Barton Watch Bands Black Leather Watch Strap
September 16, 2018
The very first aftermarket strap I ever bought was from the plucky startup in Austin called Barton Watch Bands. Such was the clarity of their website and the honest presentation I felt immediately at home shopping there. Combine that with great pictures and a staff that is honestly excited about watch straps and I knew my money was in good hands. I have purchased a great many straps from Barton and recommend them to many people, and time after time they never disappoint at delivering one of the most important ingredients I call ‘enjoyable value’.
Things can be cheap (I am talking about McDonalds kids toy cheap) and mental exercises of justifying the price you paid to account for the lack of quality ensue. This is never the case with Barton as cheap is not in their vernacular. They are purveyors high value and well-priced items. Every item I receive a product from them I am always shocked at how far it surpasses my expectations in both quality and innovation (see my review on elite silicone straps, they are brilliant pieces).
The latest offering, I heard about in an email (I signed up for the Barton Newsletter) was their new line of black leather straps with colored stitching. Knowing I am usually shy on black straps and having just acquired my new Hamilton Khaki 38mm not to long ago, this seemed like a strap I had to try. So, for no more than the price of a great lunch, I had a cool new watch strap coming, which gets me to my closing remarks about ‘enjoyable value’. When you get an idea (or a hunch, or a feeling, or inspiration) to try a new strap, when you order from Barton, you can do it without preparing your finances for a month. You can find a design you like and just give it a try without any fears associated with getting rubbish or something you would not want to wear. The product will be made well, packaged well, and wear quite comfortably. If that is not the very definition of enjoyable value, nothing is.
Here are what our friends at Barton Watch Bands say about their own product:
Our black Leather Quick Release watch bands install in less time than it takes to shake a martini. Crafted from hand selected top grain leather, this truly is “The Strap Your Watch Deserves”. Pair this black leather watch strap with our Silicone or Canvas Quick Release to take full advantage of the opportunity to ‘Switch it Up’ between your workplace and the gym.
DIMENSION
The black leather straps from Barton come in an enormous range of sizes. At the time of writing they were available in 16mm, 18mm, 20mm, 22mm, and 24mm sizes meaning this will fit just about every watch on the market today. They are all straight leather straps with no taper well sealed edges. I ordered a 20mm to match my khaki and it came in at 75mm/120mm on the buckle and free end respectively. Usually I would be on the second to last adjustment hole on my 6.75” wrist on most straps, but Barton gives you 10 holes to choose from and I am on the 5t fifth one. Perfect. The strap comes in at a rock steady 2.7mm thick along its entire length and very uniform in appearance without any waviness or irregularities. It sits very flat against the skin and is the epitome of unobtrusive.
DESIGN
The Barton Leather strap model is fairly fixed. You can expect a straight piece of top grain bovine leather that has ultra-tight pores and is uniform and consistent. The leather has a satin sheen to it and is very smooth to the touch. The edges are coated black and perfectly match the stain in the leather.
The stitching is done using something called durability tested thread, which probably just means it will not fray and has had its color fastness tested and ensured. I can tell you that the stitching is very even and nicely recessed in the leather. It follows the contours of the strap with laser like precision and then wraps around the back side to give the strap extra durability around the spring bar (which is quick release like ALL springs bars should be!).
The black leather is quite durable. When I give it a good scratch with my fingernail it leaves the slightest mark which vanishes just as quickly with a little rubbing with my thumb. The back of the strap is a fine example of paying attention to details. First the quality of the leather used here is perfectly chosen. While I cannot go on poetically about the pedigree of the leather, I can tell you that it is a beautiful natural color. It has a velvety smooth feel and texture that caress the skin on your wrist ( yes I used caress on purpose, it is that soft, and I am that secure in my masculinity ). Barton takes the time to cleanlyemboss the strap with this logo and top grain leather symbol which are details I like. Again, every single thing about Bartons leather straps speaks volumes to how much they care about detail and value.
Another nice feature worth mentioning is that Barton Watch Bands offers 5 different finishes you can pick for your buckle color (gold, rose gold, Gunmetal, PVD black and stainless) adding more to the customization capability of your strap. These are available in all sizes and selectable at time of order.
I cannot finish the DESIGN portion of this review without talking about the Barton Watch Bands calling card. Quick Release watch straps. For those who love changing straps, this is mother lode of awesomeness. I can have new straps on my Barton equipped watches in less than 10 seconds and it allows me to play around and have fun. Anything that adds enjoyment to wearing a watch we should all be in virulent support for! Way to go Barton!
KEEPER AND BUCKLE
Barton uses a pleasantly thin stainless steel buckle on its leather watch straps. While they are free from any branding, they are nice polish and fit the free end very well. The strap uses a standard two keeper system with one being fixed and the other floating. They do an admirable job of keeping the free end exactly where you want it and are sized just right to hold it without any additional material present. The keepers are made of the same leather as the straps and are dyed to match perfectly, but without any sealant applied to the edges.
HOW DOES IT WEAR
I have 5 leather straps from Barton, from 18mm to 22mm. I can tell you without any hesitation they all wear exactly the same, which is to say comfortable and dependable. A watch on a Barton Strap stays put exactly where you put it. The suede like inner leather keeps the watch from rotating, while being very comfortable to wear. The leather used is very flexible and is aided by the sub 3mm construction to bend and flex with natural ease around your wrist. A Barton Strap is broken in the first time you put it on your wrist. After you have it on for a few minutes the comfort takes over and it simply vanishes over the course of the day.
(excuse the highly stylish Strapsense socks in the picture!)
The straps thin construction also pays dividends at work or at home when typing on a computer or working in the kitchen it is very comfortable as it lays so amazingly flat against the skin. All in all the construction is deceptively simple and well done.
WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR
The better question is what is it NOT good for. If I focus on the black model alone it was a natural fit for my little khaki. With the ink black dial and its red tipped pointer on the second hand it was a natural fit. With other colors available like blue and orange and white, etc it would be quite hard to find a watch this would not work on.
With that said, I do think the construction and square tip and non-tapering leather leans more modern than vintage. I feel Barton straps have a youthful air about them and would look quite at home on most modern watches. I would also mention that they are only 2.7mm thick, and bulkier 14-15+mm thick watches may overpower them as they have no padding to give them extra bulk.
I find it hard to put limits on Barton Straps, as the image gallery they have shatters any limitations you may assume. I can only share my personal thoughts. They have hundreds of images from customersof everything from Swatches to Submariners adorning Barton Straps and they all look amazing. I would suggest having a look at the gallery, see what others have done and then maybe give it a try. You may find out that a combo you never thought of is perfect for you.
WHERE CAN I GET ONE
Shopping at Barton Watch Bands is easy and enjoyable, I get mine here:
And I have purchased many from Amazon:
SUMMARY
Some vendors specialize in using ultra premium high end leather to create a watch strap that makes an impression. Others use heritage and clever backstory to sell product. Barton Watch Straps does not take either of two approaches in their entirety. They are made by a great group who give great support and their commitment to quality and value is matched by few. Made right here in Texas by local folks who have a passion for watches and straps, the buy button on the Barton Watch Bands website is the easiest button to hit. It is as simple as click, wait, smile.