrated link in the mix, the H-style allows a watch brand to connect the bracelet to the lugs of the case. Why is it called an H-link? Well, if you look at the brushed pieces in the Nautilus bracelet above, you can easily discern an H-like shape.

H-link bracelets, however, are not exclusive to integrated bracelet designs. Many of TAG Heuer’s Carrera Glassbox models, for example, make use of the H-link for its sporty, brawny look.

Mesh bracelet (mesh, Milanese, chevron)

Last on our journey through various styles of watch bracelets is the category of mesh bracelets. Also called Milanese bracelets, they are typically made up of woven links of metal – think of them like very tight chainmail – and are typically speaking super silky and flexible. The benefit of most mesh bracelets is that they are infinitely adjustable, as the best ones will allow you to clamp the clasp down anywhere along its length. Who needs micro-adjustment when your bracelet is effectively infinitely sizeable?

More expensive bracelets that transition to what some would call a proper Milanese (or Chevron) bracelet (as seen on the recent Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse) may have a silkier feel and heightened articulation, but ironically do not incorporate a clamp-down clasp. As a result, this might mean you’ll need to cut the bracelet down to size, which is an absolute pain in the ass to do, and an even bigger one should your wrist fluctuate in size again. Furthermore, if you were to, say, gain weight, it is not always possible (and always quite expensive) to add length back.