Uncle Seiko GL831 Rubber Watch Strap ($39.00)
November 18, 2018
Have you ever had a perfect piece of Salmon Nigiri? It is simplicity itself. Two ingredients: form rice, add tuna, and serve. It could not be more simple. But, as we have stated many times before, All things simple contain practically infinite variations. When something is done very well, the most complex things can seem very simple. I have labored over this point many times in the past, but I always feels it needs to be rehashed from time to time. The strap I am reviewing today came to me from a vendor who read my last review of his product and said he has something in the works, and would send it to me in a few months. A rubber strap. Something defined by two simple things (or ingredients if you will), the mold and the material.
Well true to his word, a package showed up from Uncle Seiko Straps. Inside was the living embodiment of the extremely rare case where the sequel is superior to the original. We all know this does not happen very often, if ever. The Original E-type Jaguar will always be thought of as the best version of that car. The Original Rolex 1016 Explorer will often be thought more desirable than any modern day Explorer. The original Coke was better than the ‘new’ coke (if you remember that). The original invented the product that all other following products try to live up to.
Well, the Uncle Seiko GL831 rubber strap I have is an improvement to the first Uncle Seiko strap I reviewed in every aspect. Much like Aliens was better than Alien, this time the sequel is superior to the Original.
At this point according to Strapsense decorum, I insert a bit from the vendor. Since I am creature of habit, and also since Uncle Seiko puts actual effort into his strap descriptions, I am happy to give you words from the good Uncle:
Arguably the greatest (and most comfortable) diver strap Seiko ever made was the GL-831. It was the stock strap that came with the 6306 and 6309 divers, as well as H558 “Arnie” and the 7548 quartz diver, among others. Fans have been raving about them for decades. Today they are hard to find because many got stiff over the years and began to crack in all the wrong places.
It has been my dream to recreate this iconic strap and make it as close to the original as possible. I believe I have met this challenge, with a couple of minor changes. I made it slightly thinner and more flexible (like the original gets when exposed to warm temperatures).
Bold words for sure, but I grew to find out that they are not far off. Not only is this a great strap for a Seiko (the 6306 would go on to be called the turtle by the way), it is genuinely good for just about any watch that it will fit.
DIMENSIONS
The strap I received from Uncle Seiko is 22mm, so all my dimensions will be based on that. And it is worth noting that any GL831 you receive will be the same, as they only come in 22mm. The length of the strap is 78mm/130mm, on the buckle and free length respectively. This is not nearly as long as some of the other rubber straps, but on my 6.75” wrist I am on the 5thfrom the last hole (out of 11), so you can see this strap will fit a LARGE swath of the population.
The thickness of the strap varies along its length. At the lugs the strap is 5.4mm thick, tapering quickly to 2.4mm, and it remains that thick along to the buckle and free end. The strap is 22mm at the lugs, but steps out a bit to 23.4mm just as it clears the lugs, then tapers gradually to 20mm at the ends. Overall, this wears as a very robust divers strap. The thickness, I feel, is perfect to give comfort as well as durability.
DESIGN
Seiko rubber dive straps have convolutions near the lugs to allow the strap to be fastened tightly, so when the diver ventures farther beneath the surface, and his body compresses due to the pressure, his strap will contract and stay put. The Uncle Seiko GL831 keeps this feature and, while I do not venture very far beneath the ocean’s surface, I can attest that the strap does in fact stretch at the convolutions as designed.
The single short coming I could find with the Uncle Seiko Tropic I reviewed earlier (found here) was how plastic the rubber felt. I loved the details in the strap and the precision with which it was molded as well as the dedication to the details of the older Tropic styled straps. While the GL831 is not a tropic strap, much like the Tropic strap Uncle Seiko sells, it is a faithful reproduction of the original down to the last detail. However, while the older straps have succumbed to age and embrittlement, the modern 831 is made of a rubber that is nearly as soft as some silicone straps I have worn. The improvement in wearability is staggering. This rubber conforms and bends effortlessly to your wrist. If the Tropic strap was made of this material (and I think a Version 2 is coming!) , nirvana would have been achieved.
