The King Wang solution to the NATO watch strap

I don't know why its taken me so long, but I finally figured it out.... all it took was this WW1 trench watch homage and a new leather strap to work it out.

Readers of my blog will know that I've long derided NATO straps as being (for civilian use) a problem looking to be a solution for. I've likened the whole stupidity of an extra flap under the watch as being akin to wearing tie your self bow tie tied badly, when you're supposed to be at formal black tie evening.

Bringing nothing but bulk behind your watch, puffing it out further from your wrist for no actual benefit (kiddiez who can't actually think will squeal and say "sir sir ... its to prevent watch loss if you break a spring bar", yet any single pass strap will do that) I really don't get why NATO straps are considered "premium".

But as Carl Jung so succinctly put it:

I'm not as polite as Carl so I'll say "... that's why most people are stupid." Which is why this NATO thing persists. People often have no experience, see it as being military or "James Bond" and don't think further than that.

But, wait, today I've discovered the KingWang solution which I will present to you here (and we all know,  King Wang likes to watch).

Firstly if you don't have a 9" wrist the leather NATO just isn't going to work because, not only is there the extra thickness, the bloody buckle that anchors the useless flap gets in the way of allowing the watch to curve around your wrist.

As shown above. This is especially a problem with larger watches on a (does this big watch make my skinny wrist look too much like a chicken leg?) small wrist; such as my 6.5" wrist.

However a little thought allowed me to see a way around this conundrum (I mean apart from the obvious solution of cut that stupid flappy bit off solution; presented here).

Once one thinks like the Ministry of Defence (using military intelligence) we can see the obvious. This cunning lacing style is an optimal solution because it not only protects the watch crystal from being scratched or broken as well as fitting perfectly, but solves the issue of bulk by only having one layer of leather under the watch.

So I present to you the ultimate optimal lacing technique for threading your NATO strap, having it fit and protecting your watch for those too challenged to use a pair of scissors and cut that flap off.

A King Wang solution.

Win Win

All jokes aside, this is the watch on my Green (started as a) NATO and the Red strap (now having had its useless bit cut off) beside it.

The Green one is a very comfortable waxed leather. Each strap was under AU$25. 22mm thickness which of course is not proper NATO either.

The commonly called NATO strap has several written characteristics, and probably many more unwritten characteristics.

The current military specification strap comes in only one colour (Admiralty Grey) and one width (20mm). The hardware specification is chrome plated brass with a recessed buckle to receive the tongue.   Length 280mm, width 20mm, thickness 1.2mm.

It is currently defined in Ministry of Defence, Defence Standard 66-47 as Strap,Wrist Watch.

(source)