Before we begin here, let’s address the elephant in the room–Artem does not make cheap straps. But if you arrived here through an organic search, you probably already know that. What you came to find out is whether or not they are worth the money. At the risk of sounding like a politician, the short answer is…that depends.
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Artem surfaced in 2021 in Adelaide, Australia, originally producing a line of popular synthetic sailcloth watch straps. Since then, the brand has branched out with a line of Loop-less Sailcloth, a Hybrid FKM Rubber Strap Series, and now a collection of NATO-style Nylon Watch Bands.
Artem caters to high-end luxury watch owners looking to replace or supplement existing OEM options. As such, despite having what some might consider a sizeable price tag, Artem remains highly competitive when matched up against offerings from Omega, Rolex, Breitling, or Blancpain.
Respectable NATO-style straps–including nylon, or “seat belt” options–can be purchased for as little as $10-$30. So, Artem’s price of $63USD might strike you as high. However, I would suggest that you consider them in context. Of the more than 3 dozen NATO-type bands in my collection, the Artem Nylon Straps are easily of the highest quality. Are they 2 or 3 times as good? How does one measure that, exactly?
What I will say is that that the hardware is irreproachably robust. It is polished and signed. Each iteration employs three keepers. Two are fixed, and one floats so that you can adjust it comfortably according to the circumference of your wrist. The buckle is removable, so if you already own an OEM strap, you could feasibly swap it out.
But the strength–literally and figuratively–of Artem’s Nylon Watch Strap is the band itself. The material is made from polyamide–a synthetic polymer with an increased crystallinity. This is what provides the material with its strength, and also why calling these “seat belt” straps is a bit of a misnomer. Most seat belts today are made from woven polyester. But polymide is more durable and more resistant to UV rays than polyester. It also has a higher thermal and chemical resistance, as well as a greater elasticity. Polymide is used in sportswear, firefighting equipment, and Kevlar riot gear. You can find natural polymides in materials like wool and silk.
The straps have an innate satin sheen and an attractive, dense weave that is all the more visible in the multicoloured versions. They are approximately 305mm long and 1.5mm thick. On my 17cm wrist, this leaves plenty of length to fold back and tuck in the end–a process that is made even easier by the immaculately sized keepers which offer just the right amount of space for a double-pass without a struggle.
While there are ten different colourways available, I have chosen here to focus on three in particular: the Bond, the Vintage Bond, and the NTTD. Is there method to this madness? Of course.
Omega sells a wide variety of nylon (polyamide) watch straps for its vast catalogue of luxury watches. As it so happens, they sell three almost identical straps to those featured here. These NATO-style bands retail for $350USD. Ay, there’s the rub.
So, are Artem’s Nylon Watch Straps worth the price? You tell me.
If you want to dress up your Vostok, your Casio, or your Seiko 5 Sports, you can do so for a lot less. But if you are spending four or five figures on a luxury watch, Artem’s Nylon Watch Straps seem like a bargain. And they look like a million bucks.
For more information, please visit the brand website.
Try Artem Straps on The Bond Watch: OMEGA Seamaster 300M 2531.80.
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About the author
Brent Robillard is a writer, educator, craftsman, and watch enthusiast. He is the author of four novels. You can follow him on Instagram.
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