Bulang and Sons City Orange Leather Watch Strap

I am knocking on the door of 100 watch strap reviews (insert gratuitous pat on the back here). Sometimes I am not completely sure if this is a second job (read as obsession) or just a fun outlet for creative energy like building furniture or repairing old cars.  Approaching the century mark in reviews while a fantastic achievement to me personally, is just scratching the surface as it is but a tiny sampling of what is out there and is a testament to the fact that shopping for the right watch strap is a daunting task.  Not like buying a new car daunting, or free climbing Half Dome at Yosemite daunting, but daunting in a sense that we like to feel we made a good purchase and found a strap that looks as good on our watch as it does on the computer screen. The reasons to buy a new watch strap are many and pleasantly diverse.  Perhaps the watch strap on your father’s old watch is worn out and you need a quality replacement.  Perhaps you have a nice collection of watches and enjoy how a watch strap can change the personality and use case for a particular watch.  Maybe you simply enjoy matching your watch strap to your shoes or belt (fashion is what you make of it, right?).  It does not matter the reason, they are all equally valid and worthy of consideration. The topic of this article came to me while searching for my next strap to review. I was perusing many of my usual vendors when it came to me that I have never once reviewed an OEM strap that came with any of my watches.  It was a totally random thought, but it got me thinking. This oversite, if it is one, may be explained as it runs counter to what I am trying to accomplish with the bulk of my work which is trying to help people shop for a new watch strap. Are all OEM watch straps so bad they must be replaced?  How do I know if the replacement is better than the one that came with the watch? 

Unfortunately, the answer to those questions like most things is, it depends.  As unsatisfying as that may be, the fact remains that some OEM straps are quite sublime, while others are more suited to be a jigsaw blade, or ruler or lethal weapon of some kind (looking at you SKX rubber strap). The quality of the watch strap strongly depends on the company and the particular watch strap in question. Forgetting about the lesser quality straps for now, if I had to pick one brand that gives some serious thought and consideration to making (or having made) a truly remarkable watch strap, it would be Omega (Oris Rubber straps get an honorable mention). I would say without an exception, just about every strap by Omega I have owned or felt was so well crafted you would be doing good to even match it (rubber or leather does not matter) as little, if any, shortcuts have been taken.  So, given the exemplary nature of an Omega leather strap, how does one pick a replacement strap of comparable quality given the myriad of choices on offer? To make this easy, we will use my Omega First Omega in Space Speedy which has an aesthetic solubility which allows the widest variety of straps to be at our disposal. The stage now being perfectly set, I am very proud to introduce the subject of this review, and a very good contender for an Omega OEM quality strap, the Bulang and Sons City Orange Leather watch strap. This strap brings an Omega-like fit and finish that looks quite at home on the FOIS and could be a worthy successor to the OEM leather that came with my watch.

Here is what Bulang and Sons says about this strap:

With a special tapered cut and blackened edges, this orange leather watch strap provides a modern yet timeless and easy approach for your wrist.
The strap is finished with a straight stitch, tonal leather keepers and a polished metal buckle.
Made in Germany, this leather watch strap is designed and crafted for your urban adventures and more!

DIMENSIONS

I had the First Omega in Space in mind when I bought this, so all my dimensions are based around the Regular length 19mm version of the strap (it is also offered in a short at the time of this review). The width dimension was advertised to be 19mm and mine was 18.7mm which is par for the course from most vendors. Both ends taper nicely to 15.5 mm at the business end of the strap. The thickness is an even 2.1mm down its length depending how aggressively you want to squeeze the calipers. As for length, mine was 115mm/75mm for the free and buckle end respectively. What does this mean from a wearability standpoint? On my nearly 7.0″ wrist I am on the second to last adjustment hole (keeping in mind the FOIS has a 47mm lug to lug measurement) for a secure but not snug fitment.

DESIGN

The Bulang and Sons City Orange Watch straps’ calling card is obviously its bright orange color. We will get to that in a bit. It is described as being timeless and easy which is another way of saying, that this is a watch strap that breaks no boundaries and is not niche or hip, and to me, that is a VERY good thing. Watch straps are designed to highlight the watches they surround. They should pull the watch to the forefront and look good while doing it. This strap is lovely in its unoffensive shape and the lack of padding is extremely welcome as it adds a bit of less-is-more kind of flair. The universal 2.1mm of thickness gives the watch strap both class and a hint of body which makes it able to support watches north of 14mm thick.

You do not buy an orange watch strap by mistake. You choose it to make a statement. The color is unapologetically orange and the calling card of this strap. I specifically chose this strap for this vibrant color. The Orange used here is not a neon hue by any means and has strong tones of red in it. For confirmation of that you need to only look at the perfectly placed three quarter box through stitching around the loose and free end that binds this strap together for what bright orange looks like. I feel this was a wise choice as it shows a hint of restraint while still being a rather ‘look at me strap’. Combining a tried and true shape that exudes classical elegance with that bright energetic color is fantastic dichotomy. Think if it as the watch strap version of a bright orange 911 and you are over the target.

