Many of us know the Bund strap as the one worn by Paul Newman at Sebring on his now famous Rolex Daytona or even Steve McQueen on his Hanhart 417 chronograph.
Excellent references, which in terms of cool and casual elegance give us lessons time and time again.
However, its creation is very different from these two style icons. Its military-inspired design, designed for pilots, meets very precise specifications.
Let's deepen our knowledge...
TWO STRAPS
IN ONE
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It's the design and proportions that make all the difference and allow the addition of this "American plate" without weighing down the whole.
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Important note in conclusion: for those who are afraid to get tired of the Bund format, simply remove the plate to keep a strap of the same leather.
Easy, isn't it?
THE BUND WATCH STRAP
NOT A LEATHER BRACER
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Important note for our bodybuilder friends: no, the Bund strap is not a leather bracer.
Indeed, a leather bracer is not a watch strap. They were originally worn by strength workers and athletes: these large straps were intended to support the wrists in order to keep them in line with the hand and to stabilize them so as to limit their hyperextension during certain exercises.
No more, no less. Thank You.
THE BUND WATCH STRAP
JOSEPH BONNIE
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How did we proceed? Explanations.
Of course, the suppleness of the leather, its patina and the care taken in the making of the strap are essential, but we will not go into detail here, since this advice applies to any type of leather strap or accessory.
We have therefore refined, slimmed down and even shortened the piece of leather backing in order to preserve all its historical functions while allowing us from now on to remove it from its military context.
A regular strap known as “American plate”, composed of 2 or 3 parts, the Bund watch strap has not been thought only to raise the case of a watch on a wrist. Not at all.
Bund straps were first issued to German aviators by the Federal Republic of Germany, a.k.a. Bundesrepublik Deutschland. One of the meanings of the term "bund" refers to what is related to the federal government. This is also the case when we talk about the Bundeswehr: the German army since 1955.
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A special and easily recognizable design, which like everything that arises from a military need, is above all functional.
A stroke of genius that fulfills 4 essential functions:
1/ Protect endowment watches from sweat and moisture and thus extend their life
2/ Keep the watch firmly attached to the wrist and limit the transmission of vibrations
3/ Limit watch-related injuries in the event of violent shocks
4/Protect the soldier from a steel object if trapped in a fire, especially pilots.
Think about it: if you get into an airplane of this time (not pressurized or even without a cockpit), either your chronograph is above the suit with an extra-long strap, or it is right on your wrist. At the same wrist, at altitude, the watch turns into an ice cube, so the leather is mainly there to protect the pilot from this cold source...
Ingenious, isn't it?
