News 
Tudor is often perceived as a trendsetter in the watch industry. Thanks to the stylistic choices it makes, the brand has always known how to keep a step ahead of trends that today are considered standard in the watch industry. The fabric strap is a good example of this.
In 2009, while most of the Swiss luxury watch brands were not yet aware of the fabric strap or did not consider it worthy of the level of sophistication of their products, the fabric strap, which had already gained popularity within the intimate circles of collectors of sporting watches, found in Tudor an ideal environment for its further interpretation. The brand, always on the lookout for subtle details to intensify the pleasure that wearing a fine watch brings, recognised the stylistic potential of such an accessory and, in line with its pursuit of perfection, had its own version manufactured by a traditional passementerie company from the St-Etienne region of France.
As is often the case with many widely adopted innovations, the origin of the use of fabric straps can be traced back to the military. In the early 1970s, NATO standardised the use of nylon thread-through watch straps. Once Tudor decided to become involved, it completely reassessed the design and made it adjustable in length, taking its inspiration from the seat belt system of vintage sports cars. It then found a solution for incorporating “tunnels” in which the strap bars of the watch could be inserted in order to keep the latter fixed firmly in place. Finally, the brand approached a well-established traditional passementerie company, one of the very few remaining still practising the Jacquard shuttle weaving technique, which allows for endless room for experimental manoeuvre in terms of the complexity of designs. It also has the added advantage of producing a dense weave with a high thread count which ensures the sturdiness and flexibility of the straps made using this technique.
Nowadays, Tudor offers a number of fabric straps of different styles and sizes. Since 2010, the brand offers a fabric strap with many models. The use of such a production method creates an incomparable richness of texture and guarantees the utmost in comfort and longevity.
November 15, 2018