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General Question About Watches from First-Time Buyer

post #1 of 14
3/17/08 at 6:02pm
Thread Starter 
For a first watch, which in your opinion is generally more versatile? Leather or metal strap?
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post #2 of 14
3/17/08 at 6:06pm
Bracelet is more versatile becasue you can always and easily switch to a strap. The opposite is more difficult as bracelets are not as generic as aftermarket straps
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post #3 of 14
3/17/08 at 6:08pm
Strap is, frankly irrelevant. On the vast majority of watches it takes merely a few minutes to replace witha different one. A springbar tool and a few spare springbars (they eventually live up to their name and go flying ) costs only a few $$$.

But here is what I would say. A steel bracelet is more neutral if you are concerned about the colour of your leather strap fitting with your outfit. But they call a lot of attention to the watch and I just don't like them anyway.
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post #4 of 14
3/17/08 at 6:46pm
Traditionally, metal is more casual while leather is more dressy.
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post #5 of 14
3/17/08 at 10:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cheessus View Post
For a first watch, which in your opinion is generally more versatile? Leather or metal strap?

Versatile: metal.
Durability: metal.
No brainer: metal.
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post #6 of 14
3/17/08 at 10:59pm
Metal bands are more versatile, but keep in mind metal bands add a 20-30% premium to the base cost of the watch.
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post #7 of 14
3/17/08 at 11:14pm
Depends what you mean by "versatile." If you are like me, your wrist can expand and contract based on whether you have a lot of water (say after a sodium-filled Chinese meal). If you wear a nice strap watch you can adjust the strap easily to fit your wrist, while a bracelet is usually difficult to adjust on the fly and thus you either wear it a tad loose or tight at all times. So for me, the most versatile is a strap watch.
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post #8 of 14
3/17/08 at 11:32pm
For leather straps, would you have to match the strap to the belt to the shoe? If it is the case, I'd think metal would be more versatile.
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post #9 of 14
3/17/08 at 11:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by coatandthai View Post
Depends what you mean by "versatile." If you are like me, your wrist can expand and contract based on whether you have a lot of water (say after a sodium-filled Chinese meal). If you wear a nice strap watch you can adjust the strap easily to fit your wrist, while a bracelet is usually difficult to adjust on the fly and thus you either wear it a tad loose or tight at all times. So for me, the most versatile is a strap watch.

You dont wear it skin tight but not so loose like Mr T's jewellery range.
You can wear it so you can force a pinky in.
Its unlikely in a course of a meal, your wrist can grow so fat.
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post #10 of 14
3/17/08 at 11:39pm
BTW leather straps are not water proof. Over the long run, it will get damaged.
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post #11 of 14
3/18/08 at 2:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by beasty View Post
BTW leather straps are not water proof. Over the long run, it will get damaged.

Which is part of the charm.
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post #12 of 14
3/18/08 at 2:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by beasty View Post
BTW leather straps are not water proof. Over the long run, it will get damaged.

That is where NATO/ZULU/G10 nylon straps come in . I hate rubber straps (have not tried silicone yet, though).
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post #13 of 14
3/18/08 at 3:03pm
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Originally Posted by skalogre View Post
That is where NATO/ZULU/G10 nylon straps come in . I hate rubber straps (have not tried silicone yet, though).

Or Dirk's salt-water leather straps.

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post #14 of 14
3/18/08 at 4:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by triniboy27 View Post
Or Dirk's salt-water leather straps.


AFAIK even water-resistant leather eventually breaks down
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