NATO watch straps ... a spot of advice please.

^^ Bit of a shame about the aforegoing comments. Wouldn't have thought a chat about cheap NATO straps could turn into a bit of a proverbial 'to and fro'.

Have to say the spot of name dropping above did jar a tad. High end watches don't actually have great appeal personally - quite the opposite, but, from looking at the many posts in the watch forum, I can see it has quite a following. And there's nowt wrong with that, I'm sure. Clearly a case of horses and courses etc.

In fact the exquisite staging and creativity in the backgrounds of the photos illustrating thousands of pounds worth of timepiece is something to behold. Shirts with the owner's monogram very visible and strategically placed accompanying tasteful paraphernalia indicating wealth and good standing abound. But, hey if you've got it, flaunt it. ;)
 
I'm just grateful that Christopher Ward took the trouble to have a facsimile J.B. NATO type strap made up for their homage ( okay, copy for pathetic daydreamers ) to the original Dr No casino opening scene Rolex. Took most of my savings at the time, however I get a cheap and harmless thrill each time I add a splash of Floris No 89 and buckle on the watch. Takes me right back to the Tivoli cinema in Crow Rd the first time I heard that incredible theme tune. And no, I got no embarassment that I've got daydreams still.

JohnnyO.nO/
 
I'm just grateful that Christopher Ward took the trouble to have a facsimile J.B. NATO type strap made up for their homage ( okay, copy for pathetic daydreamers ) to the original Dr No casino opening scene Rolex. Took most of my savings at the time, however I get a cheap and harmless thrill each time I add a splash of Floris No 89 and buckle on the watch. Takes me right back to the Tivoli cinema in Crow Rd the first time I heard that incredible theme tune. And no, I got no embarassment that I've got daydreams still.

JohnnyO.nO/

In fact the strap in JB (Goldfinger) is not a NATO. NATOs came after the movie and the Rolex is supposedly the director's on a regimental strap. There's a scene with Connery and the JB girl in bed, chatting, in which you can clearly see it's not a NATO.

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Found on the internet

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The CW one was taken from a blown up still from Dr No according to the original piece about it on their site. I'm not sure how many straps appeared through the SC Bond series, however I have noticed in stills that whilst the pattern remains unaltered the colour shades seem to vary on occasion. Not sure if this might be down to the film/processing used ? I just like mine anyway ... never fails to give me a smile.

JohnnyO. o/
 
If you want the Bond experience, you need to wear it flopping around between the lugs. :)

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Which reminds me of this currently for sale limited edition gentlemens haute horology timepiece - DAGAZ Fishy-Pussy.


 
You mean the strap is narrower? Like 16mm wide?

Sean Connery in 1962, 1963 and 1964 wore a standard buckled nylon (not NATO) 16mm strap on a Rolex Submariner 6538 (20mm).

First Bond to wear a NATO is Daniel Craig in Spectre (2015) on his Omega Seamaster 300. No Bond ever wore a NATO or RAF strap before 2015.

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In fact the strap in JB (Goldfinger) is not a NATO. NATOs came after the movie and the Rolex is supposedly the director's on a regimental strap.

I heard that Rolex wouldn't lend them a watch for the film so the director offered his, but the bracelet wouldn't fit Sean Connery, so they sent someone out to obtain a strap and that was what they came back with hence it being too narrow for the lugs.
 
I heard that Rolex wouldn't lend them a watch for the film so the director offered his, but the bracelet wouldn't fit Sean Connery, so they sent someone out to obtain a strap and that was what they came back with hence it being too narrow for the lugs.

I read somewhere (when I was into watches, a decade ago...) that JB has a Rolex in the books, but not a sub though, another model IIRC.
 
As mentioned, have dipped my toe in the water with a couple from AliExpress which cost £5.70 for the two (one army green - 18mm and one black and grey - 20mm)
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/MR-...ap-24mm-22mm-20mm-18mm-Black/32832982385.html

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Plus one other for £4.60 (army green). 18mm
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Hig...308.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.40694c4dVTQoB7

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I only recently saw that I incorrectly thought my field style watches (shown here) are all 18mm - BUT the one with the black face (the Seiko) is 20mm (as I say, I'd previously assumed it was 18mm, like the others)

This now means that, being 20mm, I have the option of something from Timefactors (not to mention a million other suppliers) ... but TF get good recommends here.


TF show one ... "James Bond with a twist" with a bit of orange in it, as well as other varieties, of course. But it says there's an option of G10 style or RAF style. What's that mean? The pics don't seem to tell me.

https://www.timefactors.com/tfnatobondtwist.htm

Alternatively, anyone fancy suggesting why maybe one of the others from TF might look OK with the black Seiko..... obviously personal choice etc. but does it lend itself to a particular type, colour or style?

Ta.

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The Seiko shown here on the left is the 20mm one. (The Pulsar is the green, 18mm, one.)

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As mentioned, have dipped my toe in the water with a couple from AliExpress which cost £5.70 for the two (one army green - 18mm and one black and grey - 20mm)
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/MR-...ap-24mm-22mm-20mm-18mm-Black/32832982385.html

--------------------------------------------------

Plus one other for £4.60 (army green). 18mm
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Hig...308.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.40694c4dVTQoB7

-----------------------------------------------------

I only recently saw that I incorrectly thought my field style watches (shown here) are all 18mm - BUT the one with the black face (the Seiko) is 20mm (as I say, I'd previously assumed it was 18mm, like the others)

This now means that, being 20mm, I have the option of something from Timefactors (not to mention a million other suppliers) ... but TF get good recommends here.


TF show one ... "James Bond with a twist" with a bit of orange in it, as well as other varieties, of course. But it says there's an option of G10 style or RAF style. What's that mean? The pics don't seem to tell me.

https://www.timefactors.com/tfnatobondtwist.htm

Alternatively, anyone fancy suggesting why maybe one of the others from TF might look OK with the black Seiko..... obviously personal choice etc. but does it lend itself to a particular type, colour or style?

Ta.

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The Seiko shown here on the left is the 20mm one. (The Pulsar is the green, 18mm, one.)

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...I have also purchased some NATO's and Zulus from Ali Express, eBay and TF. The TF Deluxe NATO strap certainly wears more comfortably and I would say worth the extra. Purchased a good few patterns and they all seem to look good against my Black Citizen Diver, similar face to your Seiko...not sure that this helps other than the TF quality shows even though I suspect they all come from China...
 
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