We know that our passion, yours and ours, is watches. That's why we make such a good team. This watch strap guides will allow you to choose your next companion
We want to take care of your magnificent mechanical marvels and for that we decided that we were going to be the perfect partner, the piece that connects these jewels to your wrist.
A piece of machinery is striking on its own, but paired with a carefully selected strap, it's unstoppable. That's why we created Guraga.
In today's market there are plenty of watch strap types to choose from, it's no secret.
We love a classic machine, with a story to tell, but we know that this is not an impediment to combine it with watch strap styles apart from the original one.
You can paint your car or put leather seats in it, but an engine that runs like clockwork, never better said, does not need to be modified.
Within this range of possibilities, we can classify straps by type of material. Today we will talk about the four most popular types: metal, silicone (also rubber or resin), textile (NATO) and leather.
Metal watch straps
If you like classic watches, you will probably also appreciate their water-resistance, the ability of the movement to be submerged several hundred metres while maintaining its functions.
In some cases they are used for diving, but in most cases it is another reason that shows the reliability and robustness of these watches.
To accompany these capabilities, to ensure these diving possibilities with guarantees, metal straps are used. Within the types of metals there are several possibilities.
Over the years, alloys with less reliable metals such as brass have gradually disappeared, and nowadays most of these straps are made of stainless steel.
If we want to take things a step further, we can also find straps made of titanium, an even more robust metal, and of course silver or gold, giving the watch a more than deserved jewellery status.
The form in which these straps are usually constructed is known worldwide as 'armis': a bracelet made up of a set of links.
These are the most durable but, on the downside, they are very heavy and tend to be more expensive. A classic option with its pros and cons.
Silicone watch straps(also rubber or resin)
A not very glamorous but also very effective option to accompany machinery in its walks through the depths are the silicone straps, or other materials of similar appearance and finish such as rubber or resin, all of them polymers derived from petroleum.
Their lifespan is much more limited because these materials degrade more easily over time: resin eventually breaks down, silicone tends to give way or soften, and rubber is certainly the least durable material.
However, they all offer an unrivalled lightness that will allow you to shave a few hundred grams off your underwater equipment and make your movements more agile, or simply make your arm more comfortable on your surface rides.
Another drawback is perhaps the lack of breathability.
Textile (NATO Watch Straps)
We enter the category that, for us, is undoubtedly the best choice for watches that offer underwater functions. We are in love with NATO straps for many reasons:
Because of their characteristics they combine many of the virtues of the watch strap types we have seen above: they are light, resistant, durable, comfortable and, of course, submersible.
They are usually made of synthetic fibres such as nylon, although in very exclusive cases they can even be made of Kevlar.
These magnificent qualities were not chosen at random, they were conceived specifically for military use. As I'm sure you know or have guessed, the name NATO has nothing to do with the type of material.
The strap takes its name from NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), as this type of watch straps were originally designed for the troops of this military organisation.
The strap first appeared in 1973, in the British Ministry of Defence Standard (DefStan) 66-15. Soldiers had to apply for the strap by filling in a form known as G10, which is why this type of watch strap is also known by this name.
As I said at the beginning, in Guraga we are lovers of these watch strap types and in our web we offer you a wide catalogue so that you can accompany your watch with monocolour or multicolour finishes, with your own designs or with mythical versions such as the well-known NATO straps from the James Bond films, as you will have read in our last post dedicated to the film saga.
Leather Watch Straps
We enter the world of distinction and elegance. Along with NATO, these are the type of watch straps we are in love with, because of the possibilities of giving a boost to your outfits.
They are extremely comfortable, lightweight and, although they are not initially designed to be submerged, many of them do have an anti-humidity treatment that at least protects them from splashes.
We all know the most legendary shades such as black or brown, although nowadays the colour palette has evolved so much that we can find almost any colour in leather.
The most commonly used material in this type of watch band is cowhide, which is very breathable, however, as with colours, there is a current of exclusivity which means that we can see leather straps made from exotic animals such as crocodile, lizard or even shark.
In the manuals of elegance we historically find, related to this material, shoes, belts and of course watches with leather straps to create a perfect style of their own.
As with NATO straps, at Guraga we are fans of this watch strap type, and on our website you can find a careful selection with various sizes, textures and shades of the most combinable and used colours in the history of watches with leather straps, always authentic, of course.
As you will have seen, you have a multitude of options to take your watch to another level. Find your leather strap at Guraga.
Strap your watch with Guraga
In this article we have seen all the different types of leashes, we have reviewed the different options available.
Depending on what you want it for, one strap or another will suit you better, without a doubt the metal ones are the most luxurious but the least comfortable.
Our personal recommendation and although it clearly depends on what you want it for, it is minimal to have a good leather strap for special occasions or a NATO that serves you for practically everything.