Speaking of that orange red (or is it red orange? – damn you crayola!) leather, the texture exudes quality. The grain is extremely tight and uniform as it almost disappears into the saturated satin finish. The material was well dyed at the tannery it came from as it has been impervious to discoloration and accidental minor scratches and wear. Not much is said about the top grain leather on the outside of the strap except it comes from Germany. I can tell you that the leather has a rich moist feeling to it, and it flexes with imperceptible resistance. The strap has no memory to speak of as it will conform to whatever shape you desire.

The sides of the strap are sealed in a semigloss black sealant which should add longevity and a bit of modernity to the strap. This strap is conceived to carry an urban city aesthetic and I think the lack of any vintage cues at all bolsters this image.

The underside of the strap is a light brown somewhat more durable leather. To the touch is it not as porous feeling as the top orange leather. This lends the user to feel it will have some longevity and a brief fingernail test seem to confirm it is from hardier stock. Completing the underside treatment is a nice Bulang and Sons embossing done neatly on the buckle side.

KEEPER AND BUCKLE

This strap utilizes the traditional pair of keepers on the buckle end of the strap that consist of one floating and one sewn stationary. Both are made of what appears to be the same vibrant orange leather as the top with the edges rolled for a clean and uniform look. As far as keeper sizing Bulang and Sons wasted no leather here as the free end once fastened does take a tiny bit of convincing to feed. Often times I have to push it through so the pointed free end extends a bit of the way through the second keeper, then pull it the rest of the way. It is a tiny bother that may just be on my individual model, but worth noting. If I had to choose between a set of keepers being a bit too tight or too lose, this is the configuration I would go opt for as it holds the lose end with remarkable tenacity.

The buckle is a minimalist affair that is all polished and without any adornment whatsoever. Bulang and Sons does offer some of its buckles with linearly brushing and a nice B&S logo painted / laser etched on them. This particular strap forgoes this detail for the polished unbranded version of the clasp. The pin and buckle work as intended and lay very flat against the skin adding minimal height off the wrist making typing and working very comfortable. There are no feeding issues with the clasp or pin and the black sealant on the strap is unaffected by the buckle after three weeks of constant wear and my 50 pull through strapsense ‘torture test’.

HOW DOES IT WEAR

As far as fitment and quality, this strap could easily double for an Omega OEM strap. That is probably one of the best compliments I can give it. In fact that is not so much of a surprise considering Bulang and Sons historical efforts in recreating famous Omega straps for vintage Speedies. Checkout my review of the Bulang and Sons Speedy strap for just how far B&S will go to fit your Omega with some serious vintage style. ( https://strapsense.com/2020/01/17/bulang-and-sons-black-speedy-leather-watch-strap/ ) But back to this orange beauty.

The leather has been a joy to wear. It is neither too thick or thin and its 2.1mm may sound on the lithe side, but I assure you the texture and construction make this perfectly able to handle the 14 plus millimeters of the FIOS. The neon orange stitching acts like a secret spice in your favorite dish. It adds an underlying detail that never jumps out at you, but upon closer glance adds a secret once forgotten detail. Much like many a Grand Seiko Dial. It has something special just for the wearer.

As you may imagine the softness of the material means no signs of stiff leg syndrome is present and the watch is near glove leather soft from day one with no break in needed. Spring bar placement in the strap means fitment to the case is sublime and should accommodate most watches even those with spring bars a bit close to the case. During my wear period I have noticed NO discoloration or wear of any kind on the inner or outer leather.

WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR

I find this a brilliant fit for any watch with even the slightest dressy ambitions. Speedies certainly fit into this category. As would my 1957 Omega Railmaster trilogy. I think Chonos can work well with this strap, especially those that are more monotone. I would personally stay away from overly rugged field watches, as I think a demur watch case will be overpowered by this bright orange. I prefer my field watches on something more durable anyway. More about that color. Orange is tricky color to work with. Bright colors are all the rage now in current horological circles as watch manufactures are throwing the whole Skittles rainbow at watch dials. For the best chance of success, look for monochorome dials in shades of black, silver, tan, or white. Orange can overpower a very plain watch dial. Look for watches with polish and detail to keep your eye focused on the watch and not the strap (even if it is this good). If you are the daring type and really want to have a visual feast, pair this with a dark blue watch dial. Orange and blue are contrasting colors and the pair will turn up the volume on both the watch and strap to 11. That is a universal tip by the way. Hard to match colors can always be paired with a contrasting color. The look will not be subtle, but more often than not, the combo works VERY well.

WHERE CAN I GET IT

The best place to get a Bulang and Sons Strap is straight from the vendor. It will arrive in a nice box and is adequately packaged. Shipping is fast, and the customer service I have found to be outstanding.

City Orange Leather Watch Strap – Bulang and Sons

SUMMARY

OEM straps can be a tough act to follow. Especially when that OEM manufacturer is Omega whose attention to detail is legendary. The strap market is full of options, and many are quite good. I have reviewed dozens of straps that have a future on nearly any price watch. Bulang and Sons has never once disappointed me with quality and feel and I never hesitate to recommend them to my friends and my local AD who occasionally asks me for advice on a watch strap for a customer. The city orange leather expands a brilliant line of straps with fun and exciting colors that can add some joy to your wrist from a brand I would stand behind. Go, be daring and try a bright colored strap and see just how much some color can make you smile.