Shop Your Watch Box!

Sometimes, you need a change. The old routine feels, well, routine ; )

So about this watch - it's a Bell & Ross that is no longer in production. It was a gift received a few years back that I will always treasure.

So the point being - I wasn't wanting a new watch, but rather thinking about giving my trusted companion a new look.

And I do have one peculiar quirk - if available, I always prefer OEM ; )

Now the other factor contributing to my decision making paradigm, particularly as it pertains to straps, is looks and comfort. And Bell & Ross's straps and clasps more than fit the bill. Many folks out there prefer exotic leathers, but my choices these days tend towards calfskin, but I do love a shiny patent-leather look. So I opted for blue leather, and a fairly straight forward deployant buckle.


So let's talk about the one thing that watch brands almost never pay sufficient attention to - the comfort of the strap itself. And once again, Bell & Ross has surpassed my expectations. It's great that a strap looks good. But if it isn't comfortable? You'll never wear it! No worries there!

Now I realize at this time of year encouraging you, the potential watch buying customer not to purchase a new watch is somewhat anathema. But that is, in fact, what I am encouraging you to do. Sometimes all it takes is a different outfit to make you see an old companion in a whole new light ; )

So shop your watch box!

And enjoy your watches!

The Brodinkee x StrapHabit Men Wear Pink 2024

Okay, confession - any other media outlet that pokes fun at Hodinkee I am predisposed to like. With that being said, and without taking any further shots... okay, maybe one - are you like, required to be male and sport an "Amish Outlaw" to work there?

Okay, now I'm really done ; )

Every year, for (I believe) the past two or three years, a special pink rubber strap has been made with the proceeds going to support cancer research (specifically Breast Cancer) by donating proceeds to the American Cancer Society. It has taken on somewhat legendary status, known far and wide as The Brodinkee x StrapHabit Men Wear Pink strap.This year I took the plunge and ordered mine -

And I have to say that not only do I have a positive feeling about supporting a worthy cause, I am very impressed by the quality of the strap and buckle!

And the fact that StrapHabit is based in my home state of Ohio is the icing on this particular watch related cake.

Here are the pertinents, per StrapHabit:

After raising over $10,000 for breast cancer in 2022 and over $20,000 in 2023, Bro and StrapHabit have teamed up to support the American Cancer Society again in 2024!

This year we've based it on StrapHabit's favorite strap available, the FKM Deployant Rubber. We've taken that strap and rendered it in a 10th color. This year it's a shade of pink that is brighter and more saturated than last year. The Brodinkee x StrapHabit logo is hidden inside of the deployant.

Show your support of a friend or loved one who has battled cancer right on your wrist!

Donation info

At the end of breast cancer month (October), StrapHabit will donate the total purchase cost ($49) for each strap sold to Bro's fundraiser.

Product info:

FKM rubber two-piece deployant watch strap with quick-release springbars. Available in 19mm, 20mm, 21mm, and 22mm lug widths.

The deployant design means that the tail end of the strap is captured and will not flop around. A polished buckle with twin triggers keeps your watch secure but is quick to take on and off.

Twelve tightly-spaced adjustment holes mean these straps will fit well on any wrist around 6 to 8.25 inches, and can be finely adjusted to get the perfect fit.

The underside of the strap features a recess to keep your wrist cool. The size and a subtle StrapHabit logo are also molded in the FKM rubber.

 

Our StrapHabit Rubber straps are extremely durable, and comfortable. The deep colors look fantastic! Quick-release springbars allow you to quickly swap straps in seconds without tools.

These straps are genuine FKM rubber. They feel nearly as soft and flexible as silicone but are much stronger, and resistant to picking up fuzz or cracking. In the photos, you can see how flexible they are, and that they can be completely folded without stretching or cracking.

Compared to traditional vulcanized rubber, FKM adds increased durability, and chemical and heat resistance.

