You know what we haven”t taken a look at recently here on WWR? Watch straps, that”s what. And, with the weather turning a bit cooler, you”re probably thinking about swapping out your nylon and rubber straps for something made of leather, or perhaps steel. But what if you”ve really grown accustomed to the look and feel of your Nato? Well, then, the folks over at Suigeneric have something for you.
Based in New York, Suigeneric offers straps – just straps. Their offerings are broken down into three main collections, of which we”ll be covering two. Within those collections, there are a wide variety of options – sixteen in total. Now, on to the straps we were sent in for review.
First, we have a very much ready for fall Blanket model (in Mint) , as well as the ever-popular Camo – albeit one in a British pattern (grey, blue, reddish brown, and black). Yes, there are several other varieties, but these are the ones we found to be the most interesting. Camo is just one of those designs that seems to always be a fun one to wear (though, I will admit, watch pairing can be a bit tricky), and the Blanket is properly evocative of the woolen blankets that are starting to come out of storage this time of year.
So, designs aside, why are these ready for the cooler temps? Well, rather than being made of nylon, they”re made of hand-waxed cotton. The waxing give a texture and feel you won”t have from raw cotton (as well as adding a bit of water resistance), and gives an nice, smooth feel against the skin. It also makes for a very stiff strap – at first. When I was mounting these on my online roulette Seiko? (REVIEW) (Part 1)” href=”https://www.wristwatchreview.com/2011/12/24/orange-you-glad-i-said-seiko-review-part-1/” target=”_blank”>Seiko Orange Monster, it took a little bit of effort to thread the strap through the lugs.
Additionally, when putting the straps on for the first time, they were a bit stiff to wrap around my wrist. Once they were on, and the waxed cotton had a chance to warm against my skin, though, it made about a perfect curve, making for a comfortable fit. I want to make a sizing note here – the current straps are about 9.5″ long, which means it was on the far end of fitting my 7.25″ wrist – no folding over of the end required (or even possible). If you like the folded look, though, you may want to wait for the next iteration, as they”re planning to make the strap an inch longer. If you”ve got smaller wrists, though, these are perfect.
I should also note that the waxed cotton makes for a bit of a thicker strap, especially where you have two layers running between the watch case and your wrist. Not necessarily an issue, but something you”ll want to be aware of as a difference from the nylon Natos you may be used to. Even with that though, I found the straps to be rather comfortable throughout the day – no hardware digging into my wrist, nor did I have problems with the watch (or strap) getting snagged on anything.
Coming in at a price of $45 (your choice of pattern), I think this make for a great transition piece to the cooler months – carry forward some of that relaxed summer style in a material that acknowledges the changing seasons. I did really like the straps (which are made in Korea), though I wished they were a bit longer (which, as I mentioned, they”re working on). Should you be on the hunt for some new “shoes” for your watch, and something that”s definitely different from other items out there, Suigeneric should be at the top of your list. suigeneric.com
