Upgrade your Apple Watch with these stylish new straps and bands
A key feature of the Apple Watch is how it can be personalized with different straps, bracelets and bands. And, while the Watch doesn't accept industry-standard straps like smartwatches from Samsung and others, a huge range of options are available from Apple and many other firms.
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Some third-party Apple Watch straps can be picked up on Amazon for under $10, while most from dedicated manufacturers sit in the $50 to $100 region, and of course you can spend many times more on options from luxury French fashion firm Hermès.
Spending $100 or more on an additional strap may sound expensive, but Apple's backwards compatibility here is excellent. Every generation of Apple Watch uses the same system for attaching straps, and there have only ever been two sizes of Apple Watch. The first three generations have cases of 38 and 42mm, then from Series 4 onwards they are 40 and 44mm. Importantly, the strap for a 38mm Series 2 will fit a 40mm Series 4, just as how the strap for a 44mm Series 6 will fit a 42mm Series 3.
Here is a selection of Apple Watch straps to give your wearable a brand new look.
Apple Solo Loop – $49
We'll start with Apple's simplest option, the Solo Loop. This silicone rubber band is available in a wide range of sizes and colors, and is designed to fit perfectly without any option for adjustment. Ten colors are available for both the 40mm and 44mm versions of the Apple Watch Series 4, 5 and 6, as well as the new Watch SE.
Each Loop Solo has nine size options, with Apple including instructions on its website for printing off a tape measure to find your size.
Apple Braided Solo Loop – $99
The Braided Solo Loop is just like the strap above, in that nine size options are available and they can't be adjusted, but this features a stretchable, recycled yarn interwoven with silicon threads.
Again, there is no buckle or clasp, so make sure you pick your size carefully when ordering. The Braided Solo Loop is available in five color options and fits both the 40mm and 44mm versions of Apple Watch.
Apple Saddle Brown Modern Buckle – $149
Lastly from Apple, we have the elegant Modern Buckle strap made of leather with stainless steel buckle. This strap is available in three sizes to fit wrists ranging from 135mm to 180mm in circumference, and there are four color options of pink citrus, garnet, scarlet and saddle brown.
With its stainless steel buckle and attachments, this strap is designed to match the case of the pricier stainless steel Apple Watch, rather than the entry-level aluminum models. This strap is only available for the 40mm version of today's Watch, but that means it also fits older 38mm models too.
Available on Amazon
Southern Straps Nylon – $59.95 (currently reduced to $39.95)
Southern Straps produces a wide variety of Apple Watch straps, and here we have highlighted the Nylon strap. This is available in a range of colors and patterns, with stripes or single colors; buckle color options include black, silver and gold.
The nylon strap is available for the 40mm and 44mm case sizes of the Watch Series 4, 5, 6 and SE, plus the smaller 38mm and 42mm options of older models of Apple Watch.
Hand-crafted in California, this strap is fastened with a buckle and is designed to fit wrists with a circumference of 14 to 25cm. Southern Straps offers free worldwide shipping from its website.
Buy on Amazon
Southern Straps Brown Leather – $119.95 (currently reduced to $89.95)
Another option from Southern Straps is this brown leather strap, made from full grain Horween leather and hand sewn in San Francisco. The band is vegetable dyed to create a rich color without using chemicals, and is stitched with strengthened wax cord.
The same size and buckle options as the nylon strap above are offered, and the strap comes with a two-year warranty and free international shipping.
WsC Oxford – $103.50 (currently reduced to $73.50)
UK-based WsC is another company that produces a wide and varied range of straps for all models of Apple Watch. This leather strap, called the Oxford, is offered in nine colors and is designed to fit both sizes of every generation of Watch.
Paying extra attention to ensure the strap perfectly matches your Apple Watch, WsC includes attachments and buckles colored to match all Apple Watch case finishes, including gold, rose gold, aluminum, stainless steel, silver, black and space gray.
WsC Print Collection – $103.50 (currently reduced to $73.50)
For those who want something louder, WsC sells a range of brightly-colored straps with intricate print designs. These are also available for all models of Apple Watch and can be bought with fittings and buckles colored to match the case of your watch.
Meridio Nappa Off White – €79 / $94 (currently reduced to €40 / $48)
This stylish white leather strap comes from Italian firm Meridio, which produces a number of Apple Watch straps in soft Nappa leather. The strap is designed to fit all generations of Apple Watch but is only offered in the smaller 38/40mm size option.
The strap can be ordered with attachment colors to match the finish of your Apple Watch case, and a buckle in blue, gold, rose gold, silver or space gray.
Meridio Blue Marine – €39 / $45 (currently reduced to €20 / $24)
Also from Meridio, the Marine strap is woven from a textile made of recycled ocean plastic. The strap is fitted with a buckle and is offered in both small and large sizes to fit all models of 38/40mm and 42/44mm Apple Watches.
The strap can be ordered with attachments to match your watch case and a buckle in gold, black or stainless steel.
Casetify Link Bracelet Band – $95
For those who want a metal bracelet for their Apple Watch, Casetify sells its Link Bracelet Band in five different colors, including gold black, silver, blue and one with silver and gold.
The stainless steel strap is available in both the 38/40mm and 42/44mm sizes, so it is compatible with every model of Apple Watch. Each comes with fittings color-matched to the bracelet itself and the case of your watch.
The bracelet can be adjusted in the usual way, with screw-in bars holding a set of removable links together and ready to be removed to accommodate smaller wrists.
Casetify 2-in-1 Italian Leather Band – $100
If the $489 Hermès Double Tour is out of your budget, then fear not, because Casetify's 2-in-1 Italian Leather Band has a similar design, elegantly looping twice around the wearer's wrist.
The strap is available in black, tan and red leather, and is designed to fit an industry-standard 20mm lug bar, which is included to attach to your Apple Watch. This those lug bars in place, you could fit any other 20mm-wide watch strap to your Apple timepiece.
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