Fluco Red Leather NATO Finest Watch Strap

Our hobby is all about self expression. The watch and most definitely the watch strap is an outward facing indication into kind of person we are or perhaps the kind of person we strive to be. After all, we choose our clothing, our hairstyles, our cars and even our food as pieces of the puzzle into what makes us a unique individual. The watch strap, be it ever so humble, seems to be a small, albeit important, ingredient. But humble things can make a huge difference at times. Is there anything more simple and humble as a smile? I say this because I have spent the past week with a huge smile on my face and it is partially because of the watch strap (and watch) I have been thoroughly enjoying. While I would not be as brash as to say a watch strap will change your life, I do feel that it can change how you feel. If a watch strap can help bring a smile into the world, you have added a tiny drop of happiness that can have ripple effects. Mother Theresa said, “We shall never know all the good a simple smile can do.” I believe that wholeheartedly.

We shall never know all the good a simple smile can do.

—-Mother Theresa

Fluco has been on a roll lately. Going from strength to strength they back up outstanding materials with expert craftsmanship which is nestled in the heart of Germany’s Bavarian Forest. As part of a sample pack of straps I was kindly sent by Fluco, I have a few that really raised an eyebrow and yes, made me smile. One such strap was a bright red leather NATO that refused to be ignored. Now if you read my watch strap reviews much you know I do not gravitate toward typical NATO’s much as I am not a huge fan of folding and tucking extra strap length. Leather NATO’s are a particularly tough trick to pull off as they tend to be thicker and add even more bulk to my wrist. Still, this red strap just ached to be worn. I struggled at first as to what to pair it with, but when I saw my Timex Snoopy with the famous World War I flying ace on the dial a huge Charlie Brown-like smile crept onto my face, and so the fun began. Here are a few words from Fluco about this wonderful strap:

For our NATO strap we use calf leather from the Perlinger tannery in Germany. The extraordinary grain is created by a secret treatment. Since the leather is shrunk and not embossed, the grain can have differences. For our NATO strap we only use buckles and loops made of allergy-tested stainless steel which are made in Germany. All straps are exclusively handmade in our manufactory in the Bavarian Forest.

DIMENSIONS

The strap I have is a 20mm version and it measures 19.9 to 20.1 mm depending on how much pressure is on the calipers. It also comes in an 18mm and a 22mm for those interested. The leather on this is comes in at 1.6mm thick along the entire length of the strap. Naturally where the loops are near the buckle it is twice this thickness as per standard NATO construction. 1.6mm is not overly thick for a leather NATO, or any NATO in general. Some nylon straps with woven layers are this thick well. Just keep in mind with the double layer under the watch this will elevate the watch 3.2mm off the wrist (just like any other dual layer NATO). This is either really cool for you or not. It is an aesthetic choice, so I will leave that up to you. More on how it wears later.

Fluco sells this in a long and a short version. The long being 280mm in length, and the Short is 250mm. The one I am reviewing is a long. What this means to you is that on my sub 7″ wrist I am on the third to the last adjustment hole on a Timex Marlin 40mm version with a lot of extra strap that will need to be folded and tucked. If you have a smaller wrist than I do, order the shorter version.

DESIGN

This is a standard NATO strap by design. This is NOT a single pass, or a NATO with a floating Keeper. This strap is constructed using one long piece of leather that is folded over and sewn together which will put part of your wrist in contact with the outer leather surface, and part in contact with the inside leather surface. Unlike nylon, leather has two distinct sides which could not be more different in texture and feel. Now lets talk about that striking red leather. Fluco has a proprietary method of making leather like this. I cannot possibly know what it is, but I can dare to speculate. If you have ever seen a grape (and I hope you have) you know if you remove the moisture it gets wrinkly and the surface gets highly textured (and a raisin is born). I wager that is something like what is going on here. While other manufacturers can emboss a grain pattern on their straps, Fluco allows the natural grain to be highlighted by removing some of the moisture prior to cutting and sewing. Again, that is my guess. However they do it, the shrunken leather gives a very tactile and organic feel to the user, and the leather gains an added measure of toughness and durability while still being as flexible as fabric.

The striking red color of this strap is nothing less than pure refined and distilled fun. This color which permeates deeply into the leather can only be described for the purpose of this particular review as the same color red that is found on Snoopy’s Dog House (aka biplane). The way the shrunken leather takes to color is really quite amazing. This strap seems to brush off dings and wear with impossible durability and it is free of any pull up (that trait of some leather where the color gets lighter as you displace oils and waxes when it is bent or stretched) that I can detect. The red has stayed this lively shade with weeks of abuse and shows no signs of stopping.

On the bottom side of the leather is a soft French leather which sits comfortable against the skin. This leather while not labeled at hypoallergenic, is tested for skin irritants and deemed safe for most types of skin. The texture of this leather borders on velvety and is almost nubuck-like to the touch. This leather that sits against the skin is water resistant (not water proof mind you) and should provide years of service.

