What will you pay for a strap?

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Timnic54

NWBIG
Horologist
Jan 16, 2018
1,117
1,747
163
Bangkok
Seems a silly question as straps come in all qualities and prices. But if you have a real NWBIG Rep and as usual it comes with a POS strap, you will need to change it.
It does seem strange to pay $400 for a watch and then put a $300 strap on it!

But if you really want your watch to look great, that may be what you have to do.

I live in a city where you can eat lunch for $3 but a good cup of coffee to wash it down with will easily cost $6 so maybe it isn't so crazy.

So you have this great Rep on a POS strap and the watch itself looks amazing. Will you go all the way and buy gen ?

Will you compromise with a cheap Vietnam croc strap. ?

Here's some examples

$400 Rep on a $450 Gen strap

25601312117_be0dc6571c_b.jpg

$300 Rep on a $200 strap

24562764978_fdd421c179_b.jpg

$350 Rep on $200 strap

26655131879_53bf55d866_b.jpg

Same watch on the POS it arrived with

26653376739_0865790486_b.jpg

$350 Rep $200 strap

39789710505_9c8f96f415_b.jpg
 
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MrE

Content Contributor
Feb 27, 2018
281
559
93
I would have been fine with the straps my watches came with.
However, my wife doesn't like them, therefore I buy all new straps :)
 

bobandshawn

Well-known member
Mar 24, 2018
107
58
28
I don't do many straps but I have coughed up the cash for a gen Rolex jubilee lately. I've considered a Bulang&Son leather for my 5513, but at $125+ I'm a little sheepish without actually having touched it. Over that, on a rep, not gonna happen for me. Mine are all personal "builds" anyway so I never try to pass them off as gen (other than all the gen parts lol).
 
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PlanetZoom

Active Enthusiast
Ambassador
Jan 20, 2018
1,271
1,319
163
CONUS
I usually replace the strap. In case cases, I've bought watches m2m that already had an upgraded strap.

Sometimes it's a viet croc strap:
hLwoOwk.jpg

Sometimes it's a high end strap (CF here):
isCzWis.jpg

I'm about to buy a CF strap for a Patek 5227.
 
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minty007

Once in a while you get shown the light...
Diplomat
Feb 20, 2018
757
2,599
143
Colorado, USA
I sure agree with you guys with the impact a strap has on a watch - gen or rep. I swap straps on a variety of watches several times a week, yet I'm often still surprised at just how dramatically a watch's overall look can change with a simple switch. I probably keep only 20% or so of my original rep straps (some are actually quite nice... but they have been the exception).

As to how much $? I rarely buy OEM straps for my reps (or my gens, for that matter). I find that as good as - if not better - quality can be found through many independent strap makers at better prices, with the bonus of having them custom made to my exact specifications. I'd estimate that most of my new strap purchases fall somewhere in the $50-$150 range, with the fabric straps being much less. I have a few specialty straps that were more expensive, but only a few.

Besides the 80 or so in the watch box, I like having options... :)

bASovGt.jpg
 
OP
Timnic54

Timnic54

NWBIG
Horologist
Jan 16, 2018
1,117
1,747
163
Bangkok
I sure agree with you guys with the impact a strap has on a watch - gen or rep. I swap straps on a variety of watches several times a week, yet I'm often still surprised at just how dramatically a watch's overall look can change with a simple switch. I probably keep only 20% or so of my original rep straps (some are actually quite nice... but they have been the exception).

As to how much $? I rarely buy OEM straps for my reps (or my gens, for that matter). I find that as good as - if not better - quality can be found through many independent strap makers at better prices, with the bonus of having them custom made to my exact specifications. I'd estimate that most of my new strap purchases fall somewhere in the $50-$150 range, with the fabric straps being much less. I have a few specialty straps that were more expensive, but only a few.

Besides the 80 or so in the watch box, I like having options... :)

View attachment 23435

That's a lot of straps. I have been to strap shops with less stock!
 
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Trendconcept

Member
Mar 11, 2018
13
21
3
Europe
I attach great importance to combine a Superrep or NWBIG with a high quality strap. This drastically changes the appearance of the entire watch. In a positive sense. I often buy OEM straps, which often cost more than $300. But I also like to buy from passionate strap manufacturers, e.g. Jacob. However, Jacob also charges €200+ for his premium Santoni-like straps.


