Different Watch Band Materials
There are a variety of watch band materials. Generally speaking, there are four categories, which are metal, leather, textile and plastic. And each category has their advantages and disadvantages.
Metals are the most endurable materials for watch bands. Such metals as stainless steel, Titanium, white and yellow gold are common metals for watch brands. They are not only long lasting in looks but also in functions. And because they are also more expensive and water-resistant than other materials, most of high-end watches prefer metal brands. But on the other hand, because of the high price of metal brand, it is less affordable. And because of the nature of metal, the metal bands are heavy, may hurt the wearer’s skin and have very limited color options.
Different kinds of leathers can be used in watch bands, such as cowhide or calf-leather, sheep skin, or crocodile skin and so on. The leather bands can be very stylish, colorful and dressy, offering a much wider design options than the metal ones. So leathers are favored by many fashion designers. And their prices vary, depending on the leather quality and the design, so that they can meet the needs of a wide range of costumers. But, leathers are vulnerable to water and other damages and they are easy to wear out, therefore they need extra care.
Textile is also commonly used watch band materials, including fabric, cloth, and nylon. Their main advantages are light and comfortable to wear, inexpensive to afford, easy to adjust, and providing more variable colors and textures. On the other hand, their biggest weakness is not durable at all, very quick to wear out and they are not resistant to water as well. So textile are usually applied in some lower end products.
Plastic and rubber are very popular watch brand material too. They are usually used for children’s watches and sport watches, because they are easy to keep, and they have much better weather and water resistance than the textile ones. In addition, they also have almost all the merits of the textile bands, except not as comfortable as textile brands. However, they can not endure chemical or pressure, are far less lasting than the metal ones.