# who sells the best (and best value) grosgrain watchbands?



## Nathan Detroit (Oct 12, 2005)

Brooks? Press? ... Central looks kind of junky, its Web site doesn't even use the word grosgrain. 

Does anybody sell genuine silk grosgrain, or is it all just rayon these days?


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## dpihl (Oct 2, 2005)

Silk grosgrain ribbon is an impossible commodity to source. The only manufacturers I've been able to locate make awards for the military. They simply will not sell to civilians.

However, my interest has been strictly in silk grosgrain for braces and hatbands. Silk grosgrain for watches would be a bad idea. How many ribbed silk ties have you stained at restaurants in the last month alone?

Not calling you a slob, but it's why I've devoted myself to wearing mostly bow ties. Every long tie I've ever loved has been ruined at some point by errant ketchup or salad dressing projectiles... Long ties that were surrounded by (and tucked into) the lapels of a suit coat.

Now imagine this same effect on your wrist, which is constantly coming into contact with counter tops, the engine compartment of your car, your forehead, etc. etc. etc.

Permanent stains are bound to ensue.

I'll gladly show you web sites from dozens of people who make grosgrain watch straps out of polyester grosgrain from the fabric store (always with a d-ring closure, alas). I can also show you a few sources for cotton and rayon grosgrain ribbon, or even rayon petersham (a grosgrain ribbon with scalloped edges).

By far the best grosgrain watch straps are made from ballistic nylon. ...Ballistic nylon grosgrain that you can't find in the USA. 

I've been sent dozens of samples from manufacturers who appear to make something kinda similar, but none of them make the kind used for RAF watch straps.

I've combed the globe looking for sources of the nylon grosgrain straps used in Central's watch bands. So have the folks at Central.

A few manufacturers in England have expressed an interest in creating the correct webbing in custom colours, but the dollar has taken a quite beating, and there's no way to make these bands competitive.

For now, Central and Otto Frei are your best choices by far.


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## Cantabrigian (Aug 29, 2005)

I've found Central's straps to be exactly that. The clasps are very poor quality and the straps just generally look cheap. 

The best I have been able to find are Zulu/ Nato straps but then generally only solids are available and even then the selection is limited.


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## Ron_A (Jun 5, 2007)

While I agree that the buckles/clasps on the Central watch bands are cheap, in my opinion the bands themselves are okay, and -- at $5 a piece -- certainly are a good deal.


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## Joe Tradly (Jan 21, 2006)

I have had absolutely no issues with my Central bands. In fact, they have held up immensely better than any straps I've gotten from Brooks or Press which have started to tear (?) at the hole. The clasps from Central are fine and I've had no trouble what so ever. They haven't tarnished, rusted, or failed in anyway.

I'm a Central whore. I love them at $5 a piece. I would like it if they offered some more traditional regimental color combinations (now that I'm four orders deep, I need some new options!).

JB


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## Nathan Detroit (Oct 12, 2005)

dpihl said:


> Silk grosgrain ribbon is an impossible commodity to source. The only manufacturers I've been able to locate make awards for the military. They simply will not sell to civilians.
> 
> However, my interest has been strictly in silk grosgrain for braces and hatbands. Silk grosgrain for watches would be a bad idea. How many ribbed silk ties have you stained at restaurants in the last month alone?
> 
> ...


Authoritative! I appreciate it. I've never heard of Otto Frei... No comments on the relative merits of the bands sold at Press and Brooks? Are they from Central or Frei?


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## Nathan Detroit (Oct 12, 2005)

Cantabrigian said:


> I've found Central's straps to be exactly that. The clasps are very poor quality and the straps just generally look cheap.
> 
> The best I have been able to find are Zulu/ Nato straps but then generally only solids are available and even then the selection is limited.


Is Zulu/ Nato a firm name?


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## Nathan Detroit (Oct 12, 2005)

A saleslady in a jewelry shop told me that "Britches" makes the best grosgrain bands... There is such a firm, but they don't seem to sell watch bands anymore.


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## Topsider (Jul 9, 2005)

Nathan Detroit said:


> I've never heard of Otto Frei


Here ya' go: https://www.ofrei.com/page828.html


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## CM Wolff (Jun 7, 2006)

Nathan Detroit said:


> No comments on the relative merits of the bands sold at Press and Brooks?