Jaeger LeCoultre on two different €130 Jacobstraps

20180414_144710_2.jpg

20170806_171507-1.jpg


IWC Portofino on $310 OEM Strap

DSC00639.jpg


IWC Ingenieur on €130 Jacobstrap

20170806_170453.jpg

20170806_170637.jpg

20170806_170027.jpg


IWC Portuguese on €210 Jacobstrap

20171106_215510.jpg

DSC00695.jpg

DSC00696.jpg


Rolex Cellini on €130 Jacobstrap

image.jpg


For comparison: Omega Globemaster on cheap €50 aftermarket strap

20180414_142535.jpg

2_1024_x_768.jpg
 

Kilowattore

Content Contributor
Feb 4, 2018
311
849
143
As a PAM lover I am simply addicted to straps. I have bever neen really interested in gen straps though, because to me It's not only a matter of look, it's the comfort and feel that only a custom made strap can give, it will simply make your watch unique.
While I don't maybe have as many choices as @minty007 I have more than a few in my drawer plus a specific strap for each watch in my collection.
In my experience price is not always equal to quality. I had some very expensive straps that were deluding and a few cheap ones that were great.
I found my soft spot in the 80-150 euro for a PAM strap and 40-80 for a Rolex one. Orloff is my all time favourite maker and my go to guy for any special strap I need (he recently made a couple of coloured exotics for my wife's tudor for example), but I had excellent stuff from Manifatture Serioso, bakeka and G straps too. In general when I see a nice strap I always feel the need to buy it. And I often do it :)
 
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WatchnScotch

Content Contributor
Dec 26, 2017
112
101
43
I attach great importance to combine a Superrep or NWBIG with a high quality strap. This drastically changes the appearance of the entire watch. In a positive sense. I often buy OEM straps, which often cost more than $300. But I also like to buy from passionate strap manufacturers, e.g. Jacob. However, Jacob also charges €200+ for his premium Santoni-like straps.

IWC Portuguese on €210 Jacobstrap

View attachment 23491

View attachment 23492

View attachment 23493


Rolex Cellini on €130 Jacobstrap
I love the color on this strap, one of my favorites!
 
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minty007

Once in a while you get shown the light...
Diplomat
Feb 20, 2018
757
2,599
143
Colorado, USA
As a PAM lover I am simply addicted to straps. I have bever neen really interested in gen straps though, because to me It's not only a matter of look, it's the comfort and feel that only a custom made strap can give, it will simply make your watch unique.
While I don't maybe have as many choices as @minty007 I have more than a few in my drawer plus a specific strap for each watch in my collection.
In my experience price is not always equal to quality. I had some very expensive straps that were deluding and a few cheap ones that were great.
I found my soft spot in the 80-150 euro for a PAM strap and 40-80 for a Rolex one. Orloff is my all time favourite maker and my go to guy for any special strap I need (he recently made a couple of coloured exotics for my wife's tudor for example), but I had excellent stuff from Manifatture Serioso, bakeka and G straps too. In general when I see a nice strap I always feel the need to buy it. And I often do it :)
Thanks (and darn you!) for a couple more recommended strap makers that I now must check out! :)
 

Jun_i0r

Well-known member
Dec 31, 2017
78
69
18
I’ve have been crazy about of straps over the years, mainly for Panerai. When I first got into this hobby I loved the 3rd party strap makers (Simona, Dirk, MP, Bakaka, Adeeos, Rom Montana, etc) BUT in the past year I’ve went mostly genuine. Maybe because I live 10 min from an AD (instant gratification is a mofo) or maybe because I’ve noticed that nothing quite fits and feels like it belongs on the watch like a genuine strap does or maybe because the quality of the third party makers has gone down hill fast. Although, there are a few exceptions; my vintage pam builds and pre-v/pre-a builds oh and some canvas straps. Looking towards the future I must say, my AD let’s me in on a lot of Panerai’s new releases and their new straps suck as much as most of their changes and new watches do imo
 
OP
Timnic54

Timnic54

NWBIG
Horologist
Jan 16, 2018
1,117
1,747
163
Bangkok
I am about to find out what I will pay for a strap for this ;

29302293938_d644ec29f9_b.jpg

The POS strap it came with needs to go pronto.

Ironically I have 3 Gen JLC straps in my strap box, all the wrong size!

Fortunately I have a local strap shop who stocks great straps including ABP, CF and Rios