Strap Guide written by @talkingabouttime.

Before the emergence of the Black Bay 54 and even the Black Bay 58, another remarkable yet somewhat overlooked dive watch a decade older was lurking in the shadows—the 36mm neo-vintage midsize Omega Seamaster Professional. Specifically, the 2252.50 model,  the quartz 2262.50 variant or even opt for the 41mm versions if you like a slightly larger watch. This particular diver boldly departed from the divisive yet iconic Seamaster Pro bracelet, instead adopting a bracelet either identical or remarkably similar to the Speedmaster/Speedy Reduced bracelet of that era—an alteration that, in my opinion, is a welcome one. However, amidst all these positive changes, there's one glaring oversight for fans of comfort, heat or salt—no microadjustment. Given the 36mm size, I strongly believe that wearing it slightly loose is an acceptable compromise. Still, having the flexibility of a different pair of shoes is always welcome.

This brings us to the next challenge. If you're anything like me, you might find yourself owning an arguably excessive collection of 20mm straps (if such a thing is even possible). Yet, this 36mm timepiece boasts an 18mm lug width. Nevertheless, who can resist the allure of shopping for new accessories? For comfort, for flexibility or just to change the look. Allow me to share some delightful pairings I've personally curated for my new horological acquisition.

Strap Guide written by @kai.robertz.

For a long time I have been obsessed with the Cartier Tank design and it was one of my grail watches in my wish list. 2 years ago I got married and I was lucky enough to get this Tank Must to commemorate that special moment. It was the first “serious” watch in my collection to spend a lot of time in the store checking different sizes. For some reason, a lot of people tend to gravitate towards the smaller sizes with the Tank models but this Extra-Large model felt right when I tried it on my wrist. Mechanical movement with automatic winding and the date window also was a big plus in my opinion.

Despite my love for this watch, finding straps for it was hell of a journey (especially with Cartier boutique). After a long research I was so happy to find Delugs custom program. Moreover, when they launched their ready-made Tank straps collection, it was no-brainer for me to partner with them and create this strap guide for you. 

Strap Guide written by @watchoutblog.

History of the 1803

There isn’t a whole lot to say about the Rolex Day-Date that has not already been said. It’s a watch that has dawned the wrist of Tony Soprano, Jack Nicklaus and countless Presidents of the United States of America being marketed as the “Presidents watch”. There is no other watch that screams “I’ve made it” the same way a Day-Date does and this is one of the reasons it remains just as popular today as it was 50 years ago.

The Day-Date is most commonly seen on its signature 3 link presidential bracelet, however, this watch is just as at home on a nice strap. So let’s check out some combinations shall we? 

Strap Guide written by @faceless_watches.

The BB Pro is the first Tudor of my collection, and what a piece to start with the Tudor brand.
I was afraid the thickness of the watch would be a dealbreaker since every media was talking about it negatively. But once on the wrist, this detail doesn’t even matter. I was lucky to get it very shortly after the release and I am enjoying it a lot ever since. Its design is somehow very unique (some would say “inspired”) making it a go-to watch in my collection that is rather oriented towards diver watches. The steel bracelet with the micro adjustment clasp allows a perfect fit but I like to have options with straps. Let’s see some combos! 

Strap Guide written by @watch.tommy.

The Longines 190th anniversary from the Master Collection of Longines is one of my latest additions to my collection. It is the first real dress watch in my collection. I never thought I would ever own a watch with a fully polished case, as I always deemed to be a sporty watch lover with a love for brushed cases. The Longines 190th anniversary put those feelings aside. This watch is something special. I love the case size of 40mm, the silver grain dial and the Breguet numerals on the dial. The highlight for me are the blued hands. Love them! Due to the silver dial, the Longines is a real strap queen. That's why I'm grateful for the chance to make this strap guide for you. I hope you get an inspiration how to give your Longines a new style with these straps. 

Strap Guide written by @thewatchphoto.

When A. Lange & Sohne rose from the ashes and reentered the horological world with a bang in 1994, it did so with 4 models, all in yellow gold. Of those, it was the Lange 1 that went on to become the company’s flagship. Since then, the Lange 1 line’s instantly recognizable (albeit somewhat polarizing) design language has become synonymous with the German brand and elevated to icon status, joining the ranks of the Calatravas, Tanks, Speedmasters and Submariners of the world.

