Strap and Buckle

As I always begin the strap section of my reviews:

“I’m a huge watch strap fan. I love custom straps made by old guys in their garages, NATO straps from Europe, and odd straps like denim or canvas.” This is an odd strap made out of canvas! Yippee! A new watch means a new strap and a
new strap means changing the look of your whole collection…and all you need is a spring bar tool. So when a company sends TWO different colored canvas straps…I am overjoyed. In the photos throughout this review, you may have noticed two different strap colors. These are the two straps that Szanto sent and I was thrilled to receive them.

I had ordered the gray strap, but ended up liking the tan one much more because of the way it complemented the watch so it’s very nice of them to send people not just a watch but options too! Now let me step down from my soapbox and tell you that these straps are incredibly comfortable  I got this watch when I was recovering from surgery and I wore it almost the whole I was laid up in bed. The nubuck backing of these canvas straps make it a delight to wear and add to the old time look that was being shot for. The only thing I don’t like about them is the more you take it on and off…the more the holes fray. Take a look at the photos and you may see what I’m talking about, although since they send an extra it’s no reason to not buy this watch.

The Verdict

Szanto did a great job of bringing back vintage styled watches (using modern technology!) while still providing quality timepieces at affordable prices. Small (probably overlooked) details add to the feel that the company was shooting for such as an extra strap, yellowed hands, and easy to use crown.

The canvas straps fray slightly with each use and the ~$300 price tag might not be competitive enough in the practical watch world. These two small things, though, only add up to the deduction of a 1/2 star. The company web site is not yet active, but you can find more information on their Facebook page.

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Mark Wisdom Phillips – Contributing Writer

Mark largely collects practical watches, but never hesitates if he can snag a deal good enough to call it an economical decision. He loves taking photos of his collection and participating in the tight knit watch community on Instagram. You can see his photos and follow him here. He is highly opinionated and expects nothing but the best and at the cheapest price possible. In his eyes, a watch needs to have superb and bold design to be worthy of anybody’s wrist. To him, organization creates valuable time and so you should expect it from him in his reviews. Wisdom is his middle name and he is here to share it with you. Read his articles here.