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Basic Bands Watch Strap Fashion

Featured

Black Friday and Holiday Sales 2021

Basic Bands
November 26, 2021

Here is a running list of holiday sales for 2021. Keep in mind some sales will end before the end of the year. We are an affiliate for some but not all of the merchants below. Watch Strap Websites This holiday season, consider purchasing a custom watch strap on Etsy, or check out our page of custom strap makers here. Barton Bands 25% off code BFCM. (Also on Amazon if you want Prime Shipping)Crown & Buckle Black Friday saleCheapest NATO StrapsB&R Bands Black Friday Sale coupon code bf2021 StrapsCo’s Black Friday Sale.DaLuca Straps. Thanksgiving week sale. Watch Gecko Black Friday Sale. Watches: Amazon Amazon Black Friday dealsTimexCitizen or Citizen WebsiteCasio Seiko or Seiko WebsiteFossil or Fossil WebsiteInvictaMichael KorsMontblanc or websiteNixon or website Jomashop DealsWatchStationWatch Hut (UK)Watchshop (UK)Macy’sKohlsCrown and Caliber (pre-owned watches)   Check out our article on safe places to buy watches here. Watch Accessories: WOLF Amazon store. Also, check out…

Continue Reading Black Friday and Holiday Sales 2021

Prime Day Watch Deals

Basic Bands
June 21, 2021

Amazon’s Prime Day is today, and if you’ve been casually looking for a watch, you should check out the watch deals page: https://amzn.to/3cYSYIe

Continue Reading Prime Day Watch Deals

eBay Sale for the week ending September 27, 2020

Basic Bands
September 21, 2020

eBay is having a sale on luxury watches this week. If you’re in the market, check out their sale page. Use code PICKAPIECE to get up to $350 off. As Black Friday nears, we will be posting more sales for watches and watch bands.

Continue Reading eBay Sale for the week ending September 27, 2020

New Strap Release – Padded Vintage Collection from B&R Bands

Basic Bands
May 31, 2020

We love it when strap companies release new strap collections. This time we’re featuring the Padded Vintage Collection from B&R Bands made with Italian & Horween leathers. Check them out below and visit B&R Bands if you’re interested.

Continue Reading New Strap Release – Padded Vintage Collection from B&R Bands

Nomos Tangente Sport

Gallery of Popular Bauhaus/Minimalist Watches

Basic Bands
March 12, 2020

Below we’ve gathered a collection of popular Bauhaus and minimalist watches. This segment is dominated on the semi-luxury end by Nomos, and in the mid-range price bracket the Junghans Max Bill is incredibly popular. Stowa makes a nice alternative in the Antea and Junkers also has a lot of options, but is hard to buy outside of Europe. For those looking for a Bauhaus watch under $500, Junghans makes some Max Bill quartz versions, otherwise options include the Tissot Everytime Swissmatic, the Orient Bambino Version 3 (just over $100) and the Timex Fairfield Chronograph (examples of all below), while Skagen had a modern update on Bauhaus with some fun designs. Some watches in this category bleed into Art Deco, a contemporary style in America that overlapped with the Bauhaus in Germany.

Continue Reading Gallery of Popular Bauhaus/Minimalist Watches

Spotlight

Choice Cuts Industries valet tray and single slot watch roll with a Timex Expedition Scout and custom strap, all in English Tan leather

SMALL BRAND SPOTLIGHT – CHOICE CUTS INDUSTRIES

September 4, 2018

Watch strap making isn’t just limited to major brands and big shops; across the world there are small strapmakers making a living designing unique and custom straps. Our small brand spotlight series interviews these strapmakers to see what makes them tick. Today the spotlight is on Joel and Kerri Mills and their small strap making shop: Choice Cuts Industries

Continue Reading SMALL BRAND SPOTLIGHT – CHOICE CUTS INDUSTRIES

Two-Stitch Straps Coal Leather Watch Strap on Rolex

BRAND SHOWCASE – TWO STITCH STRAPS

March 20, 2018

The second post in a new series, a brand showcase highlights a particular watch strap company, in this case, Two Stitch Straps. You can find their website at https://www.twostitchstraps.com. They make a variety of both regular and customized watch straps. Check out their work below and contact Ivan (founder) for more info or to order a strap.

