B and R Bands Oak Classic Vintage Watch Band
July 15, 2020
Today on Strapsense, I bring you a review that came into existence from purely selfish desires. I enjoy all the watches in my small and diverse collection. Like all collections, I have some that must pull yeoman’s duty and meritoriously accept the brunt of my pusedo active jack of all trades lifestyle. Then there are some watches that for lack of a better word are deemed special for one bizarre reason or another. These are the watches which a malnourished hermit may call ‘the precious’. In my watch case one of those such watches was my 1957 Railmaster Trilogy Edition. A watch so distilled down into the bare essentials of what a watch needs to be I had unknowinly anointed it almost sacred status. I have been wanting to use this watch in a few reviews, but had the hardest time taking off the bracelet which is so well matched to the watch, it was difficult to determine where one stopped and one began.
This review is a result of a shopping spree for 19mm straps to showcase the little Omega. For a while new straps were arriving at my door at a rate of one a week and while some were good, they missed the mark for the kind of story I wanted my watch to tell. The Omega Railmaster was born of a time when Omega was at its height. Supreme technical prowess and commitment to accuracy were the hallmarks of this brand with the Greek Letter for a name. I sought out to find a watch strap that would match the Railmasters intended use, and more importantly, a strap that would match the kind of man or woman who would have chosen the Railmaster over a Speedy or a Seamaster.
I am thinking about a technician, engineer, mechanic, or scientist who would have a need for a tough antimagnetic watch that was easy to read and is completely uncluttered. The reason being is that the work these people do requires both technical and mental precision. What they needed was a tool, and like all good tools its form is completely decided by its function. As an engineer and the son of an airplane mechanic this is the ethos I used for choosing a strap, and luckily I found one. Like all things from B and R, this strap answered the mail and exceeded my expectations. I shall try to explain why in the text to follow, but first, this is what B and R Bands has to say about their strap:
Rich tones of blonde tan make the oak classic vintage strap a customer favorite. Crafted from full grain Italian leather with a slightly waxed finish, you’ll experience first hand as the strap’s character develops with wear. With attention to detail, each strap is cut with precision revealing the raw edges to enhance the vintage look. Each strap is then carefully sewn by hand with a premium waxed ecru thread.
DIMENSIONS
My first Omega in Space Speedy is 19mm, as is my Railmaster. I have a couple of other watches who rely on the quirky 19mm size as well so this strap could be used across a wide spectrum of watches. Let it be known now that 19mm is not nearly the death sentence it use to be. Most mid-range and high end strap makers will happily carry or make you a 19mm strap of your choice. I suggest just shopping around and if you do not see what you like send an email. Many strap vendors that I have reviewed on this site will custom make you a strap, so be bold!
My 19mm strap came in at 18.7mm at the lugs and tapered to 15mm at the free and buckle end. Knowing I have a 6.75” wrist, I ordered the small (110mm/70mm) version of this strap. B and R straps run a tad long in the adjustment hole placement and I have found that ordering a medium with my wrist size often leaves me on the last adjustment hole on 40mm or smaller watches. A short is ideal for my wrist size as I am comfortably on the third to the last adjustment hole for that perfect fit.
The thickness of this strap was listed at 2.5mm but mine varied from 2.8mm to 3.1mm. This actually suited me fine for this application as it added to the aesthetic I wanted, but if you were looking for a thinner strap, be cautious as mine ran thicker than listed. Still, 2.5-3.5mm is a great thickness range for a tough, rugged looking strap and should suit a great many watches.
DESIGN
As a vintage style strap this Oak Classic checks all the typical boxes you would expect. It has two whip stitches by the lugs to secure the spring bars. These are done in a very organic and artisan way and look hand sewn as they are visually not perfectly symmetrical as a machine would make them. However, they only appear so if you are staring at it for a while. The stitches likewise are not pure white, but are an aged white that has the appearance of old cloth you would see in a museum. Add in a couple of stitches at the tip of the free end and a couple more to hold on the buckle and the aesthetic really starts to come into focus.