I have about 25 now, all from Brooks and Press. Don't have others to compare them to, hence I was holding back on commenting. The Press are much more substantial, longer, slightly wider and with a duplicative reinforcement band (don't know what else to call it) that adds a little extra security in the event the clasp came undone. The Press are clearly the higher quality bands. However, I like the variety of the Brooks' colors - the madras/plaids/tartans are fun. And they are much cheaper than the Press bands.

On a side note, right now at the Brooks outlets, all the $100 watches w/ the colored bands are down to $25. There are four models I am aware of - two round, two square, navy face and white/gold face. I have picked up at least once of each of them, for myself and some recent giftgiving. Good buys, fine looking, and nice colored bands to boot.


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## Patrick06790 (Apr 10, 2005)

in Portland, Ore.

They are very similar to the Press straps.


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## Beefeater (Jun 2, 2007)

Patrick06790 said:


> in Portland, Ore.
> 
> They are very similar to the Press straps.


I have three from John Helmer and they seem to be fine, no complaints. But I don't wear them religiously, so I don't know about how they will wear over the long term. I alternate between several leather band watches and these just to try and mix it up.


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## Acacian (Jul 10, 2007)

Nathan Detroit said:


> A saleslady in a jewelry shop told me that "Britches" makes the best grosgrain bands... There is such a firm, but they don't seem to sell watch bands anymore.


They might've been talking about Britches of Georgetown, which apparently closed back in '03:
https://www.downtowner.org/archives/022003/cat_business.html
(see the second article down)


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## tripreed (Dec 8, 2005)

Patrick06790 said:


> in Portland, Ore.
> 
> They are very similar to the Press straps.


Looks like the ones that are sold at stores down here under R. Hanauer. These are what make up the bulk of my bands. Only complaint are the crappy buckles which lose their brass color. However, dpihl has helped me solve that problem.


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## Patrick06790 (Apr 10, 2005)

tripreed said:


> Looks like the ones that are sold at stores down here under R. Hanauer. These are what make up the bulk of my bands. Only complaint are the crappy buckles which lose their brass color. However, dpihl has helped me solve that problem.


Me too.


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## Nathan Detroit (Oct 12, 2005)

Does anybody who makes the bands sold at Press and Brooks, or where Press and Brooks buy them?


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## Nathan Detroit (Oct 12, 2005)

Of course let's not forget...

https://www.oconnellsclothing.com/watchbands.php


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## dpihl (Oct 2, 2005)

First of all, I suppose I should explain to you my mania for the type of buckle that Tripreed and Patrick06790 so kindly mentioned. It took me a little more than ten years to find a supplier for the buckles in question.

Each time somebody looked like a likely candidate, I sent along the following diagram: https://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i198/dpihl/Buckle.gif

I've owned a lot of other styles of watchstraps, but none lasted as long, were as comfortable, or were as easy to change.

But the thing that really hooked me on the simple triple bar buckle design, is the fact that it is so easy to adjust the length to fit any wrist. I was making photos of Teddy Bears for a photography class in High School when I noticed how my teddy bear's watch strap looked like a custom fit. All I'd done to give him that custom fit, was pull all the excess into the inner diameter of the watch strap. How difficult is that?

D-ring watch straps must be secured about every ten to twenty minutes if you want to keep your watch. I refuse to sell them, even though there are dozens of suppliers out there. On the plus side, d-rings are fairly adjustable to fit most wrists (within reason).

I refuse to sell watch straps with fixed buckles, because you simply cannot adjust them enough to make much of a difference. At the end of the day, you're stuck with an unpleasant choice: Either you sell watch straps in multiple sizes, or you tell certain of your customers that they don't matter in your estimation, and they are not worth bothering with.

No matter what you do with a fixed buckle, you either end up with the watch face not centered properly on the top of your wrist, or you end up with the buckle not centered on the bottom of your wrist. Either way, it's not very comfortable.

So this is why I've been relentless in my pursuit of the old RAF style, triple-bar buckle for the watch straps that I wanted to sell.

I didn't mean to sound like such a know-it-all when answering your question about the silk straps, but I've been very frustrated by my own inability to find a source for the proper nylon grosgrain.

