Full Metal Alchemy

The timepiece on a bracelet is the purest extension of the journey from the pocket to the wrist. We recount the importance of metal bracelets of all sorts – and chart the course of one storied manufacturer

- Ashok soman

Why is an entire section – or what amounts to one – devoted to bracelets necessary? The answer to that has its roots in the sort of climate we find ourselves in. The tropics can be brutal to leather straps of all types, and can even do rubber straps in. The bracelet, on the other hand, can be bathed in perspiration for decades and keep on trucking. Overall, bracelets are the way to go for daily beaters, even if you do not work outdoors – just getting from meeting to meeting can be a sweaty business.

The other reason for a long read on bracelets is that there are very few good sources of information on bracelets used in the watch trade. As far as the Swiss go, this is because the bracelet is excluded from the “Swiss Made” criteria, and will likely remain excluded. Trade magazines such as EuropaStar and WatchAround have explicitly made this point, noting that the network of external suppliers could not be deprived of the opportunity to work on bracelets, since they had to give up other aspects once the Swiss Made regulations were tightened a few years ago.

Practically speaking, this means that brands rarely talk up their bracelets, even when they introduce new designs. The previously referenced Hailwood-authored piece illustrates this as it mostly features original research and commentary, much like this story. The most notable exception as far as brand communication goes is Rolex, which maintains a full section in its press pack devoted to bracelets and clasps, as well as its manufacturing capabilities in producing its own bracelets. It is a reminder that Rolex actually bought up its own supplier in its efforts to vertically integrate its production (which you can read about elsewhere in this story because this supplier is an important part of the history of wristwatches.