The strap has a wonderful taper from 19mm to 15mm in my case. This tapering is essential in a vintage strap design as it adds elegance to the strap and also makes it more comfortable to wear on a daily basis. The part that most excites me about this strap is the raw unsealed edges which is strange since I am normally a huge fan of neat and clean edges. I like to think the clientele who would have bought the Railmaster would have bought these watches as tools to do a job. They would have been more interested in having a reliable watch than a fashion accessory. The train engineer, or mechanic would have wanted a strap that can take a scratch or two and nothing delicate or fragile need apply for the job. It is for this reason a thicker raw leather which is seemingly impervious to time is perfectly suited to the job. A strap that could have been made from the worn in leather from an old steamer chest would be close to ideal as this leather gives a ruggedness and purposeful feeling to the strap.
The underside of the strap seems to be of the same beautiful warm brown leather as the top. This leather has fantastic pull up along its whole length and seemingly infinite shades of brown are deep in the satin finished hide. This leather does not feel delicate and is not like the suppler Horween leathers of other B and R straps. This leather feels durable and resists bending in much the same way as a new leather belt would before its lifelong journey of being broken in has begun.
KEEPER AND BUCKLE
This strap features the industry norm 2 keeper system. The first is sewn next to the buckle and the other moves freely to help retain the extra length of the free end. They are made of the same full grain brown leather as the strap and also have the same satin waxy appearance. Also like the strap the edges of the keepers are raw and left to add visual texture to the strap. They are sized perfectly to allow easy feed of the loose end of the strap and not one millimeter bigger. I should also know they tend to stay put where you place them which is a notable accomplishment on such a smooth textured strap.
The buckle and pin are very minimalist and have the slightest linear brushing on them. No branding is to be found and the whole metal assembly is as lithe as they can be while still doing the job. I feel a buckle is an area where a great many watch strap vendors make mistakes. If you are not doing a bespoke pin and buckle, then keep it as unobtrusive as possible. B and R has taken the later approach and it pays dividends to how comfortable it wears.
HOW DOES IT WEAR
I mentioned before that this thicker 3mm leather did not have the silken qualities of a shell cordovan or even flexibility that so many thinner straps have. However, that is not to say it is like wrapping a ruler around your wrist either. The quality of the leather is apparent as its waxy texture is very enjoyable to touch. The strap avoids any stiff leg syndrome (that annoying characteristic of inflexible leather to hold a watch up off your wrist at weird angles) and succumbs to the curves of your body without any fuss. You will feel the strength of the leather as you feed it through the buckle and keepers the first time and that baseline effort will lessen each and every time you use it.
This strap transforms the Railmaster into the tool watch it was probably meant to be. The bracelet that the watch initially came on is spectacular, but its polished links and amazing finish also elevate the watch to a slightly dressier place than I believe the soul of the watch wants to be. Despite its lofty price tag and impressive technical capabilities, (then and now) I think the Railmaster has blue collar roots. The roughhewn, raw edge, leather strap connects with the DNA of the mechanics and train engineers and scientists the Railmaster was meant for.
Despite the straps impeccable build quality, and gorgeous brown color, I think this strap wants to work and it has been a willing accomplice to my daily activities for almost 2 weeks. It has picked up scuff or two but due to the waxy nature of the leather it was easily buffed out with a finger rub or two.
WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR
I can wholeheartedly recommend this for any tool watch in your watch box or safe. This strap is unapologetically tough but in a refined way. If you have shopped for other vintage style straps but found them to delicate or thin to support your Sinn or Damasko then this is a strap is worth a try.
Possessing a curious blend of elegant design with robust construction, the leather is clean and has a depth of color and texture while never looking ragged. It will transform any watch by adding a purposeful tooly vibe to its personality. Think of it as James bond in flannel shirt and blue jeans and you would be close – polished but rugged.
WHERE CAN I GET ONE
The only place to buy a B and R Bands strap that I know of is directly from B and R. However, this is a very good thing. They have some of the fastest shipping I have ever experienced. Order with confidence.
https://www.bandrbands.com/oak-classic-vintage-leather-watch-band.aspx
SUMMARY
The amount of vintage style watch straps available is staggering. It is no surprise as the watch world today is ripe with vintage reissues and watches that harken back to a simpler time. Whether it is the simple clean timeless lines or the thirst for nostalgia the vintage strap is not going anywhere. People buy them and keep buying them as even in the vast sea of options, they are all different in small but not insignificant ways. This strap captures its own small niche of this market by being something that offers both elegance and durability. That may be a niche within a niche, but it answers the call for me, and I think a great many tool watches out there as well. Maybe yours.