Depicted below are a select few of the watch straps I've owned over the past two decades.









A, B, C, & D all came from Hepworth's Men's Clothiers between 1980 and 1985. I chose these four to show how well they generally hold up, how poorly the color white shows up, and how quickly jacquard woven ribbons deteriorate relative to a solid nylon grosgrain strap.

E came from Land's End, and is typical of the style of band sold by J. Press, O'connell's, etc. Note the tearing present where the grommet is supposed to protect the ribbon from the pin of the fixed buckle.

F is a NATO style strap from my intended supplier in England. The nylon is heavier than I am used to, but is absolutely superb. The idea of a second piece of webbing to secure the watch may be a good idea, but it seems to add unnecessary bulk to the whole affair. The NATO/G10 style strap uses fixed buckles, and the excess webbing is supposed to be wound between the two metal loops. I dislike this method, as it seems to run contrary to the idea that "thin is in" for wristwatches.










G, H, I, and J came from misc suppliers on the web who market "ribbon watch faces" to mostly female customers. These watch faces have a solid bar instead of the usual spring bar to keep the watch attached to the strap. H is a jaquard ribbon strap from Ritaville Designs. The others are indistinguishable from one another. WatchUSA, eWatch Wholesale, Bead Time, Shavonne, Three Chickadees, Bishop's Aprons, Go Bead, you name it. Every online vendor is identical to the last one. Fabric store (Offray) ribbon, and watch straps too short to fit my smallest teddy bear's wrist.

K came from a drug store in 1990 or thereabouts. White stripes are a bad idea. This isn't the same grade of nylon used on the other straps either. It feels more like plastic than a piece of ribbon.

L was sent to me by my supplier in England. I want to get excited about it, but the webbing feels like a dog leash. It's okay, but not nearly as elegant or refined as #D (above).

M came from a drug store near Sun Valley, Idaho in the mid 1980's. Wish I knew who made it, but have not found a single clue.

N is a piece of fabric store ribbon I bought in 1989. Using a piece of "stitch witchery" (fusible interfacing), I was able to make it into a makeshift watch strap. This "temporary use only" watch strap has served me well in the years since, and I simply haven't had the will power to throw it away.

O was sent to me from a friend in Alaska. She found it in an antique store. I like the fancy jacquard weaving along the edges.

P is a calfskin watch strap from a company in England. After about five days' wear, I'm ready to give up on calfskin. Again.


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## dpihl (Oct 2, 2005)

​
Several suppliers used to sell a watch strap called the JSC10. It was exactly the old RAF style straps depicted below--known around these parts as the Central Watch Band Stand style strap.

Suddenly I can't find this strap anywhere. This link takes you to a place that used to offer it, but not even the photo remains. It was only available most places in White, Olive, Navy, or Black.

It was often advertised as a replacement for the used on field watches. Anyway, a little bit of searching brought me to this strap.

Thought I ought to post it here, in case it's a little more to Nathan Detroit's liking. Is this a little closer to what you are looking for? A more substantial buckle, and all that pretty leather, resembling a well made surcingle belt?

I shouldn't be so dogmatic in presenting the straps I happen to like best...


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## 3button Max (Feb 6, 2006)

*pihl*

enjoyed the pix and retrospective on watchbands-
begs the question -did you make the one from British supplier(what supplier) or buy-
max


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## Untilted (Mar 30, 2006)

What a collection, david.


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## dpihl (Oct 2, 2005)

3button Max said:


> enjoyed the pix and retrospective on watchbands-
> begs the question -did you make the one from British supplier(what supplier) or buy-
> max


The British Supplier sent me a few watch strap samples, and a lot of little snippets to show the range of colours available to me. Items #F and #L are two of the complete sample units.

You asked what supplier, but I'm afraid I've been asked not to tell you. He doesn't want a lot of inquiries from the US, and wants me to be his liaison. I'm happy to do so, but am not really set up as a business right now. Just ask Patick and Tripreed, who had to wait ages for their buckles (sorry guys!).

I decided to keep the samples, and sort of "field test them", rather than sell them and use to profits to buy more.

