General Question About Watches from First-Time Buyer

[cheessus]

For a first watch, which in your opinion is generally more versatile? Leather or metal strap?

 

[gdl203]

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

 

[skalogre]

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.

 

[needshoehelp]

Traditionally, metal is more casual while leather is more dressy.

 

[beasty]

Originally Posted by cheessus

For a first watch, which in your opinion is generally more versatile? Leather or metal strap?

Versatile: metal.
Durability: metal.
No brainer: metal.

 

[norcaltransplant]

Metal bands are more versatile, but keep in mind metal bands add a 20-30% premium to the base cost of the watch.

 

[coatandthai]

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.

 

[sonick]

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.

 

[beasty]

Originally Posted by coatandthai

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.

 

[beasty]

BTW leather straps are not water proof. Over the long run, it will get damaged.

 

[CunningSmeagol]

Originally Posted by beasty

BTW leather straps are not water proof. Over the long run, it will get damaged.

Which is part of the charm.

 

[skalogre]

Originally Posted by beasty

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).

 

[TRINI]

Originally Posted by skalogre

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.

 

[skalogre]

Originally Posted by triniboy27

Or Dirk's salt-water leather straps.

AFAIK even water-resistant leather eventually breaks down