Continue Reading BRAND SHOWCASE – TWO STITCH STRAPS

B&R Bands Olive Suede Strap on Tudor Sub

BRAND SHOWCASE – B&R BANDS

February 23, 2018

The first post in a new series, a brand showcase highlights a particular watch strap company, in this case, B&R Bands. See the gallery below for examples of their work. If you see something you like, check them out!

Continue Reading BRAND SHOWCASE – B&R BANDS

Two One Four Straps - Brown Watch Strap

SMALL BRAND SPOTLIGHT – TWO ONE FOUR STRAPS

February 21, 2018

Watch strap making isn’t just limited to major brands and big shops; across the world there are small strapmakers making a living designing unique and custom straps. Our small brand spotlight series interviews these strapmakers to see what makes them tick. Today the spotlight is on Jun Talusan and his Philippines-based shop, Two One Four Straps.

Continue Reading SMALL BRAND SPOTLIGHT – TWO ONE FOUR STRAPS

Chopard Mille Miglia on Ebony Alligator Rally Watch strap Stitched with Butterscotch Linen.

SMALL BRAND SPOTLIGHT – DANGEROUS9 STRAPS

February 9, 2018

Watch strap making isn’t just limited to major brands and big shops; across the world there are small strapmakers making a living designing unique and custom straps. Our small brand spotlight series interviews these strapmakers to see what makes them tick. Today the spotlight is on John Glance and his shop, Dangerous9straps

Continue Reading SMALL BRAND SPOTLIGHT – DANGEROUS9 STRAPS

Neptune Straps Thick Brown Leather Watch Strap on Seiko Diver watch

SMALL BRAND SPOTLIGHT – NEPTUNE STRAPS

January 23, 2018

Watch strap making isn’t just limited to major brands and big shops; across the world there are small strapmakers making a living designing unique and custom straps. Our small brand spotlight series interviews these strapmakers to see what makes them tick. Today the spotlight is on Pavel Slow and his shop, Neptune Straps.

Continue Reading SMALL BRAND SPOTLIGHT – NEPTUNE STRAPS

Find watch strap inspiration

Hybrid Sand Woven Fabric Tudor NATO strap on a Tudor Black Bay Dive Watch

Watch Strap Color Guide & Inspiration

We get a lot of questions here at the Basic Bands watch strap blog, and often that question is about which watch strap color goes with which color watch dial or type of watch. If you’re wondering about that too, we’re here to help. It’s not possible to list every watch type and style and the colors and types of straps that go well with them, so we’ve started Pinterest boards to give you more inspiration. Other sources of watch strap ideas include Reddit’s r/Watchbands and Instagram.If you don’t use Pinterest, you can find images by clicking on tags in the sidebar or using the Inspiration category at the top of the page.

Continue Reading Watch Strap Color Guide & Inspiration

NEW STRAP RELEASE – B&R BANDS TUDOR STYLE WOVEN FABRIC NATO STRAPS

It’s always fun to see new stuff come out of strap companies we like. This time it is B&R bands with some woven fabric NATO straps. Check them out at Bandrbands.com. Note: This is not a paid promotion. We are an Amazon, Etsy & Jomashop affiliate, but we do not accept paid promotions from watch strap companies. Interested in other straps? Check out some of our guides below or visit our Amazon store for watch strap recommendations.

Continue Reading NEW STRAP RELEASE – B&R BANDS TUDOR STYLE WOVEN FABRIC NATO STRAPS

BRAND SPOTLIGHT – BLUSHARK STRAPS

We interview Joe Scarpati from Blueshark Straps about his origins, the best selling straps and more. Read on to see more of their straps.