Having leather on the outside and inside one may thing this would be a very elastic strap. The organic materials do not have the seatbelt like resistance to tension some nylon NATO’s exhibit. However Fluco cleverly sandwiched in between these two layers of soft leather a piece of fiber reinforced tape. This material gives this NATO its backbone and allows it to shrug off stretching or tearing despite the owners attempts to do so. While nearly invisible to the eye its strength can be felt when you tug on the strap. The tape gives owners that traditional NATO strength they have come to expect and love while being surrounded by the most luxurious of materials.

Holding all three of these layers together is an abundance of bright white contrast stitching. While being completely functional, they also add enormously to the sporty and even entertaining nature of this strap. The white against the red gives a playful appearance and both work together harmoniously.

KEEPER AND BUCKLE

This strap forgoes any novelties in this department and uses the two fixed (as in sewn in and not moving) polished capsule shaped rings on the buckle side to manage the extra length. When round keepers like these are used, they add to the bulk of the strap as the rounded corners are larger in every dimension than flat rectangular keepers. However, for this trap a squared of keeper would not fit the organic and vintage appearance of the highly textured and stitched leather. The keepers are sized to allow ease of feeding the abundance of extra strap through and then secures them with the perfect amount of resistance so the tucked length never comes undone.

The buckle is an uneventful all polished affair. It is sized perfectly to hold two layers of leather going through it and is a delightful conglomeration of curves that match well to the straps natural feel. The buckle is unsigned and lays very flat against both the strap and the wrist.

HOW DOES IT WEAR

This strap wears surprisingly well. How it wears will be cleanly halved between the group who loves NATO’s and those who fall into camp ‘No NATO for me’. For all the reasons people love NATO straps, this straps color and incredible construction will satisfy and thrill to no end. To those who hate wearing a NATO, this strap will not be doing any converting. However, to those on the fence, I will say this strap is a delightful journey off the beaten path. The bold color is like strapping on an invitation to a good day. I have worn this strap doing all manner of activities from typing reviews, to fishing, to yard work, and it never felt in the way or obtrusive. It was comfortable all day and looks as good today as the day I first saw it.

There is no getting around the bulk of this NATO. It gives you 3.2mm underneath your watch, and while it does sink into the wrist very well it is still noticeable to some degree. NATO veterans will be very cool with this, and probably will not even notice. For smaller watches this additional thickness will be noticeable, but larger ones will be able to handle it without any issues. If the additional polished keepers and double thickness of strap under your watch bug you, Fluco handily offers a single pass version of this made of the same outstanding leather as this one with no double strap and even leather keepers versus the polished stainless ones that should wear almost like a standard two piece strap. I will include a link below.

WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR

This strap is like a Hollywood spot light for any watch that could use a pop of color in its life. I suggest watches that live in the black, silver, grey, or white dial monotone family, for the most impact. I would avoid overly red watches as unless the color is a perfect match, it will look forced. If your watch has a red seconds hand or some sparse red text on the dial, this strap will magnify that detail with great acuity. This strap has a strong presence both physically and visually. I can see this strap as a fantastic companion to your dive watch (as long as your diving is restricted to your desk mind you), as those watches tend to be larger and thicker and this strap can handle that kind of watch with ease.

Take a minute and put away your brown and black watch straps that we all love as they imbue watches we gravitate to with some measure of tough guy/gal credibility. Take this strap and put it on your field watch or even better your casual daily wear of choice. The color will brighten up your wrist and perhaps your whole attitude.

Looking at my Timex, I chose this to strap for obvious reasons. Every time I think of Snoopy I think of him battling against that diabolical foe, the Red Baron. I remember seeing him go after the Baron with unending tenacity and boundless bravery on top of that bright red dog house. That kind of heartfelt need to do good just brings a smile to my face. Schulz microcosm depicted in the Peanuts painted the world in primary colors and simple lines and yet he laid out and talked the worlds issues with the simplest color pallet imaginable, and succeeded on a scale modern cartoons cannot possibly reach. Simple things can be profound and if the straight lines and simple color of this strap can inject just an inkling of Peanuts magic into your heart, I think that is victory.

WHERE CAN I GET IT

Fluco has a wonderful fully developed Online shop now. It is logical and beautifully laid out. I do think you will enjoy shopping there and returning often. They have this site in both German and English. Links to the Standard Finest NATO are here:

https://fluco-online.de/produkt/nato-finest/?lang=en

The link to the single pass I mentioned previously, is here:

https://fluco-online.de/produkt/finest-single-strap/?lang=en

SUMMARY

Self expression is part of what makes us who we are. Half of our lives we spend trying to fit in, and the other half we spend it trying to stand out. I think a balance of both is vital to a well rounded person. With that said, I look for opportunities to break out of my standard box every now and then go bold. Fluco makes this very easy with the full line of NATO straps (both regular and single pass) that allows you to match any mood you may be in. They are priced in a way that allows some fun experimentation and backed by all the know how Fluco brings to the table. These bold colors will inspire you and help you find some small joy on your wrist. It may even help you smile, which the greatest thing anything product can do.