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 Band, is a beautiful leather strap that is classy as classy can be.
The Nomad Modern Band 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.
The Horween version is $80. 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.
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 employed traditional watch band skills to create the Modern Band. 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. The 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.
The same care taken with the leather is clear when you look at the stainless steel buckle and lugs.
They are custom-designed, metal injection molded, and look fantastic. Marine grade 316 stainless steel was used to guarantee both strength and aesthetics. The hardware is available in either silver or black.
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.”
The Horween Nomad Modern Band is available in either brown or black. 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 Band 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.
The Nomad Modern Band in Horween Leather sells for $80; it is available directly from the manufacturer.
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample
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.