Continue Reading BRAND SPOTLIGHT – BLUSHARK STRAPS

Seiko 5 SNK M95 Red Dial on a Fossil Strap - picture credit by Lexy aka the_real_seiko_girl

WATCH STRAP STYLE INSPIRATION FOR JUNE 2019 – AFFORDABLE WATCHES EDITION

We’ve got the white dial Timex Waterbury on a pink camo strap, the Seiko Presage white dial on a grey silicone strap, the blue dial Presage on a medium brown leather strap, leather NATOs from Crown & Buckle on blue and white dial watches, the cream dial SNK on a red white and blue NATO, Seiko Pepsi divers on light and dark brown leather straps, and a high quality nylon NATO from Haveston on a Hamilton field watch. We’ve also got NATOs on a SARB035, a red NATO on the red dial Seiko SNK and then some custom leather straps (a rally strap from Neptune Straps and leather and canvas straps from Two-One-Four straps. Most straps and watches are linked to in the captions.

Continue Reading WATCH STRAP STYLE INSPIRATION FOR JUNE 2019 – AFFORDABLE WATCHES EDITION

Bas & Lokes Winchester bourbon leather watch strap on an Omega Speedmaster

WATCH STRAP STYLE INSPIRATION FOR MARCH 2019

Today we’ve got a bourbon medium brown strap on a Speedy, a brown with white stitching pilot strap on an IWC Pilot watch, some red and black seat belt nylon straps, an olive and white strap on a white dial Timex Expedition, some vintage leather straps on Geckota watches, a beautiful white alligator strap on a white dial Omega Seamaster, and a B&R Bands pilot strap on a Sinn. Next up is a green silicone strap on the black dial Seiko SNK, a grey NATO strap on a modded Seiko Diver, a brown smooth leather strap on a Hamilton Khaki Field watch, perlon straps from Clover straps, a dark brown leather NATO on a Seiko SARB035 and a navy, white and orange NATO on a black dial Tissot. Lastly, we have some fabric straps, a vintage cognac leather strap on the Patek and some examples of canvas watch strap colors…

Continue Reading WATCH STRAP STYLE INSPIRATION FOR MARCH 2019

Custom Leather Apple Watch Strap by OLEKSYNPRANNYK

WATCH STRAP OF THE DAY – WOMEN’S APPLE WATCH STRAP BY OLEKSYNPRANNYK

Today’s strap is from a small custom strapmaker in North Carolina, OleksynPrannyk. It is a custom Apple watch strap with a double band. Like most 3rd-party watch straps, it comes with the hardware to easily put it on your Apple watch. Check out their Etsy shop or their website for more great custom work including other leather goods like dopp kits, groomsmen bags and of course, watch rolls and watch straps in a variety of leathers for most watches. You can also find more strapmakers on our Custom Strap Maker page. Also check out our other guides: Tools for Replacing A Watch Strap Or BandHow to Pick Out The Right Watch Band For Your Watch5 Tips For Picking Out A New Watch Band Or StrapThe Complete Guide to the Orient Bambino Dress WatchSeiko SNK Watch GuideHow to Fix A Broken Loop On Your Watch StrapBasic Bands 2018 Watch Strap And…

Continue Reading WATCH STRAP OF THE DAY – WOMEN’S APPLE WATCH STRAP BY OLEKSYNPRANNYK

Haveston Tool Watch Straps - M-22 A2 strap

WATCH STRAP OF THE DAY – HAVESTON M-22 A2

Today’s strap is from Haveston Tool Watch Straps, maker of fine canvas and premium nylon weave straps. If you’re looking for a high quality “seatbelt” NATO-style strap, then Haveston is a place to check out. They have a large selection of military inspired color schemes. The strap shown is a M-22 A2, based on the 1942 US Navy camouflage scheme “Measure-22” utilized on battleships in the Pacific and European theater. The watch is a Hamilton Khaki Mechanical, a well-reviewed military/field style watch that will run you about $400.

Continue Reading WATCH STRAP OF THE DAY – HAVESTON M-22 A2

Heavy duty watch strap by custom strap maker Mansarea in Spain

WATCH STRAP OF THE DAY – MANSAREA HEAVY DUTY STRAP

Today’s awesome watch strap is from a small custom watch strap maker in Spain. Jose Manuel Martín and the shop MANSAREA have some pretty fabulous straps, which of course can be customized for any watch. This particular strap is a heavy duty brown calf leather. Check out their shop on Etsy if you’re interested in ordering a custom strap. Prices for most straps range from $50 – $100.

