Strap/Bracelet Selection

[Waggy]

Just to start a thread on strap/bracelet selection as this is always something I struggle with - given that a good strap or bracelet can elevate the look of a watch and frame your hard work in the best light and, conversely, a poor choice can make your hard work look cheap and cheesy. I propose we use this thread to get the help of the forum.... more brains to help, how can we fail?!

I suggest you post a picture of your finished watch and let the creative juices flow.... can be the naked watch if you don't have any idea or the watch with the optional bracelets/straps you want to pick from.

[RichardHarris123]

I'm technically minded not artistically so I struggle with aesthetics.  What do you think would be the best match for this? 

[Waggy]

@RichardHarris123 I was thinking light tan, to match the orangy look of the numbers and hands, but then thought about a dark/chocolatey brown... Then maybe a dark brown lizard??

[Neverenoughwatches]

On 9/26/2023 at 5:06 AM, Waggy said:

Just to start a thread on strap/bracelet selection as this is always something I struggle with - given that a good strap or bracelet can elevate the look of a watch and frame your hard work in the best light and, conversely, a poor choice can make your hard work look cheap and cheesy. I propose we use this thread to get the help of the forum.... more brains to help, how can we fail?!

I suggest you post a picture of your finished watch and let the creative juices flow.... can be the naked watch if you don't have any idea or the watch with the optional bracelets/straps you want to pick from.

Good idea for a new thread. The choice of leather strap is almost unlimited with colours, pattern, texture , detail as with stitching, piercing, buckle, loop, clasp, a cuff design for a watch you love but just looks too small on your wrist. Rubber, nato cloth, canvas military bands, metal can get you out of a dilema .  Initially i used to think silver case black strap, gold case tan strap, but that only seems to work for white dials. The dial colour dictates way past that so that classic look doesn't always work and the reverse can look better if the strap colour ties in with the dial or details from the dial as in Richard's watch.  A black strap wouldn't work here even though the case is silver and the dial face is pale. In general i think the choice of leather strap as far as colour goes must pull something from the dial. Great idea for a thread as Richard has said some folk dont have an eye for it, but there are some pretty basic rules that you must to follow.

[nrm]

On 9/26/2023 at 3:32 AM, RichardHarris123 said:

I'm technically minded not artistically so I struggle with aesthetics.  What do you think would be the best match for this? 

As my partner says "it's all about the undertones". with the silver case I'd go for a yellow-ish tan strap that avoided red tones -- so cooler. or a teal-ish blue strap if you didn't want a brown strap. I'd also do a slightly padded strap to balance the thickness of the case.

[rehajm]

...this should be a great thread. I know I struggle with this. There are rules to follow and to be broken. Sometimes I see a combo and it just...pops. Don't we all? I'm posting a couple of things and why I think they work...

...this is my current favorite. W10 with a smooth calfgrain Hirsch. I see so many of these Smiths with the beat up original strap or a Nato, which I find odd. I love the smooth dial with the smooth strap, like the watch is wearing a tux...

...horrible picture but this one kind of haunts me, as I have a similar watch and wanted to copy, and could not find a similar strap. I think this one works because of the way the strap complements the dial colors- the brown of the strap doesn't match the hands exactly but what makes it for me is the greenish color in between the scales that matches the numeral color, and unlike the first the textured strap differs from the smooth black dial in a good way...

...goes to show the rules aren't always helpfull

...then there are the challenges, where nothing really works...

...I've tried black, and an orangey tan. Not really...how about light tan to work with the number ring? Straw to go with the number color? Bin it for different dial?