NATO strap

The NATO strap is a single-piece nylon strap drawn through both spring-bar openings of the watch case, with an additional layer of fabric running behind the case back. This construction makes it the safest strap form available — even if a spring bar breaks or fails the watch stays on the wrist.

Origin and name

"NATO" is colloquial and technically imprecise. The correct term is G10 — the British Ministry of Defence procurement code introduced in 1973 in Defence Standard 66-15. The G10 strap was issued as consumable equipment to British soldiers and fit all military watches of the period — CWC, MWC, Cabot Watch Co., Hamilton.

The name "NATO" derives from the NATO Stock Number (NSN) under which the strap was later registered in the NATO logistics catalogue. In watch-trade vocabulary, "NATO strap" has become the umbrella term for G10 straps and their civilian descendants.

Construction

The classical G10 consists of a continuous nylon strap (around 280 mm long, 18–22 mm wide) with:

• Safety pin buckle. Classical pin buckle in matte polished steel.
• Two additional keepers. One fixed, one sliding — securing the strap tail.
• A continuous layer of fabric behind the case, mechanically holding the watch.

The original standard colour was "Admiralty Grey" — a dark, uniform grey. The famous striped configuration ("Bond NATO" in black-grey-red) became popular only retrospectively through the James Bond films of the 1960s, where Sean Connery wore a Submariner ref. 6538 on a similar strap in Goldfinger. Historically that configuration was not yet correct; the real G10 emerged ten years later.

Functional advantage

On a classic leather or steel bracelet the watch is secured by two spring bars. A broken spring bar means losing the watch. With the NATO the strap carries the watch independently of the spring bars — even a complete failure only causes the watch to slide along the strap rather than drop. That is precisely what the G10 was designed for.

Use in watchmaking

The NATO is today the standard alternative for:

• Vintage military watches. CWC, MWC, Hamilton, Marathon — all original G10 carriers.
• Vintage sports references. Submariner, Sea-Dweller, Daytona and other 1970s and 1980s Rolex sports models — often on NATO rather than Oyster in the vintage market.
• Casual wear. Dress watches on coloured NATO as a deliberate loosening of configuration.

At our atelier in Munich we carry original British-procurement G10 straps and straps from recognised makers — Phenomenato, Crown & Buckle, Erika's Originals (Marine Nationale configuration for Tudor and Doxa).

Material and care

Standard material is nylon — robust, quick-drying, water-resistant. Care notes:

• Machine washable (laundry bag, cold cycle); buckle hardware should be removed or isolated first.
• Dries within a few hours at room temperature.
• Discolouration under UV or frequent washing with chlorine is possible — not a defect but visible.
• Wear point is usually where the strap passes through the spring bars; fraying edges signal replacement.

On the secondary market

For vintage military watches, a period-correct original G10 with correct stamping (NSN number, procurement year) is a value factor. A CWC W10 with documented original G10 from the watch's procurement period trades above an identical watch with a modern reproduction NATO. On standard sports references without military provenance the NATO is a configuration choice, not a value criterion.