When it’s time to freshen up the look of your watch, the best thing you can possibly do is explore some Seiko 5 watch bands. The first time you pick up a new watch, the beginning honeymoon phase is real. However, over time, the feeling starts to become a little stale.

Straps are kind of like shoes for your outfit—they can completely change the look of your entire outfit and, based on the occasion, could be best suited to what the day has in store for you.

I’m going to take one watch and strap on a variety of watch bands to give you some inspiration and ideas that you can use the next time you’re thinking about picking up a Seiko 5 watch strap or two when you feel like it’s time to freshen up the look of your watch.

Key Takeaways

• Straps are like ties for your suit—they can completely alter the style of your watch to suit the occasion.
• Consider factors like the watch’s colorway, the day’s activities, and your personal style when choosing a Seiko 5 watch band.
• NATO straps are a favorite because of their endless color options and ease of swapping without tools.
• Perlon straps offer a dressier alternative to NATO straps, with better airflow and adjustability.
• Rubber straps are the sportiest option and ideal for serious water activities, but they may lack airflow and require break-in time.
• Bracelets add heft and style to your watch, with options like oyster, jubilee, and mesh.
• Leather straps are the most formal option, but some are built for everyday wear and can offer a hybrid style.

Things to Consider When Choosing a Strap

Before we dive into the strap options I have for you today, there are a few things we need to think about when choosing a Seiko 5 watch strap:

1. Start with a clean slate.

I’m going to be using a pretty accessible but handsome watch—the Seiko 5 Sports in black with faux patina hour markers (reference SRPD95). I chose this watch because of its fairly neutral colorway, with a pop of red on the tip of the second hand.

2. Consider the day’s occasion.

Are we going out into the city for an afternoon lunch, or are we heading into something that requires a bit of heavy lifting? Keeping this in mind can help you decide which strap is suitable for the occasion.

3. Rules are made to be broken.

There is no right or wrong when pairing up straps to your watch. In the end, straps can be used as an expression of the wearer, so whatever works with your individual style is all up to you.

Kicking off the list is my favorite type of strap—the good old NATO strap. NATO straps are great because they come in an endless array of colors, and the best part is that they can easily be swapped quickly without the use of any tools. Let’s take a look at some options that work with this Seiko 5 here:

If NATO straps are too rugged or if you’re headed out to a more buttoned-up occasion, the mighty Perlon strap might be your answer. Perlon straps are similar to NATO in that they don’t require any tools to strap onto your watch and are made from the same nylon material.

The only difference is that the strap is braided, allowing for more airflow. This is also a great alternative if you’re in between wrist sizes because there are no preset holes, so you can simply buckle it in anywhere on the strap, which is convenient. I have this great Perlon with beige undertones, and I think it pairs really well with the Seiko 5.

The sportier strap you could possibly go with has to be the rubber strap. If you’re going on serious underwater adventures or if you know you’ll be going in the water, a rubber strap might be your best option. The Seiko 5 did originally come on this Milanese-style silicone strap, which, to be honest, I’m not a really big fan of. However, the quality of the rubber is pretty nice, and it is definitely capable of going with you on a swim.

I have a couple more options, like this one here I grabbed off another Seiko watch that looks a little more subtle and less styled than the Milanese one. It’s also much more substantial on the wrist and transforms your Seiko 5 into a professional-looking dive watch. I also have this rubber tropic strap, which really brings out a retro-inspired look with this combo.

Now, a big downside to rubber straps is that airflow isn’t that great, so wearing rubber straps in the summer on land may result in sweaty wrists. Also, some rubber straps take a while to break in and mold to your wrist. These three straps I have here are all very soft and supple, so just keep that in mind when looking for a rubber strap.

Bracelets: For a Bit of Heft

If you like feeling a bit of heft on your wrist or straps just aren’t your thing, you can’t go wrong with a bracelet. Now, the thing to keep in mind when buying a watch is if there is an option to purchase a variant with a bracelet, be sure to get that option (unless you really don’t like wearing a bracelet). You can always purchase a Seiko 5 watch band and swap it out anytime, but with a bracelet, it’s a little bit more complicated.

For the Seiko 5 here, we’re really lucky to have a selection of bracelet options to choose from:

• Classic oyster style for a sporty, substantial feel.
• Jubilee style for an elegant, jewel-like appearance perfect for the office or semi-formal events.
• Mesh bracelet for a stylized, vintage-inspired look.

Lastly, we’ve got the classic leather strap options. Leather straps are going to be the most formal option out there; however, some leather straps are built for everyday wear. One thing to keep in mind when pairing a leather strap with your watch is that, unlike the straps I mentioned before, leather isn’t very friendly with water. It isn’t ideal to get your leather straps soaked, but a splash here and there when washing your hands, let’s say, is fine as long as you dry it off.

For the strap that can be worn both to the office and weekend adventures, I have the Seiko 5 here paired with this brown strap that picks up a bit of wear over time. This strap plays an almost hybrid role, crossing the line between formal and casual styling with stitching and leather details that pick up a bit of sensible patina. Sometimes, when you get a strap in for the first time, you might find it to be a bit stiff. If this is the case, just give it time to soften up, and it’ll be a lot more supple (kind of like the case with leather shoes).

Another leather strap option, if leather straps aren’t really your thing or if you just really love NATO straps like I do, is a leather NATO strap. I have this forest green leather single pass-through NATO strapped on, and I think it looks amazing. Again, because this watch is such a versatile canvas for straps, it’s really hard to mess up strap color combos, especially neutral tones like this one.

One thing to keep in mind with leather NATO straps (and I’m just speaking from experience) is that they add a bit of bulk to your watch when on your wrist. This is not necessarily a bad thing, though. For instance, if you have a rather thin or dainty watch and you’re used to wearing larger watches on the wrist, a bulkier strap like a leather NATO can be a great tactic to add some girth to your watch. However, on the opposite end, if your watch is already thick to begin with, well, it’s probably best to skip this strap option.

Video Journey 

Conclusion

All right, this was a fun post that I’ve been meaning to create for you readers for a while now. Now, keep in mind that there are a lot more straps and bracelets out there, but these ones are perhaps the most common you’ll see out there in the wild, especially on watch enthusiasts.

I want to know—what are your favorite straps? Maybe you have some go-to Seiko 5 watch bands, depending on the season or activity. Let me know!

For me, it has to be the trusty NATO. Whenever I’m in doubt about what strap to put on, I tend to resort to a NATO strap, as it’s convenient to put on and suitable for a bunch of occasions.

As always, thanks for joining me, and I’ll see you on the next one!