Nomad Modern Strap for Apple Watch Is a Luxurious Horween Leather Watch Strap

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Nomad Modern Strap for Apple Watch Is a Luxurious Horween Leather Watch Strap Listen to this article

One of the best features of the Apple Watch is the amazing assortment of straps available. There are so many options that pretty much anyone can find one to fit their style and taste. Our friends at Nomad sent two for review. The first, the Nomad Modern Strap, is a beautiful leather strap that is classy as classy can be.

Nomad Modern Strap for Apple Watch Is a Luxurious Horween Leather Watch Strap

The Nomad Modern Strap for Apple Watch is made from American Horween leather with custom stainless steel lugs and buckles. Compatible with all three series of Apple Watches, it looks gorgeous and, over time, will develop a beautiful patina.

Nomad Modern Strap for Apple Watch Is a Luxurious Horween Leather Watch Strap

The watch strap is $59.95. That isn’t exactly inexpensive, but for a quality leather watchstrap, it is not outrageous either. The Horween leather is vegetable tanned and the metal parts, the attachment points that connect to the Apple Watch and the buckle, are made from 316 stainless steel hardware. Together, they form a watch strap that looks, and feels, fantastic.

Nomad Modern Strap for Apple Watch Is a Luxurious Horween Leather Watch Strap

From Nomad:

Designed to give your Apple Watch a classic, yet bold new look. Made from minimally treated, vegetable tanned leather from one of America’s oldest tanneries. The leather is designed to beautifully patina with time, creating a handsome, rich leather strap with a look that is uniquely yours.

Nomad Modern Strap for Apple Watch Is a Luxurious Horween Leather Watch Strap

Nomad employed traditional watch band skills to create the Modern Strap. It is lined with a soft leather backing for comfort, and the pieces are sewn together with durable linen thread. (The thread is pre-stretched and beeswaxed to help maintain the lasting integrity and prevent the leather from losing its shape.) The fit and finish are beautiful. Lines are clean and straight. Threads are straight and tight. In most cases, the seams are hidden. This only adds to the refined appearance of the band. And, as you might expect, the sizing punches in the strap that allow you to adjust it are also clean and precise.

Nomad Modern Strap for Apple Watch Is a Luxurious Horween Leather Watch Strap

The same care taken with the leather is clear when you look at the stainless steel buckle and lugs.

Nomad Modern Strap for Apple Watch Is a Luxurious Horween Leather Watch Strap

They are custom designed, metal injection molded and looks fantastic. Marine grade 316 stainless steel was used to guarantee both strength and aesthetics. The hardware is available in either silver or black.

Nomad Modern Strap for Apple Watch Is a Luxurious Horween Leather Watch Strap

Nomad chose Horween Leather because, “it offers an unparalleled blend of quality, consistency, responsiveness, and innovation. As the strap comes into contact with elements around you, the leather will develop a patina, or a dark lustrous sheen, making your strap unlike any other.”

Nomad Modern Strap for Apple Watch Is a Luxurious Horween Leather Watch Strap

The straps are available in either brown or slate gray. I was sent the brown version with black hardware. It looks fantastic.

If you want to give your Apple Watch a classic look and feel, the Nomad Modern strap may be just the thing. If on the other hand, you want something that looks and feels a bit more sporty, you might want to check out the Nomad Sports Strap. That, however, is the next review. In the meantime, if the Nomad Modern Strap looks interesting you can check it out here.

Source: Company Supplied Review Sample of the Nomad Modern Strap for Apple Watch

What I Like: Beautiful fit and finish; Will develop a patina over time; Metal parts are, in a word, classy

What Needs Improvement: Some may hesitate to spend $59.99 when far cheaper bands are available. But those bands are not as well-made or classy as this one.

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About the Author

Dan Cohen
Having a father who was heavily involved in early laser and fiber-optical research, Dan grew up surrounded by technology and gadgets. Dan’s father brought home one of the very first video games when he was young and Dan remembers seeing a “pre-release” touchtone phone. (When he asked his father what the “#” and “*” buttons were his dad said, “Some day, far in the future, we’ll have some use for them.”) Technology seemed to be in Dan’s blood but at some point he took a different path and ended up in the clergy. His passion for technology and gadgets never left him. Dan is married to Raina Goldberg who is also an avid user of Apple products. They live in New Jersey with their golden doodle Nava.