In general, the grain of the webbing is very coarse, and so the bands lack the refinement of the older straps. It may not sound like a big deal, but the holes on all such bands are created using the equivalent of a soldering pencil. When the webbing is not very dense, those holes tend to pucker. Where they pucker, they get hard. And if there are any little pointy spindles that trail off from when you remove the soldering pencil, they can become irritations to the skin on your wrist.

Since most people don't like pokey little things digging into their wrist all day, one is forced to adjust the length of the watch strap so that the pin fastens to the innermost hole, and the rest of the holes are excess webbing.

Luckily, the strap maker in England makes these straps extra long, perhaps so people can wear them with dive watches. So it is possible to always fasten with the last hole, but what does one do with the excess? Unlike the G10 style, there are no loops to wind the excess around.

One other problem with my field test has to do with the solid black band, which seems to have a magnetic attraction to some kind of dust or some such. It is no longer black.

Because these straps are so long, I've toyed with the idea of making straps of different lengths for people. I even went out and bought a special soldering iron with interchangeable tips. One tip for cutting off the ends, and another for creating extra pinholes as needed.

One would still want the straps to have a little excess, so that the strap can lay properly when fastened. You don't want a little stub poking out of the first half of the buckle, any more than you want a little tiny stub peeking out from behind the apron of your necktie. Moreover, you want to have some flexibility in adjusting the length of your watch strap.

Otherwise, why not just use traditional brass buckles (miniature belt buckles), and have the straps cut to exact length?

Anyway, the field test for these "dog leash" units has not gone well.

Only item #F (and a similar unit in Gray) has fared well. #F is a thicker webbing than I'm used to, but it feels very nice. The Gray unit is identical to the old webbing. The supplier tells me he can get the same webbing in Navy and Black any time, and that custom colours are available if one meets the minimum yardage requirements.

So I continue to weigh my options, wishing all the while that I had somebody to team up with. You know, somebody like Kent Wang who has a web site and and established clientèle. There simply has to be a way to meet the minimum order for custom webbing.

By the way, I still own several other straps that were bought about the same year as #A and #D. I chose those two because "A" is looking the shabbiest of the bunch, and D looks the best, even though I've worn it the most of any in my collection. Weird, huh?

Maybe it's just a fluke, but #D has taken so much abuse that I've devoted many years of my life to the quest for more webbing like it. It's simply a remarkable specimen.


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## Nathan Detroit (Oct 12, 2005)

Amazing! Magnificent! Thanks so much! This should be the definitive thread for grosgrain watchbands. 

Do you have a conclusion? If you had to choose between the easily obtainable grosgrain bands, those offered by Central, Frei, Press, or Brooks, which would you choose?


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## dpihl (Oct 2, 2005)

Nathan Detroit said:


> Amazing! Magnificent! Thanks so much! This should be the definitive thread for grosgrain watchbands.
> 
> Do you have a conclusion? If you had to choose between the easily obtainable grosgrain bands, those offered by Central, Frei, Press, or Brooks, which would you choose?


Well, I'd probably start with the solid colors since they're the easiest to coordinate, and get the most wear. I'd probably buy a bunch of solid colored bands from Frei right off the bat. You can tell from the photos that many of these are from the same manufacturer Central is buying them from.

Central's supply of many vintage straps is fast depleting, so waiting around for a revival may not be a good idea. It may be a good idea to scoop up the ones you really like before they are gone forever.

I waited too long to buy a replacement for my long lost pink strap with the kelly green stripe. Boy do I miss that classic old strap!

Lastly, if you are in a fabric store and find a ribbon that you love, don't hesitate to buy a yard of it. A bit of stitch witchery and a hot iron will get you most of the way there without the need for any top stitching. A soldering pencil or woodburner will get you the rest of the way there. You can always scavenge the buckle from one of your other straps.

I recently tried heating a nail on the burner of my stove until it was red hot. Placing holes in the ribbon was not as easy as I expected. I don't recommend this method! The nail was too hot, then it was too cold, so the holes looked awful. Not to mention the potential fire hazard. Stick to a proper soldering iron.


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## A.Squire (Apr 5, 2006)

dpihl said:


> ...I waited too long to buy a replacement for my long lost *pink strap with the kelly green stripe*. Boy do I miss that classic old strap!


