How to Properly Install a Real Bond Nylon Watchstrap

Once in a while we get an email from a customer who complains that his or her Corvus Real Bond Watchstrap has begun to fray along the edges. Sometimes the comment is even that the edges became frayed right after putting the strap on their watch.

Fraying along the edges of the Corvus Real Bond (or any nylon) watchstrap is always caused by the edge of the nylon scraping agains the watch lugs when the strap is slid between the lugs without first removing the springbars.

We have put together a video tutorial on how to properly put a NATO or other nylon watch strap on a watch:

The lugs of many watchs, especially military-style watches (such as our Corvus Bradley Dive Watch) are quite sharp. When you pull a nylon watch strap through without removing the springbars, it is like taking the edge of a knife and scraping it against the edge of the nylon. In these cases, even a brand-new strap will fray.

We recently reviewed a number of videos on YouTube, etc. on "How to install a NATO watchstrap." All of them are wrong, and give dangerous advice. You must carefully slide the nylon between the lugs, while pinching it so that the edges do not scrape against the lugs.

Many of the cheaper copies of the NATO watchstrap design are made of backpack webbing. This has a low thread count, and thick nylon thread. This stiff, uncomfortable webbing is is made to be quickly pulled through D-Rings and other hardware.

Corvus watchstraps are made of supple, high thread-count nylon, woven specifically to wear on your wrist. A little care when putting the strap on and taking it off your watch will result in a strap that will look great for years. Members of our staff have been wearing the same Real Bond straps every day for over three years and they still look good.