How Your Watch Strap Can Transform Your Wrist Stack
CHARLIE BOYD speaks to three timepiece tastemakers to explore how they wear their watch – plus how your choice of strap can shake up your own wrist-stack styling
Danielle Prescod, journalist, activist and author of Token Black Girl
“I love watches that look like jewelry, so my preferred strap is a metal bracelet of some kind. I also change watches from day to evening – to me, an evening watch must blend in perfectly with whatever occasion or environment you’re going to be in, so I would say satin, velvet or a very delicate, thin strap is the way to go. Personally, I’m not as keen on double-tour styles because I adorn my wrist with tennis bracelets that I wear pretty much every day, so I prefer a watch that won’t get tangled. Your strap choice can also make your wrist stack feel more playful in summer or more serious in winter, but there aren’t rules that dictate needing a certain strap for each season – you can wear the same style all year round if that’s what you prefer. The most important thing? Get whatever is going to make you happy.”
“Your strap choice can make your wrist stack feel more playful in summer or more serious in winter, but there aren’t rules that dictate needing a certain strap for each season
”Danielle Prescod
Shini Park, photographer and founder of creative agency Cube Collective
“The strap alone can massively affect the look and feel of a timepiece. For example, a brushed-chain bracelet adds an instant element of luxury, while a leather strap with contrast stitching gives a casual, preppy effect. Since a watch is one of the very few accessories I will wear (my work requires me to use my hands a lot), I will always take the dial design and strap material into consideration when finishing a look. During the day, I rely on leathers, chain bracelets and sporty nylons, while I will reach for more bejeweled faces and warm-tone metal straps in rose gold or gold for the evening. Depending on your choice of layered materials, your wrist stack can immediately feel more appropriate for the weather or setting, too: colorful straps or a clean watch face with no markers add a refreshing pop of visual interest in the summer, while more earthy-toned leathers, warm-tone metal bands and a dial with classic typography looks more handsome in the colder months.”
“During the day, I rely on leathers, chain bracelets and sporty nylons, while I will reach for more bejeweled faces and warm-tone metal straps in rose gold or gold for the evening
”Shini Park
Brynn Wallner, founder of luxury-watches resource Dimepiece
“Black is my favorite strap color for an everyday watch – a neutral tone like black or brown keeps things classic and versatile, whereas a bright color can make a watch really zing and is more of a fashion statement. Many modern watches are created with a feature that enables easy strap changing, which is exciting and a response to a more fashion-forward consumer coming into the hobby of collecting. If you’re unsure where to begin when it comes to choosing a strap, contextualize your watch against the backdrop of your entire look and lifestyle. Instead of following a trend, you want your strap color to go well with the bulk of your personal wardrobe, so it’s important to choose something that transcends trends or seasons. Unless you have an extensive watch collection already, the piece you have will likely be a daily wear, so don’t go too bold if that’s not you. It can be tempting, but you don’t want your watch to gather dust because of an impractical strap choice.”
“A neutral tone like black or brown keeps things classic and versatile, whereas a bright color can make a watch really zing and is more of a fashion statement
”Brynn Wallner