The ideal sailcloth watch strap for a diver’s watch suits how you wear it. Owners who swim or dive frequently will prefer embossed FKM rubber, while layered sailcloth suits daily wear.
After the steel bracelet and the rubber strap, dive watch owners found themselves in the middle where the next logical step was sailcloth. Lighter than steel, more refined than rubber, and comfortable in the water and under a shirt cuff, the extreme simplicity of the material made it an ideal choice for watchmakers.
What Is a Sailcloth Watch Strap?
A sailcloth watch strap is a padded strap with a woven, cross-hatch texture, designed to withstand the constant strain, sun and salt.
Modern straps aren’t cut from sails. Sailcloth watch straps are made in three layers: an upper layer that is tightly woven synthetic material, a middle layer that is leather for comfort, and a bottom layer that is natural rubber for protection. Its curved profile with the padding ensures a snug fit around the wrist. The lining softens after a few days, and conforms to the wrist, yet does not lose its shape.
Why Sailcloth is a Better Choice for Dive Watch Owners over a Bracelet?
Sailcloth is lighter and cooler than a steel bracelet and more versatile.
A bracelet on a 42mm diver adds much weight and rubs against arm hair and holds onto any perspiration during warm weather. Rubber solves the weight issue but only looks sporty.
Sailcloth retains the strength of a tool-watch strap, but offers texture and polish for the office, weekend and water.
Is a Sailcloth Strap Waterproof?
The traditional layered sailcloth is water resistant, but not waterproof.
It handles sweat, rain and splashes, however, the leather-lining is not made to be submerged repeatedly. The lining will wear out if you use the pool every day.
If you use it regularly, choose the FKM rubber version, embossed with the sailcloth pattern. No break in period, salt-proof, UV-stable and vegan. The trade-off is that rubber never takes on the moulded feel of a layered strap.
Why Do Thickness and Taper Matter on a Dive Watch?
The thickness determines whether the strap will fit in the case while the taper determines the look of the strap.
A padded sailcloth strap is approximately 5.4mm thick at the lugs and approximately 2.2mm thick at the center. The padding suits a large diver, but some vintage cases provide less than 5.5mm clearance between the lugs and caseback, and a padded strap won’t fit. Those watches need a thinner, 1.5mm thick nylon watch strap.
Taper creates a different shape. A 20mm lug width is balanced by a strap tapering to 18mm, while a taper to 16mm gives a slimmer, dressier look. Select taper carefully as you select the colour.
What is the difference between a Tang Buckle and a Deployant Clasp?
Both work on a dive watch; it’s about how you want to adjust the fit.
A tang buckle allows for a change in fit one hole at a time, useful for a hot sweaty wrist. A deployant clasp, once set, opens and closes with a click, no loose tail to thread through keepers.
The one sizing rule that can trip people up: The clasp should be the same width as the strap at the clasp end, not the lug end. The 20mm strap that tapers to 18mm requires an 18mm clasp.
What Length Sailcloth Strap Do You Need?
Take a wrist measurement above the wrist bone and buy the length that fits, not the standard one.
Sailcloth straps are usually available in three different lengths: short, around the wrist, 5.1″ to 6.4″; standard, 6.5″ to 7.75″ and long, up to 9.1″. Too long of a strap will leave a tail and cause a tang buckle to be off-center.
Which Sailcloth Colors Work Best With Dive Watches?
Black and white are the classic diver’s colors and work with nearly any steel sports watch.
Navy suits blue dials and bezels. Khaki green suits pilot and field watches. Silver and white dials are complemented by grey. If you prefer the watch to be the show-stopper, black with black stitching is the least distracting of the choices.
How Do You Find the Right Lug Width?
Use a calliper or ruler to measure the width of the interior of the lugs in millimetres and purchase the same width.
Do not size down – it leaves a visible gap at each lug. Artem’s lug width guide demonstrates the procedure in less than 2 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you swim in a sailcloth watch strap?
Only when it’s the FKM rubber version. The layered version withstands splashes but not repeated soaking.
Should you use sailcloth instead of rubber for a dive watch?
It depends on use. Rubber is better in the water and layered sailcloth is better on land and looks better out of the water.
Does a sailcloth strap need to break in?
The softening and moulding of the layered sailcloth can take several days. Embossed FKM rubber has no break-in period.
Can you use a sailcloth strap on an old dive watch?
If there is less than 5.5mm of clearance between the lugs and the caseback, it will not work. A thin nylon strap is needed for tighter cases.
Is it suitable to wear a sailcloth strap with a suit?
Yes, in black (or dark navy) with tonal stitching. Bright colors and contrast stitching are more suited for casual wear.
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