I had been pining for a Lange 1 for a couple of years, but something or the other was always holding me back. At first, it was the hesitation of buying a piece that expensive. Then, it was doubts around how a Lange 1 would fit into my collection, more importantly, lifestyle. Later, it was: “ok… I will be adding a Lange 1… but which one”!??!? Where I landed, after a prolonged  period of “analysis paralysis”, was on a now discontinued Lange 1 in yellow gold. A piece that I felt represented the brand and German watchmaking as a whole, while also introducing yellow gold to my collection for the first time. 

Confession: I was terrified of yellow gold at first, unsure about when/where/how to wear it. Collectors (and brands) have in more recent years focussed on rose gold and, to a lesser extent, white gold, as the couleurs du jour. Nowadays, you would be hard pressed to spot the sunny glint of yellow gold at your local watch group meetups. This strap guide is my attempt at confronting my own fears. Tag along as I explore a few possibilities and examine how exactly yellow gold can be integrated into modern daily wear, whether formal or otherwise! 

Strap Guide written by @watchcalvin.

The PAM00089 is a 44mm, anthracite dial, titanium GMT with 300m water resistance, limited to 3000 pieces in the world through a small production window between 2001 and 2004. Some might recognise this as the Bill Clinton PAM, as he wore one back in the day when Panerai had a strong following. 

This particular watch was bought by my father in the early 2000s as daily wear and has eventually made its way down to me recently. Over the last couple of decades, the hands seem to have oxidised, giving it a very worn look. I intend to add more wear and scratches to it.

I’ve never particularly been a fan of the original rubber strap it came with, so it’s great to see Delugs provide some variety. I’ve picked the below assortment -

Strap Guide written by @gingin_watches.

There are a lot of myths about watch collecting that drive me nuts. The most annoying one (which seems to be also a very effective clickbait since a lot of content creators love to spread it) is that your collection needs certain iconic watches. „Every collection needs a Moonwatch/Submariner”… sound familiar? Yeah, I’ve heard that too. Luckily it isn’t true. Your collection doesn’t need any specific watch. Buy what you like, and ignore the hype.
BUT! Any collection would benefit from having at least one go-anywhere-do-anything watch, that looks good on every strap you put on, is easy to dress up or down, suitable for both beach and fancy dinners.
White dial Omega Globemaster is arguably one of the greatest pieces you can choose to serve the role of your GADA Strap Monster. 

Sporty and elegant at the same time, 100m of water resistance, superb movement, spot-on dimensions and looks great on literally everything. Seriously, I could end this guide here :) Go and grab any strap you like and it will look perfect. Choose any leather (or fabric, rubber, steel, doesn’t matter), any color you like, and any type of finish. Globemaster can be a dress watch or a sports watch, it’s a perfect example of how powerful impact straps can have on a watch. And how fun strap-changing is!

Strap Guide written by @timebyraf.

Throughout the 1990s Vacheron Constantin produced a range of triple calendars in the Historiques collection, but always in precious metal. As per tradition. Introduced in late 2017 the 1942 Triple Calendrier made complications democratic again. No political pun intended. Housed in a stepped 40mm case with an artistic lug design, reminiscent of the famous corne de vache, this contemporary take on a traditional complication made its debut amid a sports watch craze. 

The watch – as traditional as it may appear – actually has a quirk. A rather important one. The metal. It’s highly unusual to present a complicated watch in a steel case for Vacheron Constantin – and most other high-horology houses for that matter. The ref. 3110V broke that tradition. Since I bought it over a year ago this has been a regular in my rotation and it’s not likely to leave ever again. 

Strap Guide written by @timebyraf. 

Hello there! My name is Raffael, and some of you might already know me from my IG “TimeByRaf” where I am sharing pictures of all kinds of timepieces. When Ken reached out to me and asked if I want to create a strap guide for Delugs, I thought about my Cartier Tank Basculante as this is the undisputed strap queen in my collection and this is also the watch I did my first guide for. But actually, I just received my latest addition to the collection, which is a 2004 Gerald Genta Retro Biretro, reference B.IRL.10. I couldn’t miss this opportunity, so I decided to work on another strap guide – same five straps, but totally different kind of watch. So, let’s talk Gerald Genta Biretro! When introduced in 1996, this watch used to be the very first double retrograde jump hour ever made. Despite the complications, this watch seems to be much easier readable than any other piece. To check the time, you just look at the hour window at 12 o’clock and after that, you can read the minutes from the central hand. In addition to that, this watch also features a date which makes it the “BiRetro” because of its double retrograde display. Even though this watch came to me with its beautifully made OEM bracelet, I immediately knew, that its shiny polished 38mm case and black guilloche dial in combination with a fine leather strap would be a match made in heaven. And oh boy, it definitely is. 

Strap Guide written by @onefree5ole.

