Disclaimer: Big thanks to Holben’s for sending over these watch straps for free to The Peak Lapel for the purposes of this review.
We’re big fans of watches around these parts. Which should come as no surprise to anyone reading this, since a proper wristwatch is the completion to any outfit. It’s the one sort of “jewelry” piece that men get to wear, and it’s a great way to make a subtle statement, and show off your personality. The thing is, though, that after many years of wear you might become a little bit bored with your watch. Not to worry, though, as part of the great thing about decent watches is that what you’re really paying for is the actual face and mechanism, not the strap. So you can just swap out the strap and breathe a whole new life into a watch that otherwise appeared old.
This is, by the way, not even to mention the fact that many middle tier watches come with straps that are far below the nice-ness of the actual watch itself. Orient, for instance, is often guilty of this. But that is intentional. They are putting all the effort and value into the amazing watch and movement itself, so it is to be expected that the strap might be a little bit lower quality than the actual watch itself. This is no matter, though, and exactly where Holben’s comes in. It’s super easy to swap out the strap for something that is either of higher quality, fresher, or more to your liking. Swapping out a strap is also a great way to completely change up the look of a watch. Just grab yourself a spring-bar tool (there are tons of great options on Amazon for just a few bucks), pull out the current strap, and swap in a new one instead.
For this review, for instance, you can see that I swapped out the standard link bracelet on my Orient diver watch for an awesome leather option from Holben’s. This makes the watch a bit more casual, and a bit more rugged — even more perfect for everyday wear (though I would no longer recommend it with a suit). This is a great example of how big of a difference simply swapping out a watch strap can make on the actual look and feel of a watch.
We also swapped out a plain brown band for an absolutely gorgeous grey, suede leather — that almost has a bit of a blue tint to it — to pair with the great Breda watch I have enjoyed since receiving. I absolutely love the new look that this strap with this watch, and I’m very happy to have this strap in my collection now.
They also sent over a cool Perlon option — which is a type of woven nylon great for the summer and more casual settings, and a great place to experiment and play around with some bright color options — as well as a rubber strap that you are able to cut down to your preferred size, and would pair perfectly as well with a dive watch.
And the best part about this all? These straps are not expensive at all, and even come with spring bar backups, so if you lose one (which is bound to happen), you’ll have extras provided for you. We’re talking about $20-$50 for a new watch strap, and most are really on the low-end of that range. For just a couple bucks, then, you can breathe new life into an old watch. Instead of a bunch of cheaper watches, buy one nicer one, and a couple of straps to swap out for it, and you’ll be much happier in the long run, trust us.
Believe it or not, building up a watch strap collection is an important part of watch collecting and wearing, but it is often over-looked. No longer. Check out Holben’s and start collecting. We were super impressed with their offerings, and what you can get for the price.