Opinions wanted:

Is this Ball Fireman Glory too dressy for a single pass NATO?

Reply
·

Not at all, looks good to me. 

·

I like the piece  with the gold hands match with the NATO. Looks like a factory  strap to the non-watch addicted. Us addicts know it's a very cool combo. This watch does vibe a leather strap IMO. Having scene this NATO now I am wondering what a cool rubber strap would look like. 

·

Thanks for the quick feedback. Until recently I only sported it on bracelet or leather strap.

lm liking the fit and feel of the NATO, as the piece feels slightly large on my below average wrist, and the single pass reduces weight while allowing exact fit👌

·
TimeJunkie

I like the piece  with the gold hands match with the NATO. Looks like a factory  strap to the non-watch addicted. Us addicts know it's a very cool combo. This watch does vibe a leather strap IMO. Having scene this NATO now I am wondering what a cool rubber strap would look like. 

I have worn it on a navy Barton’s Elite Silicone and it wore and looked great I thought at the time, anchored it well too!

·
Hoots1

I have worn it on a navy Barton’s Elite Silicone and it wore and looked great I thought at the time, anchored it well too!

I'll betnit looks awesome.  If you have a pic please post

·

Looks great. I dressed down my Oris Artelier into a sort of field watch, and I'm much happier with it. 

·
TimeJunkie

I'll betnit looks awesome.  If you have a pic please post

Image
Image
·

I think you may have picked the PERFECT NATO for that watch. NATOs aren’t for me, but that works like a dream.

·
TickyBurden

I think you may have picked the PERFECT NATO for that watch. NATOs aren’t for me, but that works like a dream.

Thanks! :)

·

I know what you mean about the imbalance of the NATO👍

·

Nope. Looks perfectly good to me 

·

No that's perfect

·

Absolutely not! Beautifu! 

NOPE! Looks really good.

·

Looks perfect to me. 😍

·

That looks really nice. Great combination! NATOs are so versatile and can look surprisingly smart too.

·
Porthole

I am definitely going to buck the trend, I don’t think it works. 

Two reasons, the first is that the fancy seconds hand always ensures the need for something a little more dressy or the original bracelet. In fact, I’m not a particular fan of the seconds hand on the Ball, I think it doesn’t go with the watch aesthetic as it’s almost why you don’t put Dauphine hands on a diver, it just looks wrong. I know it’s their R R logo, but I’m not a fan. This is a Ball thing, as it’s on 90% of their collections, and therefore a me thing. I’ve tried on a few Balls before, and I’ve never really liked them enough to commit.

Secondly, NATOs on watches like this, thick and tool-ish, always seems too thin; they hug the spring bar and tuck underneath, and you are left with a fair amount of real estate above and it sometimes shows the watch jut out from the wrist further than it actually is. I love NATO straps btw, I’m the first to defend, but they need to be chunky and the watch needs a decent profile in order to work, or the strap needs to be darker as the lighter the strap the more pronounced this effect is, and the darker straps when reflected in the case also trick the eyes. Ball watches are quite chunky. With a leather band the ends are thicker and don’t go under the watch, so it thins the watch out in profile, and the bracelets often have the end link that moulds into the case shape, so gives a more integrated look.

BUT my opinion is probably wrong, and I am a pariah, but you did ask… You do you 👍

Hey, fair enough. I can’t do double pass NATOs myself. 
This single pass sort of gives the illusion that my wrist is a tad larger, however theres a lot of airspace under there.

Those thicker lugs do work well with a padded leather strap👌

Image

As for the RR on the end of the second hand, I’m only luke-warm, actually preferring my 39mm Trainmaster Streamliner with deleted RR on the second hand, highlighting those gorgeous dauphine hands. (Pictured)🥃

·

Nice match on the color, looks great. Not a typical look, but good reasoning with the single pass NATO, comfort = happy!

·

Nah, it looks good. Don't worry yourself. Ball, like Rolex are just shiny tool watches because of their 904l steel construction.

·
Image

Another single pass color option 

Image
·

No such thing as too dressy for a nato.

Image
Image
Image
·

I think it looks amazing!

·
TheSharperTheBetter

No such thing as too dressy for a nato.

Image
Image
Image

Those Islander/ NATO combos are on point!👌

·

Looks great 

·

I like it a lot!

·

Hate NATOs

Like this combo though

·

Too dressy. Looks awkward.

·

Looks Great. 👍

·

Maybe? Beautiful watch and the NATO looks high quality. Who would think that watch would be a strap monster?

·

I think it looks great