The Strap Tailor Custom Made Bund Strap using Badalassi Leather
May 29, 2024
You may not believe this, but I have never seen myself as a hard-core punk rocker. Why would I say such a peculiar thing to start a watch strap review you may ask? Well stay with me. When you think of a hard-core punk rocker, a certain cadre of images usually emerges. This is without a doubt part of my personal bias and part social media stereotypes engrained into my brain. Regardless, to my mind the quintessential punk rocker to me has many body modifications, and an assortment of tattoos (some really cool, and some from a time when their judgement may have been impaired). Regardless, this individual be it a boy or girl or indecipherable is usually accompanied by many thick pieces of leather around their wrist or neck, adorned with shiny spikes that match the piercings in their tongue. Also, along with the 18” spiked hair and a love black clothing (until they find something darker) they typically have a world versus me attitude. While I may not identify with these folks, I say power to these creative types. You do you. I am not judging anybody, just acknowledging what my mind thinks (no matter how cliché it is) and how it is so diametrically opposed to what I consider myself to be. A mild-mannered engineer that works tirelessly to make sure things are as nominal as possible. And before you squawk at my lack of ambition, it is anything of the sort. In space propulsion, nominal is good.
I said all of that to say this, I think for many decades I associated a bund strap with this punk rocker look. Leather wrist bands and all that. Since I did not know about the undeniable coolness of steampunk in my 20’s this is all I was left with. For better or worse, leather wrist bands equaled punk rock which I simply have no appetite for. That is the reason I never even considered a watch on a bund style strap. Now I admit, that is pretty dang thin, but that is my excuse and I am sticking to it. But now, after over a 100 watch reviews and multiple hundreds of watch straps, I have finally purchased a Bund style strap. And let me say, this is best kept secret in watch straps in existence. And I am going to try to convince you why in this review.
This is my second foray into The Strap Tailor product line and while the first strap was exceptional (Strap Tailor Alran Goatskin Vintage Minimal Stitch – Black – Welcome to Strap Sense ) this one was even more shockingly good. Partly because I learned something new about myself and partly because the craftsmanship at The Strap Tailer exceeded my expectations, for the second time.
Before I get into the review, let me explain the buying experience. When you want a bespoke Strap Tailor watch strap, you call/email and the owner works with you in selecting a leather, color, and style for your watch. He is very receptive to your needs and knows the right questions to ask. More importantly, he exudes enthusiasm in his emails about the upcoming strap construction. Custom watch straps are in themselves special. But when you work with a gifted craftsman, it is all that much more an event. I emailed The Strap Tailor and said I had a new aviation themed watch and I wanted to try a bund. He immediately recommended Badalassi Leather as it was supple and would patina well as it ages. Then we discussed color and style. I sent him the dimensions of my watch and the construction of the Bund Strap was underway. The wait time was about 4 weeks, but the results, well, they were worth the wait. Let us get into the review of this amazing watch strap combo.
DIMENSIONS
I had to think about how I wanted to do the dimensions. Buying a bund style strap just really means you have two ways of wearing the same strap. With or without the lower leather pad under the case back. The first way is just like a normal watch strap. I told the fine folks at The Strap Tailor all the dimensions of my watch and mine came in absolutely spot on. My lug width was 20mm, and the strap is exactly 20.0mm in width. Both the free end and the buckle end taper nicely to 15.6mm. The strap is uniformly 2.8mm thick, but the back side that protects the case back is only 2.1mm. I wanted to point out this difference in thickness of the leather as it highlights the attention to detail present. A lesser strap company may have just cut leather from any part of the hide, but I specifically requested I wanted to minimize bulk and wanted the Bund to be thin and not elevate the watch much off the wrist. The gang at The Strap Tailor ensured my watch wore as close to normal as possible. It was this attention to detail that really impressed me with my first Strap Tailor leather strap, and that is present here again in abundance.
