OPINION: Why you should experiment more with aftermarket bracelets

I’m at the beach in Sydney and the sun is beating down. I hop across painfully hot sand – yelping – to plunge into the ocean. I check the time. My Tudor indicates it’s a little past one. Just for fun I pull on the underside of the watch bracelet, it stretches out like freshly made pasta. I can’t help but grin. And yes, the bracelet is supposed to do that.

I’m toying with a recent acquisition, a Forstner flat-link stretch bracelet, on the Tudor. But beyond the joy of trying something new in the world of horology, is the pleasure in coming across a solution to the strap problem I’ve been mulling over.

As the owner of small wrists, the search for a perfect fit has been a bit of a quest, documented in some detail here.

One of the answers to this perennial issue of finding a good fit – besides a lucky find with a Hirsch rubber strap supplied in the short variety late last year – has been stumbling across manufacturers of high-quality generic metal bracelets. The more research one does in this space, the deeper the rabbit-hole becomes.

As suggested in some of my previous writing, I’m a bit of a tool-watch nut. But with small wrists that can be a problem. Finding the right sized leather strap is actually pretty straightforward, there are many classic options for all sorts of lug-widths (even 19mm). But finding sportier options has been a more difficult and elusive prospect.

Enter the metal bracelet market of makers like Forstner, Uncle Seiko and the like. These brands provide well-made substitutes to watch manufacturers’ own. Hesitant about, say, spending around $1100 AUD on a Tudor bracelet for your Black Bay 58? Brands like Uncle Seiko and Forstner have you covered.

A quick bit of background on Forstner: the brand is known for their “Komfit” band – a unique design that accompanied American astronauts into space alongside Omega Speedmasters. Lucky for us watch enthusiasts there are also options like the blonklip, ladder, and flat-links. As well as the stretch-link bracelet I’ve been enjoying partway through the Australian summer.

As a vintage-watch enthusiast it’s been exciting to come across these reissued classic watch band designs and try them on a mix of old and new watches.

In fact, trying on a range of options from multiple brands has really sparked a new wearing experience with some of the watches I have to hand. The question really is why would you go with the more expensive watch-brand bracelets when we are spoiled for choice with aftermarket options?

When one can literally afford many, many different band options for the cost of a single factory-made option, there is a lot of temptation to experiment.

But if you want to go down the factory option, more power to you. I suppose the cult popularity of mechanical watches has also propelled sub-elements of horology (like watch band production, re-issues of former classic bands, and new designs) from strength to strength. As consumers that’s good for us. More options for what to do with our hard-earned cash.