Worn and Wound Model 2 Classic – Olive

I have had this watch strap for quite some time.  I bought it based on how much I loved the Model 2 Premium Rye which I previously reviewed and came away very impressed.  I could not wait to try another of W&W’s offerings.  However, after it arrived, many things were very familiar like the construction and quality, but the color left me stumped.  

I know that Worn and Wound calls this color Olive but that name and the color simply do not mesh well to me.  Now I am not saying that there is not a type of Olive in this particular shade, but if there was I am not sure you would want to eat it.  Let me get this review off with a simple nomenclature adjustment. This strap should have been called Moss (because calling it ‘color of the water after all the paints have been washed out of your paintbrush’ does not sound nearly as appealing). 

I am being picky to a degree about the color as the watch strap construction is absolutely spot on what I have come to expect from Worn and Wound. I will get to that in a minute. But first this is how W&W describes their Model 2 Classic.

The Model 2 Classic was designed to be a simple, stylish go-to strap for all seasons. It’s a 2-piece design made out of unlined, super tough Wickett & Craig leather, cut with a slight taper. The edges are raw, letting them gain a nice patina, and the knots are hand-tied out of thick braided waxed cotton cord for a crafty, hand-made finish. We used both a fixed metal loop as well as a wide leather band for keepers, creating a rugged detail that hints at military straps.

DIMENSIONS

I ordered the 20mm version of this strap (but it is also available in 18mm and 22mm). Mine came in at a svelt 19.3mm at the lugs and 16.8mm at the free and buckle ends.  With my 6.75” wrist, I am on the third to last adjustment hole for that perfect not too tight/not too loose fit. The thickness of this strap along almost the entirety of its length is 2.6mm thick. This falls squarely in that very comfortable daily wear thickness range of 2.5-3.5mm. Due to the construction though, as it wraps around the lugs the strap gains some thickness (almost 6mm) which is kept entirely on the back side. This is has some very attractive benefits such as adding some bulk where it is very useful, at the lugs.  

Often times straps look thin compared to cases and lugs they are attached to. This strap pulls off a nice trick as it adds some bulk right around the lugs, and yet still keeps the whole length of the strap flexible with a thin construction.  In other words, this gives the wrist presence of a padded strap some larger watches need without looking like it is a dressy padded strap.  It took me a while to see that, but when I realized the benefits of the W&W construction I was very impressed. 

DESIGN

If I had to pick an object that reminds me of this strap, it would be a bomber jacket. Very simple and clean on the outside and rough and textured on the inside.  It is really a tale of two straps. On the outside of the strap, the leather is polished and worked to a very smooth sheen, or satin finish. The color permeates the outer layer of the leather with little to no pull up when bent.  It is also pretty resistant to scratches and passed a fingernail test with ease.

The real trick of this strap and its rugged beauty is the unfinished raw layer of leather on the underside that rests against your skin.  Raw probably is not a good word as that may have rough and uncomfortable connotations which could not be further from the truth. The inner layer of the watch strap feels more like distressed suede, which is strap talk for comfortable. 

These two different layers are glued along their length with the finished outer layer wrapping around the spring bar and buckle with only two whip stitches (in this version they are black) hand sewn on each end to hold the whole thing in place. The sides of the strap were not finished nor sealed in any way allowing the raw texture of the bottom layer to be seen when viewed from the side.  This natural appearance categorically put this strap into a casual dress attire mode. 

KEEPER AND BUCKLE

This strap has a polished stainless buckle that is fit loosely into the strap. It is free from any branding and is sized nicely so that the free end feeds easily through it. The pin finds the appropriate adjustment holes and keeps the free end flat against the strap. 

The strap is a two keeper style like most straps with a twist that is becoming a Worn and Wound calling card. The first keeper that is sewn in place is a polished stainless loop which adds some durability as well as reinforcing the dual personality nature of this strap with one part being rustic and the other part highly finished.  The floating keeper is the same smooth colored leather as the strap, and is quite sizeable without looking too big. It does a great job of providing enough friction to hold the free end securely until the end of the day when you take the watch off.

HOW DOES IT WEAR

As you can imagine this strap wears very comfortable and securely. The watch stays put where you want it to due, largely, to that textured inner liner.  I found all the pieces fit together well and taking it on and off is a breeze. The outer layer is very finely finished with a smooth texture and fine grain surface. 

One trick this watch pulls off is solely due to its construction.  Some watches have lugs which do not angle down toward the wrist. This problem is compounded when the caseback of the watch is not flat but rather extends lower than the lugs.  Unless you have a wrist like a minecraft character, this can often look a bit weird. This strap is 6mm at the lugs and that does an admirable job of filling that tiny gap created by the space between the lugs and case back sitting on your wrist. This probably only something a serious watch nerd would notice, but I cling tightly to that label and thought it was worth reporting

Now about that color, Olive or as I call it Moss (because unripe Avacado does not roll off the tongue so well).  This is a color that you will either love or hate. It is best described as earthy but to tell you the truth, I found it difficult to really love that color. It was too dark with too many brown tones in the green to be military inspired, and it changes to black at the slightest shadow.  I do not want to get too hung up on color too much as it is always comes down to personal taste. Keep mind this strap wears very lightly and comfortably and its rugged charm is never missed as the layers of its construction are clearly visible.  It is also available in 4 other vibrant and brilliant colors.  

WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR

The easy way to start this is to tell you want this is NOT good for. Divers, or rather divers that get used, should avoid it as raw leather and water are like Boba Fett and Luke Skywalker, they should never mix.  Aside from that, this strap would look brilliant on any field watch or casual watch. I think it would be a great strap for a Nomos as its rugged nature would be an interesting contrast against the Bauhaus German aesthetic. 

I also think this strap would be great on aviation watches especially some bronze ones for the same reason as it has that bomber flight jacket raw edge that gives the aviation watch story some credibility.  I would avoid any overly thin watches and really keep this to watches 11mm and up with some beefy lugs. My Hamilton khaki is about 10mm and I think the strap is just barely on the verge of overpowering the lugs.  This is a strap than can handle some lugs. Keep that in mind

WHERE CAN I GET ONE

The Worn and Wound Model 2 Classic can be found at the Windup shop on Worn and Wounds website:

SUMMARY

I really think Worn and Wound is edging closer to hitting that sweet spot in terms of quality and value. This is yet another strap that is neither cheap nor expensive with what it delivers. This means it accomplishes one of the best compliments I can give it.  This strap is a great value.  Any strap that can balance quality and price rides the value curve and avoids being needlessly expensive nor needlessly cheap. I would consider Worn and Wound for any watch I own, along with a few other brands (like B and R and Bass and Lokes) that offer straps in the 70 dollar range. All deliver real handmade quality at a very respectable price.  While the color of this one is up to one’s individual aesthetic flavor palette, the construction and materials are absolutely without question.