Artem are not actual sailcloth. They are however very well made. I say that with first hand knowledge.

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Artem are not actual sailcloth. They are however very well made. I say that with first hand knowledge.

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Same, I was really disappointed to learn that artem are bas plastic straps

 

I really like them. The quality can vary a lot. Some are little more than balistic nylon. Real sailcloth is a very tight weave and smooth in comparison. These are the best budget ones I have used….

Sailcloth

www.jweskieswatchstraps.com

 

Artem fan here as well

Many (most) are leather lined, so I would not want to get them wet. I prefer the non-leather, so I can wear them to the beach!

 

I have an inexpensive Barton that I'm not overly excited about. The length is barely suitable for my larger wrist and the notch hole is fraying noticeably around the edges. I'll snap a photo if I can remember.

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I’ve been a sailor for decades. There’s nothing remotely sailcloth like about straps branded as “sailcloth.” Some are textured leather. Some are rubberized fabric. Some are simply stiff woven nylon. In my experience, there’s pretty much zero difference between an Artem strap and one you can buy from B&R, for example, for a third of the price.

 

Can you add any insight to what actual sailcloth material is like? And if the real material has been used for watch straps? I always thought it came from Blancpain and became popular but don’t know if what they used was actual sail cloth, or they just made it up.

 

I’ve tried Artem down to cheap ones on ali express.
the Artem is really good but I am not sure I can say it’s worth it. It is really good quality and has a rubber like backing. A lot have leather and I don’t think should be for a “waterproof” strap.

My overall pick would have to be B&R…

 

I've had Zuludiver and B&R Bands sailcloth. Most are a synthetic type material resembling a mix between rubber, plastic, and resin. The Zuludiver and B&R do not have leather lining and are water resistant, if not waterproof. They won't retain water like leather, but not as resilient as rubber. My preference is for the B&R, as the core feels less foamy, is a little more rigid, and the weave texture is more distinct.

 

I bought a Watch Gecko one…I love it and happy they had a 19mm for my Doxa. I actually love it.

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I have the watchbandits (top pic) and ritchiewatchbands (bottom pic) sailcloth strap and they both feel quite similar.
They wear a little stiff but strangely not very uncomfortably. Both are beautiful to me aesthetically.
The big difference is that the ritchie (grey) has a leather back which is most probably not the best material if you're looking for a waterproof strap as opposed to the watchbandits which is sailcloth back and front.

 

IMO what Artem is asking for their straps is more than fair, especially when compared to what Blancpain charges, Artem Sailcloth Strap Review & Comparison Against....

 

I have been trying to find an Artem style deployment strap to use on my GS White Birch. Hopefully they release a 22mm version this year

 

Here is my Sinn 358 Diapal on Artem with deployment.

 

The black one (and it's replacements) that came on my BP Bathyscaphe chronograph wasn't itchy.

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Most genuine sailcloth watch straps are not made of sailcloth. From what I have seen sailcloth is anything that looks like canvas. One manufacturer stated that they don't use real sailcloth in their sailcloth straps because the material they use is better.

 

Real sail material whatever the exact type (polyester/Dacron/Mylar or more exotic like Kevlar and carbon fiber) is super stiff and crispy. It’s a good thing they dont really make straps out of it not a bad thing.

I have one by Artem that is very nice. I think worth the $90 or so. I paid a little less for one from two stich straps. It is nice too. I like the backing better on the Artem. Doesn’t seem like a crazy price for a nice watch strap…

 

My experience with the Zuludiver Helford sailcloth is more than good. In my opinion it's the best water resistant strap that doesn't look (a lot) like one. It looks like canvas, has a nice texture, but it's made of some kind of rubber. I haven't put it in sea water yet, but it looks to me that it will hold up pretty well. I do not know why they offer it in such a discount, but I bought a couple of them more, to have them with me for many years.

I like that strap so much, I wear it even with watches that, in theory, doesn't match.

 

For my Vulcain I got a sailcloth-strap from Zuludiver, because the watch was not wearable for me on the original rubber strap. I am very satisfied with this sailcloth strap.

 

Thanks to everyone for the input. The informal consensus seems in line with my hunch that not much (material wise) differs from relatively costly to downright cheap. I am looking for dark gray so I think I’ll try the Zelos or the cheapy from Straphabit.

Thanks again.

PC

 

I’ve had a few of the more affordable ones available, including zuludiver.

They are mostly just a sort of canvas material or rubber with a stamped weave pattern. Not bad, but not amazing either. They tend to start fraying after a bit of use. Most of them had little in the way of padding - some people like the thin profile without much padding, but as I use them on bigger sports watches I prefer a more padded strap as I think it’s more proportional with a chunkier sports watch case.

I think I’m going to give Artem a whirl for the next sailcloth style strap I get as the reviews from owners are overwhelmingly very positive, even if they are a bit pricier.

 

I liked Geckota sailcloth. But after I found out they were printed nylon, I've gone off them.

Sail cloth is a specific type of rip-stop fabric. There are proper sailcloth straps out there, but personally I've given up on them.

 

I've owned several and found some that are extremely uncomfortable. I'd recommend the ones lined with leather.

 

Real sailcloth is made in a universe of variaties. The basic entry level material is dacron, beyond that it's made in various blends of kevlar, propriatary fiber chemistries, epoxy, etc. etc. Other than spinnaker materials (soft) all are stiff. And cutting sailcloth is done w/ special heat cutting equipment to seal the end to prevent chaffing damage and cutting hands when handling. And sailcloth is never flat folded to prevent filament breakage so those tight and tidy folded strap edges are a no-no w/ the real thing.

 

I briefly had a Barton sailcloth strap. Didn't care for it at all. Seemed very durable, but it was uncomfortably stiff. Threw it in a freebie with a watch I sold.

 

I have one on my Bathyscaphe, but if I was looking for a replacement Artem would be my go to

 

Aren't Artem straps just some kind of rubber/vinyl molded to look like woven material over some kind of padding/filler?

 

Buy a good one as the cheap jobs sometimes fray a little and look a mess.