By Jovan Krstevski
So you have a nice wristwatch, all shiny and polished to perfection… the question now is how comfortable are you wearing them? The point being asked is an essential element to any timepiece worn on skin. Every wristwatch is as good only as its wearability. Most high end brands spend a lot of resources on research and development for their watch bands stressing the importance of not only aesthetics but comfort. Many strap technologies have been developed for this matter addressing different issues like skin sensitivity, durability, flexibility, and of course user friendliness. If a band takes forever to be secured or stains your expensive suit (sweaty skin in sweltering heat situations), then its design is simply flawed. With this being said, a good cheap strap is hard to come by but not anymore, introducing CheapestNatoStraps by Sofie Björklund.
Sofie Björklund is a self confessed nerd when it comes to watches. Her grandfather who was a watchmaker and collector influenced her interest for watches at an early age. Then she went on becoming a manager of a men’s wear shop before creating her own brand, CheapestNatoStraps in 2012. At the start, she quickly realized that NATO straps is the perfect accessory for 2 good reasons: “it’s an excellent and quick way to match the watch you are wearing with all kinds of outfits and it’s an easy way to completely change the look of your watch.”
Cheapest NATO Straps has sold and produced watch bands since 2012. This is quite incredible proving that the watch industry is very much alive. The Cheapest NATO Straps has its main production and place of operation located in Sweden. And just like new start-ups, the company ships watch bands all over the world, a good measure of the brand’s success. Then in 2016, their collaboration with Kvarnsjö Leather, a tannery outside Stockholm resulted to vintage watch band designs which is now a pure success.
The Kvarnsjö Vintage watch straps are handmade in Sweden by Kvarnsjö Leather. Their design features timeless aesthetics and elegance that suits any timepiece even the high end ones. What makes the Kvarnsjö Vintage watch band superb is that they are “tailored fit” to a vintage watch. The Suede is soft and smooth against the skin and it does not require a break in. The material for the Kvarnsjö Leather is sourced from fallow deer which is a common breed in Sweden. The material is very soft and very comfortable on the wrist. This is also the first suede color that Cheapest NATO Straps made together with Kvarnsjö Leather. The latest production now uses calf suede. Moreover, the brand states that their Suede is vegetable-tanned which is helpful for skin sensitivities.
If you have vintage watches, finding a suitable strap for it that you can enjoy is easy. Cheapest NATO Straps lists many models featuring various striking colors such as vintage gray pepsi, vintage gray with black stitching, vintage sand pepsi, and suede vintage navy. Their price is what makes the brand very comfortable, at $15.95 a piece. Moreover, the straps come with sewn in quick release spring bars and they look very nice.
