Watch Accessories: Bracelets, Part II

It is interesting to observe strap sellers compete furiously to sell the same thing. Vendors seem to shout out 'originality' when their products are essentially the same. Most straps come in a handful of styles (with holes, without holes, with ridges, cuff styles, NATO styles) but are mostly the same thing but with different colors, and textures. This is fine for most people. Bracelets, on the other hand (pun intended), can change the physical presence (both appearance and feel) of a watch through different materials, link configurations, and of course use of end-links.

First, here is an old friend, a vintage Tissot Navigator. The watch came from its previous owner with a black strap:
The strap fits, looks decent, but the it is too long for the owner's wrist and it does not look interesting. Here are some bracelets that were tried with it:
The Breitling-style bracelet seemed to be the best choice, but it still did not look quite right. Other bracelets either did not fit well or did not look good on the watch.

Then there is this unique BWC:
Nice ridged strap. The black goes well with the dial, yet it seems to make the case seem larger than it is or should be.
Two Seiko bracelets and one Tissot bracelet later, it seems that the black-and-silver Seiko bracelet is the winner. With this last bracelet, the case appears better proportioned and the silver highlights are unique. This Seiko bracelet is also a vintage piece probably made by Kreisler, and it is also very comfortable—an added bonus.

Then there is this Croton. It is another Lemania 1340-based watch as the previous two, and it has a third type of case that is just as distinctive as the others. A lucky find, the Croton arrived with a dirty but excellent-condition JB Champion sold-link bracelet that is worth half as much as the watch itself:
The JB Champion bracelet is of the correct vintage for the watch—it very well might have come from the dealer with this installed as an option. The bracelet is very comfortable, being designed to flex almost like a strap. Yet something does not seem right. The case and dial seem to call for something else, and the bracelet is very light, perhaps too lightweight for the heavy watch head.

After time spent living with each watch, it became apparent that the Tissot needed something a bit more elegant. Its case represents a fine balance of shape and texture. The Breitling-style bracelet seems too bulky and too busy with shapes. The BWC, on the other hand, is a rather small case that seemed to want more bulk in the bracelet. The Seiko bracelet was a little light in weight and, though it looks nice, seemed too delicate. And the Croton? The JB Champion bracelet is great, but it has very limited length adjustment, proving somewhat ungainly on a small 165mm wrist. The myriad textures of the bracelet also seemed to take attention away from the Croton's smooth, angular case.

The solution, after trying several iterations, was always in front of the editorial nose, it merely took some ciphering to figure out:
Much better all-around. This is a very good example of how bracelets can change several different aspects of a watch.

But wait! This older Bell & Ross Space 3 came with a bar-style bracelet that was almost as alluring as the watch itself:
A double-deployant solid link bracelet? Yes! And made with exceptional quality, too. It transforms an unusual watch into something stunning.

Unfortunately, the bracelet came missing one full-sized link. No problem for its current owner, but that missing link might affect its resale value. Luckily an unused Bell & Ross bracelet for the Demineur model was for sale at a nice price.
This same style of bracelet is found on several high-end watches, and is in fact the second type of bracelet used on the Space 3 before the current rubber strap became standard. This bracelet makes the Space 3 look complete with its combination of rounded and straight elements:
Yes, that looks good. It looks correct, as if the bracelet and case were meant to be together. But what about that wonderfully vintage-looking bar bracelet? Hm, how might it look on that Croton..?
The sum effect is reminiscent of Tissot's vintage "lobster" bracelet that is matched to a watch case that is very similar to this Croton. The simpler lines of the bar-style bracelet make the case appear less independent and more like a unified piece. This particular case looks nice with a bracelet that is wider than the 20mm lug space. The extra weight from this bracelet balances the watch better, too. With a strap, the watch head always seems to want to fall on one side of the wrist, but this bracelet has enough mass to keep the watch centered. The added weight is noticeable but not uncomfortable.It is an unusual combination, and it might not be the final solution for the Croton, but for now it will stay.

Bracelets are a unique accessory to most watches. Straps can add color and maybe texture to a watch, but bracelets can completely transform a watch in more ways than one!