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May 3, 2025

Leather vs. NATO vs. Rubber – Which Watch Strap Suits Your Lifestyle?



Leather vs. NATO vs. Rubber – Which Watch Strap Suits Your Lifestyle?

Leather vs. NATO vs. Rubber – Which Watch Strap Suits Your Lifestyle?

Choosing the right watch strap material can enhance both the functionality and aesthetics of your timepiece. Let’s explore the characteristics of leather, NATO, and rubber straps to help you decide which suits your lifestyle best.

Leather Watch Straps

1973 British Military Watch Strap OXFORD Chestnut Tudor Held

Leather straps offer a classic and sophisticated look, making them ideal for formal occasions and everyday wear. They are comfortable and develop a unique patina over time, reflecting your personal journey.

  • Pros: Elegant appearance, comfortable fit, ages gracefully.
  • Cons: Sensitive to water and sweat, requires regular maintenance.

NATO Watch Straps

watch straps watchgecko ridge nato watch strap yellow

NATO straps are known for their durability and versatility. Originally designed for military use, they are easy to swap and come in various colors and patterns, allowing for personalization.

  • Pros: Durable, affordable, easy to change, variety of styles.
  • Cons: Less formal appearance, may not suit all dress codes.

Rubber Watch Straps

watch straps watchgecko rolex submariner style black rubber watch strap brushed buckle

Rubber straps are perfect for active lifestyles and water-related activities. They are waterproof, flexible, and require minimal maintenance, making them a practical choice for sports and outdoor adventures.

  • Pros: Water-resistant, durable, comfortable for sports.
  • Cons: Less formal, may not develop character over time like leather.

Conclusion

Your choice of watch strap material should align with your daily activities and personal style. Leather offers timeless elegance, NATO provides versatility and durability, while rubber is ideal for active and aquatic environments. Consider your lifestyle needs to select the perfect strap for your watch.

Explore our collection of handmade watch straps to find the perfect match for your timepiece.

best watch strap materialleather vs NATO vs rubber strapwatch band durabilitywatch strap material comparison
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What size should I get for my strap?

One of the fears of buying straps online is that you might not know if the strap is of the correct length to suit your wrist. We hope that by the time you are done reading this page, you will know what size you should get. There are two methods that we will run through:

  1. Method 1 – Measure your current strap
  2. Method 2 – Not-So-Quick Math
Size Chart
 

Method 1 – Measure your current strap

This method is the quickest way to know what size to order, but it might not be very precise. What you will need is an existing two-piece strap on your watch. It does not have to be a leather strap.

  1. Measure the length of the long and short piece of the strap. (Example: 105mm on the long strap, and 80mm on the short strap)
  2. Choose the size with the following size chart – the closest to the total length of your existing straps. (The closest size in this example would be M (115mm + 70mm = 185mm)
  3. Note that this is still an approximation, and you should adjust accordingly if your current strap does not fit your wrist perfectly.

Method 2 – Measure your wrist size

If your cannot measure your current strap for some reasons, you would need to measure your wrist size and purchase the strap size according to the guidelines below. If you are between sizes (for e.g. wrist size of 16.7cm), we recommend to size up.

Step 1: Measure your wirst with the rope:

Step 2:Measure the rope length with the ruler:

And then following the size chart below to know your strap length:

Find Your Watch Strap Lug Width

If you’re looking to purchase a strap for your watch, you will need to know the lug width of your watch. Lug width refers to “A” in this schematic below.

There are two ways to find out the lug width of your watch.

  1. Firstly, you can Google “<watch brand and model> lug width” and see if there is an answer from the brand’s website, or some other websites.
  2. Alternatively, you can simply take a ruler and measure the lug width directly on your watch.

Lug widths are typically in whole numbers, and while the most common lug widths are between 18-22mm, they can go down to 8mm or up to 32mm even. Our ready stock straps are available in 16mm, 17mm, 18mm, 19mm, 20mm, 21mm, 22mm, 24mm and 26mm. If you need other lug widths, you can have it custom made.

You will then need to purchase a strap of the same lug width. For example, if your watch has a lug width of 20mm, you will need to purchase strap with a width of 20-16.

Note: Our Widths typically have two numbers, for example 20-16. The first number (20) refers to the lug width (“A” in the schematic above). The second number (16) refers to the buckle width (“B” in the schematic above). You just need to ensure that the first number matches the lug width of your watch.