Tudor Bronze - a few straps which work well ...

[gc1969]

Multi-photos attached to this post (hopefully in the order of these comments!)

Original Brushed Leather strap (dark grey with white stitching)
Technically, this is a good strap but from a pure aesthetic perspective, I think the rustic brown strap included with the original brown Tudor Bronze has more overall character. On a more positive note, the colour tone matches the gradient face well and the buckle (with drilled holes) is sturdy and easy to remove and put on other straps. It should be noted that the strap is 23mm and has no taper (therefore the bronze buckle is also an awkward 23mm). In an ideal world, I would prefer to have a 1mm (or possibly 3mm) taper so the buckle could more easily be fitted to other straps.

Horween Cordovan Single Pass (dark brown with custom double rivet) (CAD 80)
This was made by Bureau Designs (Etsy) and customized so that it has two in-line “rivets” to keep the strap aligned. I love the simplicity and comfort of this style of watch strap as there are no hanging ends / loops etc. Cordovan is quietly very luxurious not only in terms of suppleness (it is much stronger than leather and therefore can be noticeably thinner) but also longevity and patina. My overall strategy is to source a few more of these (perhaps olive green or a matt black?) as I really appreciate the “stealth luxury” of this strap

Crown and Buckle 23mm NATO (black with tan stripe / bronze buckle and keepers) (USD 47)
This is a woven strap with a look similar to the OEM fabric strap which is an option with the BB Bronze. Differences are that the weave is looser compared to the OEM and the bronze (likely due to the underlying formulation) is deeper in colour. I do expect that the colouring will converge with the watch over time. However, the plus is that the weave breathes well and the cost is a fraction of the OEM ($50 vs $300). For me, this is an occasional option when I want a different look for the watch and I do like a striped NATO (with sober colours) for the BB Bronze.

Rubber B (23mm Espresso brown made specifically for the Tudor Bronze model) (USD 270)
The Rubber B brand is (as expressed in another SOTC review) great but painfully expensive. On the plus side, the fitment is absolutely perfect and strap could literally be OEM. Given the price, I did think a lot about the more “classic” black colour, but ultimately chose Espresso Brown which looks great with the watch. I am projecting that as the patina darkens over next 24 months, the brown strap will suit it even more (as I like generally like a quiet aesthetic). The strap has a firm but supple feel and I do like the slightly rough texture (similar to a sandblasted finish on metal). It also uses the original Tudor buckle and has been clearly engineered to work seamlessly with the watch. Overall, a great (albeit totally overpriced) option.

I hope everyone out there is safe through this season …….. and lets hope 2021 offers some return to a new normal. Peace everyone…….