There’s something kind of magical about how a new strap can make a watch feel completely different and uniquely yours. Especially when you're at the local meetups and can immediately tell your watch because it's styled just to your tastes. Some collectors even have strap-watch combos with a story all their own. We asked members of our community to shine a light on how they style their watches (with straps and beyond) through this recurring series, Watch Couture.
The one with the cool story
I’m certainly no Jason Heaton, but late in 2021 my wife and I decided to try scuba diving with sharks. It was an incredible, thrilling, and almost meditative experience. No cage, no shark mesh suit, just a bunch of divers sitting on the ocean floor 50 feet down, armed with nothing but a length of pvc pipe to “guide” the sharks away if they got too “curious”. By “guide”, they meant point at sternly, and by “curious” they meant if the shark started wondering if you were food. There were six in total, four eight-foot Caribbean reef sharks, and two nurse sharks (the smaller flat ones). They truly were curious and playful with the guide who gathered, fed, and wrestled with them. We were told not to bring anything that would make noise, or anything shiny. I managed to keep my dive computer in my pocket so it would still log the dive while making minimal noise, and I kept my watch hidden under my wet suit, except for one moment when I snuck this photo. Worth it.
The strap I was wearing at the time was the “Mai Tai” Nato-style strap from Worn and Wound.
For our 5 year anniversary, I gifted my boyfriend this gold vintage IWC Caliber 89 since he loves the aesthetic of vintage IWCs. It originally came on a black crocodile strap with a shiny finish and while it had a classic look, it just didn’t feel right on his wrist. I got him this navy matte crocodile strap with square scales for his birthday this year and it’s quickly become one of his favorites. Even though the watch and strap are not mine, they’re special to me because he wears both regularly to this day.
This strap is from @handdn.store on IG. He makes wonderful custom straps and has so many leather options you will definitely find something you love!
If you have a watch strap with a great story we would love to hear about it down in the comments.
 Dana Li has always been interested in watches, even from a young age. A few years ago, she inherited her grandpa’s watch, which kicked off her collecting journey. After spending time with collectors and people in the industry, she started Tell the Time, a publication that highlights watches and the watch community from a woman’s perspective. Dana also shares Complecto’s mission of fostering an inclusive community that reflects the diversity of watches and collectors. |  Maxwell L. B. Thorn has been collecting watches for almost 15 years with no plans on slowing down any time soon. What started with a pair of Seiko monsters evolved into an instagram account dedicated to watch straps, a true passion for the industry, and the uncanny (read frustrating) ability to steer any conversation back to watches. |
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