Nylon strap watches: why you need one and how to wear them

WatchesEven James Bond got to wear one of these watches in the movie Goldfinger, so it's time to give them a try.

By Paloma González

You need to add some of the best nylon strap (or NATO) watches to your watch collection, especially if you take James Bond as an inspiration for everything you do with your clothes and accessories (both Daniel Craig and Sean Connery they used one in their movies).

Nylon straps are very popular for several reasons, they are ideal for summer, but they are also versatile, comfortable and allow for a wide variety of colors when wearing the same watch, in addition to being a lightweight material, They can be much more comfortable than the leather or metal straps you see on all sorts of watch styles (plus they easily fit your wrist without cutting). And another of the great advantages is that this is a strap that is not going to be ruined if you go into the water with the watch on.

In terms of types, nylon straps come in one or two-piece versions. One-piece straps have the fabric threaded under the watch face, while two-piece straps connect to either side of the watch face.

And where do they come from? Nylon strap watches were first created and used by the British Ministry of Defense in 1973, and were issued to soldiers after they signed a form called G10, so pieces with this type of strap were it came to be known also as G10 or Admiralty Gray (as a reference to its color).

Nowadays there are not only military options, straps already have all kinds of different colors and thousands of affordable and luxury brands use them in their pieces.

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How do you wear nylon strap watches?

The 1964 film Goldfinger popularized the famous 'Bond NATO', as Sean Connery can be seen wearing a Rolex Submariner watch with a nylon strap. Many say this is a real NATO strap, but it's a nylon strap and it was so popular, that over 4 decades later, Daniel Craig wore an Omega Seamaster with a genuine NATO strap in the 2015 movie Specter (the difference between NATO and nylon straps is that the first ones had a military code system).

Connery wore his Rolex Submariner with his legendary white jacket tuxedo, so he chose one in darker colors that looked more elegant. For his part, Craig wore his Omega in a sophisticated black suit, thus showing the versatility and variety of uses of this type of watch.

The first thing you should do with a NATO strap (which you can even find in leather versions) or nylon is to determine the color of the strap you are going to use. The black strap will always be more elegant, but it can also be combined with casual looks, and you can be more striking or bright depending on the color of your outfit. In summer seasons, colors like pink, green or even yellow can be great options to wear daily.

Think of polo shirts, jeans, T-shirts, chinos or more casual suits (without a tie and with tennis shoes), in these cases the watches can be much more colorful, although always taking into account that there are tones that can be seen better when they go together. If you're wearing a long-sleeved shirt or T-shirt, you can roll the sleeves down a bit to show the clock.

This is a versatile style that you can take to all kinds of places and events that require an outfit that is a little more thoughtful and tidy, but without being too elegant. It consists of combining pieces such as a sports jacket, suits with sweatshirts or changing the shirt for a tshirt, which continues to achieve a formal style, but without losing the casual, which is the same thing that defines watches with nylon straps.

How do you wear it?

It's pretty simple, but Crown & Buckle has a simple guide in case you are new to this area: