PRODUCT REVIEW: The Watch Steward Strap

If you have not yet heard of The Watch Steward Strap, then you might want to learn about this new watch band design that is unique in the competitive category of adjustable nylon watch straps. It is not a NATO, G10, MN Strap or a knock-off of Erika’s Originals. I believe that The Watch Steward Strap represents a new approach to watch straps that combines many of the best features of the products just mentioned, but with a twist that might just make it wear better.

Please allow me to get a confession out of the way first. NATO watch straps are usually not my favorite way to wear a watch, especially when compared to two-piece straps or well-fitted bracelets. As convenient as NATO straps are, they have some drawbacks. Personally, I think that the worst look ever is the dreaded NATO strap bulge that accompanies some products. This is when the extra tail of the NATO strap is folded over and squeezed into the metal rings or keepers. Yuck.

The longer the strap, the bigger the bulge and it can look awkward. Granted, nobody would care if this was fitted over a diving suit or commando uniform, but in civilian life, this look does not work for me. You may or may not agree, but the next time you see a watch with a NATO increasing the size of the watch, you might think that it looks strange. I’ll admit that this look is what might actually attract some people to NATO straps so if you like it, by all means, go for it. I’m not judging.

I am no stranger to NATO watch straps. I own NATOs from many watch companies in different sizes, thicknesses, colors, and weave patterns with a variety of metal hardware. Like many watch collectors, I literally have a shoebox full of those suckers. Some are better than others such as American made ADPT Straps, Toxic Natos or Haveston Straps. But this article is not about those more traditional NATOs. Instead, this review will be about The Watch Steward Strap, which has a unique design in the highly competitive category of watch straps.

Who Makes The Watch Steward Strap?

For years I have been trying to find a nylon watch strap that would give my watches a military aesthetic and fit like a glove. Sadly, many standard NATO straps were not cutting it for me. It was time to try something different. This is where The Watch Steward Strap delivers. I kind of stumbled across The Watch Steward Strap by accident. I already knew about the owner of this brand, but for a different kind of watch-related product. My first introduction to Kevin Cooney was on Instagram under the name SeikoHats. I kept seeing these awesome hats with Seiko factory uniform patches applied to them for sale on his eBay Store. I have a big fetish for baseball caps with watch branding on them, and SeikoHats makes some of the coolest ones around.

From modern slimline to retro trucker style hats, SeikoHats have you covered. I have two of them and they just might be my favorite watch nerd apparel. Seiko might just be the one brand that most watch collectors can agree on… from the most humble watch pile to high-end collections. If you want one, visit the Seiko Hats eBay Store to see what is currently available because the styles constantly change. Anyway, we are here to talk watch straps, not hats so let’s examine The Watch Steward Strap in greater detail.

The Watch Steward Strap is Made of Stretchy Webbing Material

With such a seemingly simple product as a watch strap, success will be found in the minor details. Specific differences set competitive products apart, though I think The Watch Steward Strap is in a class of one based on a key design advantage that I’ll detail later. Strap designers obsess over all aspects of the chosen fabric including the feel of it, the thread count, the weave pattern, the breathability, the stretchiness, the cleanliness of the edges, whether it will fray and the list goes on. Failure in any one of these areas can make a great “idea scribbled on a napkin” into a disappointment once it is manufactured. Kevin has done his research and luckily consumers benefit from his attention to detail.

The Watch Steward Strap is not a typical NATO strap made from nylon. Instead of unyielding nylon fibers, The Watch Steward Strap is made from semi-stretchy strap material. This might be best described as a weave of nylon and elastic fibers much like the waistband on your “tighty whities” (a.k.a. underwear)… except much tougher and durable than anything Fruit of the Loom makes. The best thing about this material is that it stretches to give you a comfortable fit every time.

The Watch Steward Strap will literally expand and contract with your wrist if it swells during the day, which can happen when you get hot. In fact, the origin of using this type of material dates back to the days when soldiers were fashioning their own watch straps from stretchy parachute belt material. This is a similar type of material used in Erica’s Originals and MN Straps. The Watch Steward Strap is similar to the other two products, but also quite different in how it fits the watch, but more on that later.

Hardware

The advantage of using the stretchy fabric is that it requires less fussing from the wearer during the day to maintain a good fit. If you have ever had to adjust your leather, rubber, nylon or canvas 2-piece straps during the day then you might know what I am talking about. Your wrist is not always going to be the exact same size. This physiological factor can make wearing some metal bracelets torturous as your wrist swells or shrinks. What might fit one moment might be a little too snug the next or too loose after that. If your bracelet does not allow for micro adjustments on the fly (like the Tudor Pelagos), then you might just have to suffer through the discomfort between adjustments. It’s happened to me and I get greatly annoyed when my wrist gets squeezed!