Continue Reading WATCH STRAP OF THE DAY – MANSAREA HEAVY DUTY STRAP

We are an Amazon, Jomashop & Etsy affiliate. We are not paid to promote watch or watch strap companies.

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Welcome to Basic Bands!

  • We hope you enjoy our blog on watch strap fashion. Here are some places to start:
  • List of Watch Strap Companies
    List of Custom Watch Strap Makers
  • Interviews with Watch Strap Makers & Brands
  • Primer on Watch Strap Style | Style Inspiration | Watch strap examples by color & type
  • Tools for changing a strap | Fixing a broken strap loop
  • Guide to safely purchasing a watch online.
  • Watch Guides: Orient Bambino | Seiko SNK | Seiko Presage.
  • Shop our Amazon recommendations | Inexpensive NATO straps on Amazon

See our watch guides

Hybrid Sand Woven Fabric Tudor NATO strap on a Tudor Black Bay Dive Watch

Watch Strap Color Guide & Inspiration

We get a lot of questions here at the Basic Bands watch strap blog, and often that question is about which watch strap color goes with which color watch dial or type of watch. If you’re wondering about that too, we’re here to help.

It’s not possible to list every watch type and style and the colors and types of straps that go well with them, so we’ve started Pinterest boards to give you more inspiration. Other sources of watch strap ideas include Reddit’s r/Watchbands and Instagram.If you don’t use Pinterest, you can find images by clicking on tags in the sidebar or using the Inspiration category at the top of the page.

Seiko Cocktail Time Header

THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE SEIKO PRESAGE “COCKTAIL TIME” LINE OF WATCHES

Welcome to the Basic Bands guide to the Seiko Presage “Cocktail Time” line of watches. These watches, nicknamed after the elaborate cocktails fashioned by Shinobu Ishigaki, are an incredibly popular line of dress watches from Seiko. Combining the reliability and affordability of a Seiko with some amazingly gorgeous dials, these watches have become one of the most popular affordable dress watches in the market.

Barton Bands Green Canvas Strap on a Seiko SNK 805

THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE SEIKO SNK WATCH LINE

The Seiko 5 line of SNK watches are highly recommended as an inexpensive way to get into automatics. The watches are great for kids as a first watch and an excellent casual watch for adults. It meets all the check boxes for a good looking watch from a great brand at a great price.

Kids (and parents) will love the sub-$100 price, the good design and the ability to mix and match watch straps. It can be a first watch for a kid or a nice watch for a teenager that can go with a lot of outfits.

Tag Heuer Carrera Watch on Brown Hirsch Speed Alligator Strap

BASIC BANDS 2018 WATCH STRAP & ACCESSORIES GIFT GUIDE

Hello everyone, and welcome to the 2018 edition of the Basic Bands Watch Strap & Accessories Gift Guide! We’re here to help you find that perfect someone (or yourself) the perfect gift this holiday season. We’ve divided the guide up into sections, so skip ahead to the one that interests you most. First we have […]

Seiko Turtle Watch on Barton Bands Canvas Strap

BEST PLACES TO BUY WATCH STRAPS ONLINE

A common question we get is where to buy watch straps, who is reputable, and how to choose among the different options. On this page, we have listed the major strap companies and brands, divided by category. Most places ship internationally, but we have listed out companies that are outside the U.S. if you’re looking […]

barton-bands-blue-canvas-quick-release

SAFE PLACES TO BUY WATCHES ONLINE – A GUIDE TO ONLINE WATCH PURCHASING

Watches make good gifts for birthdays, weddings and special occasions like graduations. But if you don’t purchase a watch often, it’s hard to know where to look first for the best deal, the best warranty & a guarantee of authenticity. Most people find that the online watch purchasing experience is fragmented and fraught with fakes and high prices. This article explains how to pick an online watch store.

