Artem Drops Some Fresh Colors For Its Signature Nylon Watch Straps

Artem unveils four new colors for its range of Signature Nylon watch straps. These colors — Burgundy, Sandstone, Atlantic Blue, and Khaki Green — arrive in time for the Northern Hemisphere’s summer season. With a choice of brushed, polished, or black DLC-coated hardware in either 19–20mm or 21–22mm widths, the straps offer a tremendous variety to tailor to your collection. I went hands-on with all four straps and will offer my thoughts on them and the pitfalls of getting nylon straps just right.

I am very particular about my nylon straps. The hardware has to sit in just the right place for it to be worth wearing. The fixed keepers, or “loops,” must reside equally on either side of the watch case. At the same time, the pin buckle should sit centrally on the underside of my wrist. I am okay with some excess strap length as long as I can tuck it under the movable keeper. Yet I often encounter nylon straps with buckles that sit too far on one side or the other, no matter the adjustment. Either that or the loops sit too low against the sides of my wrists. It’s not just pettiness on my part, as bad hardware placement can become uncomfortable after a long day of wear. So far, only a few nylon straps meet my criteria.

Artem Signature Nylon collection

My Omega NATO strap for my Seamaster 300 hits the sweet spot. I explained why the OEM NATO strap is worth the investment. Every element of the Omega strap is in the best possible location for my wrist. But the drawback is that the strap costs £230. This premium is where most onlookers disappear backward through the hedge, à la Homer Simpson. And that’s not even the top end of the spectrum, as the Omega No Time To Die NATO with titanium hardware is £330. Even the recently announced Planet Ocean Worldtimer’s NATO made with reclaimed fishing nets costs £410. If the strap isn’t intended for an Omega watch, or you want a more palatable price for a nylon strap, Artem has you covered.

The Artem Signature Nylon collection offers high quality at a more affordable entry price of €66.95 / US$74 / £56. Importantly, these straps also achieve a similar level of comfort. Pairing with my Oris Divers Sixty-Five in a 40mm stainless steel case, I tested out the 19–20mm Artem Signature Nylon options. This width range is due to the pliable nature of nylon straps that can nicely fit on watches with 19mm or 20mm lug spacings, such as the Speedmaster First Omega in Space and the Moonwatch, respectively. Only with slight bunching in the corners for 19mm gaps, one strap can cover a variety of watches. The same goes for Artem’s 21–22mm option, which is a godsend for the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, considering its odd 21.5mm lug spacing. However, ensure to fit the appropriate spring bars to clear the case sides.

Getting the fit just right

There are a lot of NATO straps on the market. Seemingly, everyone can offer a watch strap in this configuration. Some straps only cost pennies, but would you want something of questionable origin to support and affix your precious watch to your wrist? As my colleague Mike anecdotally stated, “Why put cheap tires on a premium sports car?” Being the only contact patch on the road, the inefficient tires negate the car’s performance. Likewise, a NATO strap is the only element that attaches to your wrist. Artem’s premium polyamide nylon feels a big step above the competition in comfort and tactility. The strap quality is close to OEM, and the hardware feels solid and refined.

My only gripe with the fitting on my Oris is that the fixed loops were too far down on either side of my wrist. As a 40mm diameter is quite average and common, I expect the keepers to sit closer to the watch case. But this spacing does at least allow the strap to scale up with larger watch cases that still fit between the fixed loops. A good example would be the Doxa Sub 300, which has a 42.5mm diameter case but still maintains a 20mm lug spacing. With this watch in the classic orange “Professional” colorway, I’d go for the Orange Pin Stripe Nylon strap. That one also bears a striking resemblance to the NATO strap that came with Fratello’s Omega Speedy Tuesday 2 “Ultraman” edition.

Fresh colors

The initial options in the Artem Signature Nylon collection were inspired by the straps on James Bond’s wrist, from the multicolored single-pass from Dr. No (1962) to the black and gray strap seen in Spectre (2015). Artem also replicates the aforementioned NATO strap from No Time To Die (2021). But these sumptuous shades to experiment with styles and moods are new to the Artem Signature Nylon range. These new strap color options demonstrate Artem’s wish to put a stamp on the market with its original creations. My favorites from the latest selection are Khaki Green and Sandstone, which reflect earthier tones. For my heritage-hued Oris Divers Sixty-Five, these colors blend harmoniously and represent my preference for outdoor activities during summer. Meanwhile, the Atlantic Blue and Burgundy strap shades are perfect for poolside styles and late-night dinners.

With four new colors having joined the Artem Signature Nylon collection, there are now 14 choices to mix and match. Yet, with the choices on offer, my favorite is still the Commander strap that Mike covered here. This strap’s pattern is based on the underrated Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Commander’s Watch from 2017, which works brilliantly on my Speedmaster.

Each of Artem’s nylon straps costs €66.95 / US$74 / £56, no matter the lug dimension or choice of brushed, polished, or black DLC-coated hardware. Artem also has an 18mm Signature Nylon strap, but it’s only available in seven colors. Then again, it was worth keeping your eyes peeled on the Artem site for further size and color options to come.

Which is your favorite from Artem’s Signature Nylon strap collection? Let us know in the comments below.

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