I wanted a medium length strap so my buckle end came in at 75mm and the free end was 125mm in length. This is about a normal industry length and I found it pleasant to wear. I am on the second to last adjustment hole on my nearly 7” wrist. Smaller wrists may want to ask for a shorter length especially if you have it on a similarly sized watch (Lug to Lug on the Oris is 47.2mm)
DESIGN
I cannot even begin to talk about the construction of this strap until we cover a tiny bit of the history of the Bund Strap. The Bund strap is a function into form story. As an engineer, I am profoundly attracted to things that were birthed from a need of some kind. During World War II, that tumultuous birthplace of so many groundbreaking innovations in clothing, science, machinery, etc, the Bund watch strap was conceived. Aviation had developed airplanes capable of reliable flight at ever increasing heights. These planes were little more than thin sheet metal riveted over metal frames. They were fast, and deadly, but also an extremely inhospitable place to be for the humans inside. Short for Bundesrepublik (a.k.a. Federal Republic of Germany), the Bund strap was developed to protect the skin of a pilot against the freezing cold of the steel watch case caused by the frigid environments of high altitude flying (ambient temps at 20,000 feet are about -25°C or -13°F). As an additional benefit, in more tropical climates, the strap also acted as a bit of a sweat guard to help keep the watch free of unwanted moisture.
A quick google search shows that in the 60’s and 70’s the bund strap enjoyed a bit of a comeback in popularity due to its adoption by popular actors such as the immortal Steve McQueen and one Robert Redford. Coolness was almost guaranteed at that point. So why is this my first Bund strap and what makes it work so well on the Oris Wings of Hope? I think like a fine suit, it comes down to materials and fit. How a watch wears is as critically important as what it looks like. Single pass NATO’s wear better than double pass NATO’s due to the reduced thickness. A proper Bund strap must compliment the watch with which it is paired. This means it must fit the case width, lug width, case length, etc. This is where a bespoke fitment from a company that specializes in custom straps really sets itself apart.
We decided on a medium brown leather. He mentioned he had some beautiful Badalassi leather in stock and I was immediately excited. Badalassi leather comes from the Badalassi Carlo Tannery in Tuscany. This tannery is known for generations of leather tanning experience. They are exclusively a vegetable tanning leather company rather than using harsh synthetic chemical (like chrome) to achieve a look. This means things like leaves, bark and even fruits were used to tan the hide. While I am a big fan of Chromexcel leather, well-done Veg tanned leather is very soft and has a look all its own with depth and generous amounts of pull up due to the fat content used in the process.
As one would expect a watch strap that echos WWII watch straps has a very grounded vintage vibe. My strap echoed a bygone era with only the three perfectly placed parallel stitches near the spring bar on each side give it any air of modernity. My first Strap Tailor strap exhibited this almost impossibly perfect placement and neatness of stitching and I sort of wondered if it was a fluke or one off. The answer is a resounding no. The stitching on the strap and the Leather cuff was ads good as stitching can be. It was done in a light brown thread with a hint of khaki in the color. Overall it added a very polished and calm feeling to the strap.
The back side of the strap is a very light brown leather, which is similar to the last Strap Tailor leather strap I ordered. Leather on the underside of watch straps is usually chosen from a more durable and moisture resistant leather and/or a leather which has been treated specially to act as a barrier to protect the leather that you see. I have worn both of my Strap Tailor products extensively in all conditions and both exhibit no ill signs of rain, sweat, or casual wear.
BUCKLE AND KEEPER
My strap uses the standard two keeper model. One keeper secures the strap coming out of the buckle, while the other maintains and manages the free end of the strap. However, unlike other straps, The Bund strap has two more keepers which are tasked with securing the strap to the leather wrist cuff. The keepers in all cases are very soft and almost moist the touch due to the rich tanning process. They also all have a neatly placed roll mark on the edges which serves to highlight the deep brown hue in the leather. Before I move on to the buckle, I must tip my hat again to how well this leather cuff is constructed. The keepers on the cuff which hold the strap seem to melt into the cuff leather. No visible cuts or irregularities exist where the keeper and cuff meet. I have no idea how much effort this takes, but having worked with leather myself, I find this level of mastery over a non-homogeneous organic material fascinating and deeply satisfying.
The buckle is linearly brushed and has an undercut which allows the strap to sit flatter on the bottom side of your wrist. The Strap Tailor logo is etched very lightly on the crossbar and pleasant to see as a nod to the men/women who made this strap. The same logo is embossed on the underside of the watch strap and the whole design works well together without screaming aftermarket.
WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR
I will try to fight my personal bias here and not say this is good for every pilots watch ever made. That would be like hitting the Strapsense Easy Button and why give a short answer when a long verbose drawn out one must be better. Leather is a purely organic material that has been used for all manner of purposes by man since before recorded time. Leatherwork and by association the leather watch strap, make the relatively archaic mechanical watch it is attached to look like the Hadran Collider by comparison. When the decision is made to pair a watch with a bund strap, what you are deciding to do is frame the watch in artistry as well as functionality.
The bund strap was born out of a need. It is more equipment than fashion. I think this lends itself to tool watches quite nicely. Pilot watches are naturally a logical choice, but the bund is more universal than that. A good Field watch would work with a bund. All of the Hamilton Khaki line would be perfect. I would avoid dressier watches though, as the amount of leather in a traditional bund design insinuates a certain amount of robustness and hints at the need to survive even the most brutal situations. Leather is still leather so this is probably not a good choice for your favorite diver that actually gets wet.
That is not to say a bund could not work for less ‘combat ready’ timepieces. I think despite its leather worked etymology, a true leather artist (like the folks at The Strap Tailor) could in fact pioneer a line up of bund style straps specifically for dress watches. Imagine a black leather bund for a Cartier. If you keep the focus on high end leather and craftsmanship, dress watches could be just at home on a Bund as a Mark XX IWC pilots watch.
HOW DOES IT WEAR
I picked out this Bund specifically for my Wings of Hope Oris Big Crown. The Opaline dial and the soft, thin printing on the dial gave the watch a delicate instrument-like appearance to me. Much like those gorgeous marine chronometers who were kept safe in those strong wooden boxes, I wanted this delicate instrument to be surrounded by a protective leather to act as its armor against the world. The dichotomy between stainless steel and deep rich leather amplify the best attributes of both, while not detracting from either.
As you may expect, having a slab of leather under your watch feels a bit different than a traditional NATO. While not like Bracers of Defense +2 in rigidity (shameless Dungeons and Dragons reference), you do feel a broad section of your wrist is covered by a material that does not breath like nylon. If you have worn wide rubber straps, the feeling is probably somewhat similar but not identical. Leather was once a living hide, so it is very organic and does absorb some moisture. I wore this strap all through April and May in Texas and from what I can tell it was no worse for that wear. I felt no skin irritation or clamminess. It was all day comfortable. In fact, I would say that after the first 15 minutes it feels almost like any other watch strap except without any watch movement or twisting.
The bund strap really holds onto the case back with tenacity, just like a good piece of equipment should do. I found the strap to be completely comfortable and a joy to stare at as I was beguiled at the way it elevated the watch it was attached. Think of it as gear more than fashion and you will be very happy.
WHERE CAN I GET ONE
Just like before in my previous The Strap Tailor review, you need to contact the fine people at :
They do sell some premade, and I have no doubt the perfect production quality and leather and stitching will be there. But I strongly suggest you work with them to really build a strap that matches the personality profile of your favorite watch. You have so many choices to fine tune your design and I strongly suggest you take advantage of the craftsmanship that is available to you. If you do order a custom strap though do not expect it in 4 working days. It will probably take several weeks, as it is started after you order it. The Strap Tailor makes it fun though as he sends you email updates about where you strap is in construction so you feel part of the journey.
SUMMARY
There are times when you see a watch and you just picture it on something. Sometimes that is a yellow rubber Tropic strap. Other times a Bond NATO is the obvious choice. When I took the Wings of Hope Oris out of the box, for some inexplicable reason, Bund Strap, just gelled to me. Perhaps it was this idea behind the watch’s inspiration, delivering medical supplies to small, underserved countries in Africa. Maybe it was just this ultra clean precision of the dial and case that contrasts so well against the soft rich leather in a similar way a fine vintage Colt revolver sits in an old weathered leather holster. The contrast between two ancient materials was too tempting a sirens song for me to pass up.
So no, I am not a punk rocker with spiked hair a leather neck collar and wrist bands. But I am also very much into trying new things as well, even as I pass the half century mark, the quest for the perfect watch and watch strap pairing sees me trying things I would have never imagined when I started this journey. Try a new strap, and if you are really bold make it a Bund.