Clockwork Synergy Two-Piece NATO Strap

BASIC BANDS 2017 WATCH STRAP AND BAND GIFT GUIDE

So you’re looking for a strap? Maybe the person you’re shopping for already has a nice watch and you’d love to match it with a nice strap. Or maybe you’re buying a watch and you’re looking for strap ideas to complement the stock band. Or maybe you just got a new watch and you’d like to spice it up with a new leather or NATO strap. Well, you’ve come to the right place. We’re Basic Bands, and we loooove watch straps.

barton-bands-spring-bar-tool

TOOLS FOR REPLACING A WATCH STRAP OR BAND

The basic tool for changing a watch strap is called a spring bar tool, also called a strap removal tool, watch pin tool , or a Burgeon tool, after the Swiss company that makes them. It looks like a pencil, with a metal fork on one end to pinch the spring bar while you apply pressure, and a pin on the other end to push out spring bars or bracelets on watches or buckles that have holes all the way through (drilled lugs). Most nice spring bar tools are well machined and come with removable ends for different size forks.

crown-and-buckle-straps

HOW TO PICK OUT THE RIGHT BAND FOR YOUR WATCH – A PRIMER ON WATCH STRAP STYLE

If you’re new to watchbands or looking to buy a gift for that special someone, knowing how to pick out the right watch strap is difficult. We interviewed Thomas Lathrop, CEO of popular watchband company Crown & Buckle, for some tips on matching up the right band to your watch.

Tag Heuer Carrera Watch on Brown Hirsch Speed Alligator Strap

5 TIPS FOR PICKING A NEW WATCH BAND OR STRAP

Ever wondered how to get the right strap for your watch that will fit right? See our guide for watch strap sizing, watch strap pin tools and watch strap materials.

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alligator apple watch bauhaus bespoke black black dial blue blue dial breitling brown brown leather canvas chronograph custom watch strap companies diver dress watch exotic Geckota green green dial grey guides hamilton horween IWC leather leather band nato omega Omega Speedmaster Panerai perlon rally strap rolex rubber seiko Seiko diver Seiko SNK shop skx speedmaster thick timex tudor white dial
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SMALL BRAND SPOTLIGHT – TOSHI STRAPS

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Crown & Buckle Warren Watch Roll

WATCH ACCESSORY OF THE DAY – CROWN & BUCKLE WATCH ROLL

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B&R Bands Olive Suede Strap on Tudor Sub

BRAND SHOWCASE – B&R BANDS

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clover-strap-patrik

SMALL BRAND SPOTLIGHT – CLOVER STRAPS

April 5, 2017 By Basic Bands

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    THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE ORIENT BAMBINO DRESS WATCH
  • HOW TO PICK OUT THE RIGHT BAND FOR YOUR WATCH - A PRIMER ON WATCH STRAP STYLE
    HOW TO PICK OUT THE RIGHT BAND FOR YOUR WATCH - A PRIMER ON WATCH STRAP STYLE
  • BEST PLACES TO BUY WATCH STRAPS ONLINE
    BEST PLACES TO BUY WATCH STRAPS ONLINE
  • HOW TO FIX A BROKEN LOOP ON YOUR WATCH STRAP
    HOW TO FIX A BROKEN LOOP ON YOUR WATCH STRAP
  • Watch Strap Color Guide & Inspiration
    Watch Strap Color Guide & Inspiration

Recent

  • Black Friday and Holiday Sales 2021
  • Prime Day Watch Deals
  • eBay Sale for the week ending September 27, 2020
  • New Strap Release – Padded Vintage Collection from B&R Bands
  • Gallery of Popular Bauhaus/Minimalist Watches

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Tags

alligator apple watch bauhaus bespoke black black dial blue blue dial breitling brown brown leather canvas chronograph custom watch strap companies diver dress watch exotic Geckota green green dial grey guides hamilton horween IWC leather leather band nato omega Omega Speedmaster Panerai perlon rally strap rolex rubber seiko Seiko diver Seiko SNK shop skx speedmaster thick timex tudor white dial

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