As mentioned above, the strap has 11 adjustment holes in its free end, and 9 holes on the buckle end, evenly spaced on the surface of the strap. These are obviously for allowing your skin to breathe, or to allow moisture out after a dive or lap around the pool. Like all Seiko OEM straps I know of, the The Kanagawa wave is embossed on the free end, but with the tasteful addition of a nice ‘U’ over it for Uncle Seiko. This blend of old and new is very well done and shows a level of respect Uncle Seiko has for the brand and its history.
Turn the strap over and the rubber has a skin-like texture almost like the pores of a top grain leather strap. Near the lugs “GL831US” is embossed deeply on both sides as well as the world “UNCLE” on the free end. Overall, the design of the strap is very much identical to every picture I found when looking at the original Seiko 6306 on Google Images, except with the benefit of modern materials.
KEEPER AND BUCKLE
The Uncle Seiko GL831 only has one keeper like the strap the original 6306 came with. It too has holes that are a dead ringer for the number 5 on a gaming dice. Uncle Seiko did not stop there either. He also incorporated the slit in the bottom of the keeper which allows the keeper to more easily bend around the wrist. This is a very small detail that was captured perfectly here that makes such a massive difference in how the watch feels and wears. Again, more proof how simple things matter.
The buckle is bead blasted and has a darker grey appearance than any surface on my modded SKX. Perhaps this color was chosen to more closely match the original watch this strap was designed for. It makes little difference, as the buckle works perfectly well, and is free of sharp edges or flaws. It is also blessed with a very nicely engraved “Uncle Seiko” on the back side of the buckle, allowing the vendor to take credit for his great work while not effecting historical accuracy for the sake of self-promotion. However, I will say that the quality of work is to such a standard I would hope Uncle Seiko would display his name on all his straps. The level of work merits his mark.
HOW DOES IT WEAR
Opening the package: “Seems unimpressive. Kind of similar to other straps I own.”
After an hour: “I actually quite like this….Very comfortable.”
After a day: “This strap is really awesome! I can’t believe how good it feels!”
The next day putting it on: “Ahhh, home!”
These are the exact words from the Uncle Seiko site and it bears repeating with one small caveat. When I took it out of the package, I immediately grabbed my OEM SKX piece of plastic they try to pass off as a rubber strap, and my old Uncle Seiko Tropic. Out of the package, the difference in flexibility, texture, and softness is drastic. The GL831 is leaps and bounds above the others, and a much more comfortable strap. It flexes and bends through buckle and keepers with ease. The strap is designed so that even on my smaller wrist, the keeper will contain the free end nicely, while keeping the rest of the strap close to the buckle. The other two rubber straps fell short on one or more of these tasks but this GL831 is a completely well thought out and designed strap in every way.
All day wear is a breeze and the rubber never irritated or grabbed the skin. The watch stayed put as well, and seemed to get more flexible and pliable as the day went on.
WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR
Well naturally the Seiko 6306 (or 6309) is perfect since this is a direct replacement for that watch, but it wears stunning well on an SKX as I found out. It has just enough beef at the lugs to blend in with the case, but not be so bulky as to be rigid or unyielding. It’s tight and controlled convolutions aid in the aesthetic rather than be so ostentatious that you need to explain why you have an accordion on your wrist (I’m looking at you OEM SKX strap!).
The strap is so good I wish it came in other colors and sizes so I could try them on my Oris, or an SKX013. It makes me want to go out and buy a new turtle just so I can wear this strap with it. At the end of the day this rendition is good for any diver that needs a 22mm strap. It is so neutral in design, and its aesthetic is so inoffensive, that it would yield some serious tool diver toughness to any dive watch.
WHERE CAN I GET IT
You can by your GL831 at Uncle Seiko Straps Website here:
https://www.uncleseiko.com/store/p148/gl831.html
SUMMARY
It is NOT easy to find a good rubber strap. I am very fond of them as they can take any job and do anything you ask your watch to do. The varieties of rubber on the market are nearly limitless and getting it wrong with the material choice on a product meant to be worn against the skin is not putting your best foot forward. With the 831, Uncle Seiko has proven he can avoid this issue and make a truly world class rubber watch strap.