The only other parts of The Watch Steward Strap are the hook system and adjustment ring, which are made from pieces of flat metal. There are a male hook-end and a female receiver end. Both are deceptively simple, but again there is a lot of thought that went into each end. The hook-end it angled in such a way that it can be inserted fairly easily into the receiver but it will not unhook easily. This is exactly the scenario you want otherwise you could lose your watch with premature decoupling!

 

The only branding of the product appears on the hook buckle and it looks that “the watch steward” has been laser etched into the metal. It is a subtle detail that is more than just branding because the orientation of the words helps the wearer know if he installed the strap correctly. I know this from personal experience, but I am jumping ahead.

The metal parts used to come in just one color, which is an industrial looking metal finish. It does not appear to be brushed, polished or sandblasted. The result is a non-flashy buckle that fades into the background. You don’t really notice it as it just reflects a muted surface. It almost looks like an antique metal finish of dull gray. Recently, in the summer of 2019, The Watch Steward should also start shipping straps with black PVD hardware! This is a welcome game changer in my opinion and goes a long way to matching the strap hardware to the watch. Rejoice, owners of black watches!

There is also an older version of The Watch Steward Strap that has a different buckle appearance. I have a feeling this model will be phased out eventually, but I did not confirm that. If you like this style, then make sure to grab one while you can. They have a charm about them.

One Size Fits All with Infinite Adjustability

The Watch Steward has an adjustment ring, which is a square metal bit with two slits punched into it. This is a similar sizing buckle as you would find on a camera strap, backpack strap, etc. The stretchy strap is inserted into it in such a way that you can adjust the tightness of the strap. The design is time-tested and works wonderfully in this application. It is easy to adjust while the watch is off the wrist and also while it is on the wrist. Simply tug it away from the watch for a looser fit or towards the watch for a tighter fit. This is as simple as it gets and is much more adjustable than using pre-drilled holes in fabric that offers less variability. If you cannot find the right fit, then you are doing something wrong!

The Watch Steward Strap is a one size fits all watch strap and it will work on wrists from small to large, and maybe even bear-sized. This is the first major advantage that The Watch Steward Strap has over an Erica’s Originals strap, which has to be ordered in advance to a stated size that fits your wrist. That’s right, those E.O. Straps are custom made to fit your wrist so try not to gain or lose too much wrist weight! Better not have that second plate of mashed potatoes! haha.

No Extra Height is Added to Your Watch

If you do not get anything else from this article, then know that The Watch Steward Strap will not make your watch wear taller like standard NATO straps, Erica’s Originals or MN Straps. This is the key to what makes The Watch Steward Strap different from the rest. The Watch Steward Strap is designed in such a way that the watch head sits directly on the wrist and not on a layer or two of nylon strap (like the other brands I just mentioned). Seeing this clever solution gave me a feeling of “Eureka! This is genius! Why didn’t anyone else think about this?” 

The fact that the stretchy material loops back on itself means that you can adjust the fit as tight or loose as you want or as large or small as you want. I never tested the biggest size, but this could be a Godsend for people who cannot find the right size watch straps. And, the Minimalist Series of The Watch Steward Strap is coming soon to give fans of this product even more options. The Minimalist Series is streamlined for a single-layer fit with less hardware.

The disadvantage of any strap that directly touches a watch’s case back is that it increases the apparent bulk of the watch on your wrist. If you already have a 14 mm high dive watch, then adding a two-layer NATO strap under the watch can make it feel like a 16 mm tall watch. Add that extra height to the aforementioned NATO hump and your cool watch now looks like a gigantic NATO tumor on your wrist. It’s not a good look for most people, but you can disagree.

Also, typical NATO-equipped watches feel friggin’ huge. Don’t blame me if you knock your watch on every door jamb while wearing a bulky NATO strap. With The Watch Steward Strap, this issue is minimized so that your watch height is not increased. Plus, you do not experience the unwelcome top-heavy watch feeling!

Durability and Washability

The Watch Steward Strap seems to be a tough cookie. If this material can stand up to the trial of military use, then you will probably be okay in your cushy civilian world unless you work in a Ginsu Knife sharpening factory. Most of us will never test The Watch Steward Strap beyond getting it sweaty or dirty. If that happens, just wash it in the sink or wear it in the shower. In a related topic, the weave material is breathable so your wrists won’t get too hot and sweat won’t get trapped underneath like some rubber straps, leather straps, or metal bracelets.

A Wide Variety of Styles and Colors

You already know that The Watch Steward Strap is tough, but does it appeal to the softer side of watch collectors who are interested in how a watchband looks on their precious watches? The answer is a resounding yes! Browsing the different color choices on The Watch Steward Strap Website shows that Kevin provides a lot of variety in terms of color. From blues to greens to browns to grays to black… the basics are covered. However, the shades of these colors are quite striking and not exactly the typical fare. There are several shades of blue, green and gray that do not overlap plus some brighter reds and oranges, which makes it tempting to get one of each. As of May 2019, there are only solid color options. There is no telling if patterns (such as stripes) will ever come to fruition. I would suspect that all depends on the type of elastic webbing that can be acquired. New colors are occasionally added so it is worth signing up for the newsletter to stay informed.

Multiple Sizes in 19 mm, 20 mm, 22 mm and Apple Watch

The Watch Steward Strap comes in 3 sizes including 19 mm, 20 mm and 22 mm. While 19 mm is an outlier for vintage watches with 18 mm lug widths, the 20 mm and 22 mm sizes are the bread and butter of the watch strap world. These sizes will work for most customers. It should be noted that there is also a slightly different 19 mm version of The Watch Steward Strap that has polished or PVD hardware that looks different than the other models. Instead of a hook system, this older version has interlocking bars for the buckle. I have this version too for my smaller watches and I dig it. Be aware, that these will likely disappear in the future so grab them while you have the chance.

I was surprised to see that The Watch Steward Straps also work on the Apple watch by using an affordable adapter. This is a prudent move to provide straps for the smartwatch industry. Apple is the largest watch manufacturer in the world if you are to believe their sales figures. If you have to wear an Apple Watch, then you might as well stand out from the crowd.

An Affordable Cost for a Strap Made in the USA

Let’s do the math. Each of The Watch Steward Straps costs $24.99, which is a bargain for an ingeniously designed elastic watchband that provides a fit where the watch head rests on your wrist. That price is cheap enough to order several at a time. Heck, you could get about three of The Watch Steward Strap compared to one of Erica’s Originals. Honestly, I think that there is room for both brands in your watch strap line-up, but the more affordable option does not feel like settling. The Watch Steward Strap is a fantastic product and the low cost of entry only makes it sweeter! Not only that, you will be supporting an American business located on the outskirts of my home turf in Atlanta. Not only that, the packaging reads “MADE IN THE USA”, and that rarely happens anymore.

The Best Practices to Apply and Wear The Watch Steward Strap

I was not the best at attaching The Watch Steward Strap to my watches, but I am learning. I can be a bit of a dunce when it comes to following instructions that require keeping something oriented in a certain direction. I installed my Watch Steward Strap incorrectly once and was called out for it on Instagram. People could tell that I was wearing The Watch Steward Strap upside down because the logo on the buckle was not facing the right way. I was having a devil of a time hooking it in this incorrect orientation, but it was much easier to put on once I flipped it around. Note to self… read directions first! haha

Unlike NATO straps that can be threaded through lugs with attached spring bars, The Watch Steward Strap will require that you remove your spring bars. This is because the metal hardware is permanently attached to The Watch Steward Strap and it will not slide through that narrow gap between the spring bars and the watch body. Installing the strap on a watch with drilled lugs is easier than one with standard ones. I suggest that you invest in a proper spring bar removal tool such as the Bergeron 6767F Spring Bar Tool. It will make your strap swapping much easier.

Once The Watch Steward Strap is installed, there is a minor learning curve on how to put it on. This is because it is different than other straps that look like it. Remember that the watch will rest on your wrist directly so you have to put it on in a different way than NATO straps. However, if Kevin’s young daughter can make it look so darn easy in the demonstration video below, then old dogs like me should be able to learn new tricks. Just remember to make a loop and slide your hand through it. FYI…if The Watch Steward Strap is touching the underside of the watch, then you are doing it wrong. Remember that the strap does not touch the case back. The only extra step that I do is to hold onto the metal sizing buckle to prevent it from touching my watch case. I am anal retentive about this sort of thing and do not let metal objects to touch my watch’s finish.

How to Buy The Watch Steward Strap

Jeez… I can’t believe I wrote an article this long about a watch strap. I guess I really like this product. If you made it to the end, then thank you very much for sticking with me. To get The Watch Steward Straps all you have to do is order them at TheWatch Steward.com. It’s a modern e-commerce site and easy to navigate. What more could you want, except maybe a Seiko hat to go with the straps?