Sponsored Post written by the advertiser for the aBlogtoWatch audience.
You may have heard of us, Wrist Candy Watch Club (WCWC), through various social media or online watch strap reviews and blogs, but we wanted to use this opportunity to describe our philosophy and how we are taking a different approach to the humble watch strap.
I (James here) have been a watch nerd since I can remember. Growing up, I was obsessed with watches (Swatches, in particular), and coming from a modest family, I can remember getting my first Swatch. It was a birthday present from my mom who, despite having to raise my older brother and I on her own, always did everything for us and kept the family going. It was a blue/green “diver” with arabic numerals that ticked so loudly that I had to put it in my sock drawer overnight or I wouldn’t be able to fall asleep. I loved that thing, and still think back to those as my formative watch-obsessive years, though it would be two decades later, in my mid-twenties, before I started getting into mechanical watches.
My best friend (Adam) also grew up with a love for watches. He started with the classic G-Shock, but later received a similar Swatch diver (but in black/neon green) for Christmas that he wore for many years. As a child, he always admired his father’s manual wind Citizen watch, but it wasn’t until his late twenties when he was able to afford his own mechanical watch.
It was those early years that instilled in us many key aspects of our current watch collecting habits, as well as the watch straps that Adam and I offer through WCWC. I’ve never been one to wear a different watch every day, but instead prefer to really wear one or two watches and have them be a part of my life experiences. Personally, I’ve also found that wearing the same watch every day allows you to really get to know your watch, flaws and all. Nobody’s perfect, so it’s not realistic to think a watch can be, right?
Adam and I started Wrist Candy Watch Club to bring the watch community new designs and strap types that are unique and provide enthusiasts with another way to enjoy their favorite watches. Our most unique straps so far are our Combination straps which – as the name suggests – are a combination of leather and canvas in a one-piece style that combines the safety of a N.A.T.O strap and styles that add a lot of fun and enjoyment to any collection. Our Combination straps really add a new dimension to dressing up your watch and creating different wearing experiences with your favorite watches.
We’ve also taken a different approach as it comes to the oldie-but-goodie, the nylon N.A.T.O strap. Working in an office environment, I’ve always felt N.A.T.Os on the market were a bit too utilitarian and toolish to wear with a long-sleeved shirt, and I believe that boils down to the large, wide rings and stiff material. We designed our N.A.T.O straps to be more streamlined with thinner rings and we also use a softer and more lustrous material that looks better when paired with a quality dress shirt. Being watch strap addicts as we are, we also recognize that N.A.T.Os need to be durable, so ours feature stitching and sewn-in buckles and rings, and heat-sealed holes.
We also carry Perlon and Leather straps. Most Perlons in the market use thin buckles that, despite their apparent flimsiness, do get the job done. We recognize that many watch enthusiasts are hesitant to strap their heirloom or high-dollar watches on with a suspect buckle attachment, so we upgraded our Perlons to feature high-quality and substantial buckles. The tails of the straps are also glued and heat treated to prevent fraying from daily use. As for our handmade leather straps, they feature premium materials – either Horween Chromexcel or small-batch pull-up leather – but at affordable price points. We love how pull-up leather (which includes Chromexcel) patinas over time and how it takes on the character of whatever watch it’s attached to, and we wanted to bring high-quality handmade straps to the community at an affordable level.
The watch community has provided both Adam and I a lot of enjoyment over the years, and we hope to be able to engage and serve the community. One way we’re connecting with the community is through YouTube vloggers like The Urban Gentry (TGV), and undoubtedly if you’re a fan of TGV, you’ve seen his custom N.A.T.O that we produced. We love hearing from you, whether it’s feedback on our products or if you have suggestions on new designs and products you’d like to see. If you haven’t already, check us out at wristcandywatchclub.com and also follow us on social media with Facebook and Instagram.
