You may have already noticed this bracelet, usually made of fabric and colored bands. We decided to present its story to you.
Above all, a functional bracelet
The watch is a tool for measuring time. Who else, if not the armies (air, land or sea) had to use it?
Army needs
Many current prestige brands have a history and a development intimately linked to the military domain: Panerai, Auricoste, IWC…
All of them have a favorite field, pilot's watches, diving watches, land watches…
Not only the watch had to be waterproof, resistant to any test, work whatever the weather conditions.
The bracelet therefore had to be solid and reliable .
Disadvantage of leather
The leather used until the end of the 60s, and even if it is resistant, wears out naturally, a fortiori if it is in contact with water, perspiration and the sun: it dries, cracks, and broken.
Birth of the NATO bracelet
At the end of the 1960s, the British army wanted to equip its troops with watches equipped with an ultra-resistant bracelet , rot-proof and almost impossible to lose because it has additional security when closed compared to a pin buckle.
Its code name is the English acronym for NATO, NATO ( North Atlantic Treaty Organization ).
It is also called G10 because soldiers who wanted a bracelet had to fill out a form called G10.
Cinema popularity
The cinema, thereafter, did the rest ...
In 1964, in Goldfinger, James Bond wears a Rolex Submariner equipped with a NATO.
The bracelet is in black and olive green nylon with red edging. It has become famous and many sellers offer copies.
Evolution of the NATO bracelet
For 30 years, a NATO / G10 was available in a few military or dark colors, generally gray, khaki or black, possibly striped but the choice was limited.
Over the past ten years, many colors have appeared, even variants, like the RHINO or the ZULU, thicker, with oval curls, and no longer necessarily meeting the criteria of the military specifications.
The inter-horns have widened in recent years, follow today's diameters, and there are bracelets whose 28mm inter-horn will adapt to your current watches.
Current trends
Many manufacturers now make nylon and leather NATOs, flashy colors with more honey, burgundy or brown leathers that will dress your watches in a very elegant way while being sometimes more pleasant to wear than certain traditional leathers.
Interchangeable , this type of accessory is coveted by fashion lovers. Here are a few reasons:
- wide choice of colors : for casual, preppy looks…
- practicality : very simple and quick strap change, accessible to all
- comfort : comfortable to wear, especially in summer because very light
What type of watch should you wear a NATO or fabric strap on?
Any type of watch is likely to wear a NATO strap, both men's and women's watches. NATO is used more as additional accessories or to change the air of your beauty.
We offer a range of products currently available on Chic Time which have a NATO / fabric strap.
At Seiko, the SNK80x series with a military look have a fabric strap .
There are bracelets with plain or colored fabric, which play on contrasts.
At Daniel Wellington: a new brand, on which we recently wrote an article , is launching into the "CLASSICO-NATO"; a rather classic image, refined with a resistant bracelet and a priori little suited to its use. We are rather close to dandyism ...
You have discovered the history of this bracelet which has existed for a long time and which has become particularly fashionable in recent years.
Alex Samuel
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