The Panerai Luminor has always been a watch of intrigue for me. I never thought it would be a watch that I could wear though. My wrist is a poultry 6.3" and I just imagined that every Luminor would look gigantic. Cue the mistake of walking into a Panerai Boutique. The 42mm PAM1392 fit really well and that was all it took. A couple of weeks later and it was mine. The Luminor is a strap monster if I've ever seen one as well so there are many looks it can take on. Let's take a look at some of the options available from Delugs. 

Strap Guide written by @hvwatchphoto.

The Rolex Datejust is an icon in the world of watches and of course, as a brand, Rolex is on everyone's lips if they are asked "tell me an expensive watch". The watch enthusiast is of course aware that Rolex has earned its reputation and position in the watch scene, but there are also many brands that exceed with their quality and even if it doesn't really matter, also with their higher price tag.

The Rolex DJ II in question was the first Rolex I've ever owned, and when I got it I was overjoyed. Part of me felt that the “game has been played” and this is the “end game watch”. But as all of us watch nerds know...there is no cure for this disease and no such thing as an “end game watch”.

It's also not believable to claim that the watch is a "keeper", but I still dare to claim that this watch is. The watch in question was on my wrist when my firstborn son was born and that's when I decided that I wanted to give this watch to my son when he is old enough.

The shocking increase in the value of Rolexes and the constant desire to try something new has become a problem from the watch enthusiast's point of view. I admit that sometimes I also feel bored with this model. 

For that, I have boldly set out to try new straps for DateJust, and it has been a really interesting and refreshing journey. Whether it's a nato strap, rubber strap or high-quality handmade leather strap... they always bring new energy to the use of a familiar and perhaps even boring watch. Rolex doesn't offer any other strap options for this model, other than a metal bracelet... so it might get boring.

With its enormous high-quality and versatile selection of 21mm straps, Delugs offers many opportunities to renew the look of this watch. Just remember to choose curved spring bars and you are good to go. 

Strap Guide written by @wrists.and.walls. 

As soon as Cartier announced the revamp of their Tank-line with the colorful limited editions in red, green and blue back in spring 2021, I became a fan of the minimalistic and super clean versions of one of the world’s most iconic watches. While I could have pulled the trigger on the blue dial variant, something held me back. That something must (no pun intended) have been the black version. What started as a highly limited 50 piece edition for the brand’s Geneva boutique soon after was announced as a regular production variant. While that caused some irritation here and there (read: watering down the limitation), I was genuinely happy about that release. This meant I would be able to get my hands on the clean Tank iteration I enjoyed the most – pitch black. In my opinion, the deep black lacquer perfectly corresponds with the minimalistic, no numerals look and the polished steel case. What a stunner! And what a dress watch! However, I was certain that this Tank had more to offer than just looking great at black tie events. This is where Ken stepped in once again and offered me to try a range of different looks, including straps from his newly introduced Tank collection. These are fitted with the Cartier – inspired tang buckle to stay close to the original appearance. And yes – this watch can definitely be dressed down! 

A little note on the sizing: normally, the medium sized Delugs straps fit me really well, giving me 2 or 3 holes of excess length – not too much abundant strap and not too short. But due to the Tank’s relatively small size I mostly use these straps on the second last hole. I know some like to have as little excess strap remaining as possible, but this almost renders the free keeper on the straps irrelevant. All in all, while still perfectly wearable, I maybe should’ve sized up according to the watches measurements. You might want to keep that in mind when ordering straps for your Tank and, depending on your preferences, choose a longer option than usual.
For reference, my wrist measures approx. 17,5cm / 6.9 inches. 

Strap Guide written by @thewatchphoto.

By the late 1980s, the brand commonly referred to as the watchmakers’ watchmaker was on the brink and its stale lineup of timepieces was in desperate need of rejuvenation. That injection of excitement came in 1991, in the form of the new “Grand Taille” case for the Reverso. “Grand Taille” is French for “large size” though by contemporary standards, it is somewhat diminutive. Then again, I love dress watches and believe that they should wear on the smaller side! My first ever Reverso was a stainless steel Grand Taille.

In my earlier watch collecting days, I had always stayed away from coloured precious metals, fearing that they are too soft, too flashy, and “just not exactly me”. Fast forward a few years to when I came across this particularly rare reference and immediately fell in love. When I laid eyes on the “Art Deco” model for the first time, it felt like a truly distilled version of all the things I love most about Reversos. From the juxtaposition of the strong gadroon lines running above and below the dial against the sumptuously curved lugs, to the different finishes on the dial, and finally to the free-hand engraved party trick on the reverse side (see photos)...it was a done deal.