The Brodinkee x StrapHabit Men Wear Pink 2024 is very reasonably priced at $49.00 US and is available in 19mm, 20mm, 21mm, and 22mm sizes.

A Modest Proposal about Luxury

Let's face facts, it is called the "luxury market" because it is, well, luxurious.  And luxury has, in the past, traditionally meant expensive.  In our rush to have that elusive, shiny, rare object we often park our common sense, and more importantly a small part of our humanity at the door.   Now before you jump to the conclusion that this is a piece designed to shame anyone, or to preach from a lofty height, fear not!  More and more I am becoming less of a fan of crocodile or alligator straps owing to the way that the leather is obtained and harvested by some suppliers.  I realize that customers still request them and they want something exotic.  And I am not asking or expecting ANYONE to subscribe wholesale to my opinions.

BUT - I also think that there are some interesting options out there.  One of them is SALMON!  Now to be 100% transparent, I was a bit less than impressed by the first salmon straps that I saw.  They were rough, not super well-finished and more of a gimmick than an actual product.  Sorry, that is how I see some of the early efforts.  But what if a REAL strap company started working with salmon skin to make a strap, and to make it a real luxury item?

This is a strap from Belgian strap maker LIC.  You will notice that it does NOT look like something stitched together by an ironic hipster, and rather looks like something you might find on a high priced, dare I say it - LUXURY watch.

I was presented this strap in Basel and (full disclosure) was encouraged to wear it and enjoy it - WITHOUT necessarily reporting on it.  But in the course of initially wearing it I have been very impressed.  Now again - I did receive this strap, I want there to be ZERO misunderstanding on this point.  BUT - I also want to make clear that I am writing about it because it has been a great strap so far and more importantly, it underscores that there are alternative, more renewable resources that can be used to create luxury items that you would actually WANT to use.

I will be back to you in a week with an update.  

  

Strapping in the Airman

Straps - today it seems that there is either far too much, or far too little attention paid to the one item that ensures your watch will stay on your wrist. In some cases there is the belief that the strap must be crafted from a nearly extinct reptile, hand stitched by elves in a forbidden forrest... or that it must be so manly it would make arnold schwarzenegger blush.

Descriptons such as "lovingly hand crafted by artisans" to "tough enough to fight any battle" - ENOUGH!
How about a sane, rational and appropriate approach? Thank you Glycine!

A nice, branded (or embossed) logo on one of the strap loops, and a solid, funtional buckle bearing the Glycine name.

The strap also bears the name - AIRMAN. The finishing of the strap is first rate - the leather is smooth and flexible, not hard and tough. The white accent stitching is the perfect counter balance to the size of the strap. This is not an insubstantial strap with a 22mm lug width. But it is not big for big's sake. It is the right counter point to the proportions of the watch.

And most of all, it is a very comfortable strap to wear. The buckle is large enough to operate smoothly, but not so large that it over crowds the strap. Moreover, it is smooth and sits nice and flat along the underside of the wrist.

In all honesty, I was not sure how I'd feel about the strap when I first saw the Airman at BaselWorld, and later Las Vegas, but I must admit that I have grown very, very fond of it.

I've only got a few days left, and the next post promises to be illuminating!

Stay tuned!

Something to hang on to

A watch strap is, for many of us, an afterthought. It holds the watch to your wrist, every few years you change it. You see signs in town and at the mall saying "watch straps and battery replacement while you wait". But sometimes a watch strap is more - much more. Back in the 1960s scuba diving was becoming much more of a true recreational activity. No longer the pursuit of the rich, or of the professional or military. But with this new surge in popularity came a refusal to accept the "standard issue". When ISOfrane was introduced back in the 1960s it truly revolutionized the dive watch. I realize that this is a big statement for a strap and not the watch itself, but it really did. Prior to the ISOfrane, dive straps solid chunks of rubber. No ventilation, hard and unforgiving. The ISOfrane was designed with ventilation to ensure that the skin could breath.

You can read more about ISOfrane here - they also sell direct!
www.isofrane.com