To NATO, or not to NATO?
What's your overall take on NATO straps? A cool piece of gear with interesting history, or a good way of making an expensive watch look cheap?
The Seamaster Diver 300 might not be the best watch for this poll since it's bracelet is quite divisive. While some people believe it makes the watch look and feel outdated, others appreciate the quirkiness it adds to the watch (I'm painting with a wide brush).
Regardless, concentrate on NATO vs Steel 😉
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Ivan Nunez
Welcome to my WatchCrunch profile.
Düsseldorf, Germany
Member since
Last active: 1 month ago
7.00” / 17.78 cm
With this dial in particular, I think steel looks most stunning 👌
Great watch but I get no movement from the bracelet so NATO 1000%
Depends on the weather. Steel in summer, NATO when it's chilly. Generally prefer NATO, tho currently into Sailcloth...
Love the SMP bracelet myself 😍
I own only two watches that are comfortable to me in steel. Natos accentuate otherwise boring or safe color pallette. AND, Nato straps are good enough for a king.
I love the look of NATO straps, but very much don't like how they fit my wrist with most watches ... the strap going OVER the spring bars creates an unsightly gap between my wrist and the strap ... can't stand that!
However my 38mm Vostok on a cheapie "thin" NATO that I got off of Amazon fits very well indeed! I love it, but have been unable to replicate it with ANY of my other watches 😕
Not so many years ago you wouldn't catch me wearing a watch on a bracelet. Now it's probably 60% bracelet / 40% NATO. And I don't know how that happened.
But I love both, now.
Generaly prefer bracelets but wear my sprot watches on Nato and rubber too, especially in summer. But if it comes down to picking only one option it is 100% SS bracelet.
This watch in particular for me is at it's best on rubber
This watch in particular for me is at it's best on rubber
I also tried on the rubber strap, but it didn't quite do it for me. I can understand where you're coming from, though!
I love me a good NATO in all situations, however, a top shelf brand like Omega usually has pretty nice bracelet. In this case I might very well choose to keep the bracelet most of the time.
For me I tend to turn to a NATO strap when there is no bracelet available or the bracelet that comes with the watch is crapola.
Neither. Leather in the winter and rubber in the summer.
Depends. I prefer bracelets but summer lends itself to nato and rubber.
I like the way a NATO looks on the right watch, such as the one pictured. I don’t like how they wear so had not worn them often.