A Bund strap is a watch strap with an extra leather layer that sits beneath the watch and pads its metal case. The pad keeps the case off the skin, an idea that began with early pilots. One magazine calls it the most unusual style on its list of strap types.
Why does a Bund strap have a pad?
In WWII fighter cockpits, a metal watch case could burn a pilot’s skin or freeze to it. To stop this, the strap was made with a thick pad on the side facing the wrist. The strap held the watch firmly in place and kept the cold case away from the skin. The pad is also said to protect the wrist from extreme heat or cold, and to soak up sweat before it reaches the watch. Another explanation is that the pad stopped sweat from discolouring brass watch cases.
Where it comes from
The basic form goes back to pilots of the early twentieth century. After the Second World War, pilots of West Germany wore it. The NATO strap has stayed popular, but the Bund strap’s peak years are over. Even so, Montblanc and Tudor have released some new watches on similar straps in recent years. Le Forban made a rubber version with a central pad that can be taken off, so the strap looks like an ordinary one.
What are the drawbacks of a Bund strap?
The padding that protects the wrist also makes the strap warm to wear. Compared with other straps, a Bund strap feels warm on the wrist, which is a drawback in hot weather. Under the watch sits a second layer of leather, so the strap is thicker than a plain one. That extra layer adds bulk, and the bulk does not suit small watch cases.
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