Written by Menswear Style in Fashion History on the 25th November 2020

The NATO watch strap was invented in the early 1970s by the British Ministry of Defence. It’s made from a polyester blend material with a nylon mix, and is very durable. The nylon mixture provides support while wearing it, and also prevents metal from making contact with skin. NATO watch straps are often designed with a quick-release buckle too.

These straps are available in a variety of colours, which you can find via NATO Strap Store. For example, you can buy a NATO strap in plain black, yellow, red, green, blue, cream, purple, white, pink, or brown (among many other stripe variations). Depending on the colour, you can choose a strap that will match with your wardrobe nicely. In addition to choosing the colour, you can also choose the style. You may opt for a strap with a flat buckle, or one that has a raised buckle.

What Makes NATO Watch Straps Special 

A lot of people often wonder what makes the NATO watch strap so special. In fact, it is not just about the design or material used, it has also been proven that a single strap is not enough to provide complete security and safety. Instead, you have to make sure that your wrist is covered with the other piece of strap for extra support. The second strap is there to help secure the watch to the wrist itself. The first NATO watch strap was manufactured in 1973, and the name came about because the material used was actually nylon, not steel. Many watchmakers, then, took advantage of this to design a bracelet that would be more water-resistant than a typical watch band, which is normally made out of a strong, sturdy stainless steel band. Many of these bands were also sold as ‘NATO watches’ in order to make their products appear more military in nature. After the US launched its own brand of wristwatch, these NATO watch bands were quickly replaced by its own version. These bands have also been made in the US, and most of them still carry the NATO name.

As a result of its use by the military forces, the nylon strap has also been used extensively in civilian clothing, as well as sports. Some guys even incorporate the strap into their everyday wardrobe to give them a bit more functionality. There are many reasons that the nylon strap is becoming a popular choice again today. For one thing, the strap is comfortable and can be worn under any outfit, from casual clothing to formalwear, without the worry about material irritating skin. Furthermore, the strap is available in a wide variety of sizes to fit most wrist sizes, providing extra flexibility. 

NATO Watch Straps And James Bond 

An interesting fact, there is a popular connection between the movie character James Bond and the NATO strap. One of the most popular James Bond watches is the Omega Seamaster 300 Spectre Limited Edition watch. There are two James Bond NATO watch straps. The first design is actually the Bond NATO strap, which is the original and the most popular. This design was developed for the James Bond Dr No. movie (and later seen in Spectre), and is now referred to as the ‘James Bond' watch strap. There is one major difference between the Bond strap and the other design. The Bond watch straps are constructed using nylon that is used in military style watches. The other design is called the Vintage Bond strap, and it is made from various metals, such as platinum and gold. As you can imagine, it is a much heavier strap than the former.

Wristwatches aren’t just devices for time tracking, but are also considered to be a fashion statement. Many of them come in different colours. If you are looking to buy a new one, it is important that you choose a wristwatch strap that is both stylish and durable. It will last a very long time after all.

In this blog post we take a look at what makes the NATO watch strap so special and its connection to James Bond.