I know someone who has such a band, but I'm afraid to tell you who. Instead I'm just going to buy it for you. I'm worried you wouldn't be able to place your order and then hang up the phone without asking a million questions. PM me your address please.


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## dpihl (Oct 2, 2005)

Squire, you are one class act.


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## Jay Gatsby (Jun 8, 2006)

I presently own a red/navy striped ribbon watchband from Press, and I like it. What about Griffin & Cooke? I owned several, they're nice.

https://www.griffinandcooke.com/mainpages/bands-mens stripes.htm


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## dpihl (Oct 2, 2005)

A.Squire said:


> I know someone who has such a band, but I'm afraid to tell you who. Instead I'm just going to buy it for you. I'm worried you wouldn't be able to place your order and then hang up the phone without asking a million questions. PM me your address please.


Squire, you've spoken many times about your haberdasher, practically implying that he had some kind of mystical qualities.

Turns out he figured out exactly what size my wrist was before shipping it. There was no need to adjust a thing--just slide it into the watch's springbars and off I went.

Honestly, this band is better than I could have possibly imagined.

A thousand thanks!


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## A.Squire (Apr 5, 2006)

No problem, really. I'm glad you like it.


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## Nathan Detroit (Oct 12, 2005)

A.Squire said:


> No problem, really. I'm glad you like it.


Nice, Squire, do you know who made it? ... Or is your private supplier? I seem to remember something about that in the earlier posts on this thread?


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## A.Squire (Apr 5, 2006)

Nathan Detroit said:


> Nice, Squire, do you know who made it? ... Or is your private supplier? I seem to remember something about that in the earlier posts on this thread?


Unless I'm misremembering, the strap is something that R. Hanauer did. There is no mention of it on his site though.


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## 3button Max (Feb 6, 2006)

*hanauer*

is there a source for Hanauer watchbands?

max


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## A.Squire (Apr 5, 2006)

I think Randy makes his rounds in the south. Wm among others carries his stuff.


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## Pgolden (May 13, 2006)

Nathan Detroit said:


> Of course let's not forget...
> 
> https://www.oconnellsclothing.com/watchbands.php


Just received 2 bands from O'C's. Blue-red-blue, and red-blue-red. I've used them on a Timex Easy Reader, and they are a lot of fun. What I particularly like is that they are adjustable so there is no need for a keeper. Is the same true with the Central Watch bands. BTW: In the latest GQ, I think, RL had some ads with young man in traditional sports clothes and they were wearing grosgrain bands on what looked like antique wristwatches. It was a nice look.


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## Taxi_driver (Mar 19, 2006)

Here in the UK, I've had good results from:

Smart Turnout
https://www.smartturnout.co.uk/acatalog/watch-straps.html
and
RLT Watches
https://www.rltwatches.co.uk/acatalog/Military1.html


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## Georgia (Aug 26, 2007)

This is a great thread...I tried to purchase #13 (Garnet & Gold) from RLT (https://www.rltwatches.co.uk/acatalog/Military1.html), but it turns they are not available.

Does anyone know where to find a Garnet & Gold strap in 18mm?


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## philm (Jun 17, 2007)

Taxi_driver said:


> Here in the UK, I've had good results from:
> 
> Smart Turnout
> https://www.smartturnout.co.uk/acatalog/watch-straps.html
> ...


Great sites. Thanks so much!


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## smartturnout (May 16, 2005)

*Watchsbands*

For the maroon and gold that Georgia was looking for we have got them in stock under Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.


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## Georgia (Aug 26, 2007)

Smartturnout - I just PM'ed you. Thank you very much!


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## AsherNM (Apr 3, 2006)

I recommend O'Connell's - order the navy and dark green, the navy and red (don't own, but it definitely beats Central Watch's - their version's blue and red are each too light). The navy and orange is also a good option. The navy and lime is ok, but the green and pink, to me, is unwearable. They have the one pictured above, and one that has green on the inside, pink on the outside. (Maybe the one pictured above looks better...)

The navy and green is the best strap, IMO, it goes with everything.


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## Georgia (Aug 26, 2007)

smartturnout said:


> For the maroon and gold that Georgia was looking for we have got them in stock under Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.


The smartturnout.com USA link is now active...GREAT stuff!!

https://www.smartturnout.com/acatalog/Military-Watchstraps.html


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