Strap Guide: Patek Philippe 5110R

Strap Guide written by @nobodycaresaboutyourwatch. Thank you, N!

Introduction

Hola! It’s @nobodycaresaboutyourwatch here. Long time reader, first time contributor with the Patek Philippe World Time 5110R. The World Time is my favourite complication, and this is the best execution of it. This was the first re-iteration launched in 2000 with the last world timer from Patek in the 1950s. Honestly, this was the perfect size at 37mm with perfect design proportions, and the “upgrades” since are far from what I consider upgrades. But you didn’t come here to listen to me complain about watch design, you came here for cool strap pairings.

When it comes to choosing straps for my watches, I generally take into consideration what’s in my wardrobe and what suits my personality (you’re not going to see any vibrant colour pops here. I can’t pull that off). Then for the straps themselves, the priority as follows:

1. Color combinations: whether to accent or complement an element in the dial.

2. Texture: I usually favour something that has a worn and vintage aesthetic.

3. Material: Can go hand-in-hand with texture, but sometimes I’ll look for a very specific material like lizard or stingray.

Let’s get to my picks!

*For reference, all straps are 20-16 in S (105/65), and my wrist size is 15.8 cm or 6.2” in freedom units.

Navy Saffiano Stitchless

I’m not going to pretend like I’m an expert in leather and materials, but I’m somewhat familiar with Saffiano. I know that it’s durable, and I’ve seen it used in designer handbags. I mainly chose it because it’s a classic and clean look and it accents the blue on the dial. “Old Brand New” is the title of the book from the wonderfully talented designer, Dabito, whom I had the pleasure of working with a couple of years ago. The title encompasses this watch perfectly, and the colours magically complement it as well. The jacket has this really fun damask pattern along with the red cuff to give the photos a nice colour pop.

Moss Green Babele Slim

Babele is one of my favourite strap materials. I have a few others because I love the linen texture it produces. I’ve also been wearing a lot of green lately and discovering how versatile it is, complementing almost every colour, so this strap is going to be near the top of my rotation with this watch. I paired it with a tobacco twill overshirt and had to borrow my friend’s hand for the pocket shot because it’s an absolute pain trying to take one by yourself.

Serpentine Ostrich Signature

What a name from Delugs: Serpentine Ostrich reminds me of something from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. This is actually my first ostrich strap and probably won’t be my last. It produces a very distinct texture and pattern that offers you something different beyond the usual crocodile/ alligator scales. The colour also accents the grey features in the dial, and I chose to pair this with a golden brown suede jacket that I call my “Bob Dylan jacket.” Speaking of Dylan, some might draw parallels with Dylan going electric to the quartz crisis, while most other people will have no idea what I’m talking about.

Sand Alcantara Signature

As much as I love suede, it can be a bit tough to care for, so alcantara is a great alternative. Definitely not as soft and supple, but aesthetically, you’re 80% there. I’m a big fan of earth tones if you can’t tell by this point, so this strap was an obvious choice. Slap it on the 5110R and throw on a nice cream knit sweater to give yourself a sleek, modern look.