Towards a theory of watch strap aesthetics

Many watch collectors and enthusiasts use the term “strap monster” unironically and frequently as if it describes an actual attribute of a particular watch. For this bit of inanity, we can blame YouTube sensation and weak mustache aficionado TGV. He claims to have coined it and I for one, will gladly let him take it. It has all of the descriptive power of a “sport utility vehicle” or “young adult novels.” Just so that you get a feeling for my opinion on such things: an SUV is merely a larger vehicle on a less comfortable frame designed to evade U.S. emissions restrictions and a YAN is a dumbed down dystopian story written as though all teenagers are stupid.

What is a “strap monster” except a watch that looks good on more than one strap or bracelet? The “monster” part is really more of an expression, an exclamation, that more than one choice exists for the wearer. It truly is a dessert topping and a floor wax. We live in an age of miracles. Is that really so special and something to get worked up about? Well, no.

Most watches sold today have dark dials. This is a very recent trend. From the pocket watch era until about five minutes ago most watches had white, or nearly white dials. Webster Ball, whatever his deficiencies, recognized that white dials were the most legible in most conditions. Legibility is perhaps the core function of any watch dial. If you can’t read it, just wear a bracelet (not a watch bracelet, just a bracelet). Military specs promulgated during and used after World War II tried to tamp down the reflectivity of white dial watches for the safety of the soldier and black dials came into the industry. White, or near white, dials held a huge advantage in sales until the last decade.

If you remember, or misremember, your optics theory white and black are either the absence of color or an amalgamation of all of the colors. For our purposes it doesn’t matter which is which. Let’s take the old favorite white. What goes with white? Why is a white shirt the go to for all dress occasions. Maybe everything goes with white. What do you like? How far can your taste extend? There really is no need to coin a term for what looks good with a white dial. It is the universal blood type of watches. Some monster.

What then of its close cousins, cream, off-white, gold, and silver? These are not nearly as easy. I find silver to be the hardest. Most of my watches in this color came on silver expandable bracelets, the easy choice for men of the era. Silver on silver looks washed out. Again, step up with color.

(One of these is objectively better.)

“All colors are the friends of their neighbors and the lovers of their opposites.” — Marc Chagall

(Here be friends.)

Get out your proverbial color wheel. If the opposite is too bold (orange on a blue dial will not be for everyone, except Denver Broncos fans), try something closer to home. Tie in color on the dial: lettering, indices, or the second hand. It is like choosing a tie: pull the blue from the pattern on your suit. Don’t be too monochrome or you will invoke the Barney Miller comparisons.

(If your strap selection would fit into this picture, start over.)

Black dials are a little more difficult. Black dials often look better on bracelets because the light of the metal contrasts with the dark of the dial. Color can be tricky. Solid bright colors with a black dial only look good to you. A black stripe among others is what sells the James Bond NATOs. And unlike our old warm friend the brown leather strap, some black dials look better with boring old black straps. They just do.

(This is ok, the brown is warm and works with the gold of the case.)

(This is better and has people asking, “what is that?” Assuming, of course, that anyone ever notices your watch.)

Years ago, we had our choices of black or brown leather and gold or silver expandable bands. NATOs and other cloth options widen what we can do. I also have green, red, orange, and blues in my mix. These limitations are mine. Yours are yours. Experiment. It doesn’t need to be designated a “monster” before you make it look good.

(The black of the minute track and darkened dial lume, the green from the radium mottling, and the pop of red from the second hand all tie this together.)