![The Best Straps For Black Dial Watches [Updated 2024]](http://www.watchgecko.com/cdn/shop/articles/Rolex-Sub-Macro-Dial_1100x.jpg?v=1690545922)
What’s the best watch strap to complement your black dial timepiece? We review your options here, and consider black, brown, grey and metal straps.
Black dial watches have always been popular and will likely always be. At once stylish and contemporary, the right black timepiece looks fantastic and is an excellent choice for any watch genre. And it’s no surprise to see why. A deep black dial is effortlessly sophisticated and goes well in formal and casual settings.
- But what about the strap?
- Which is the perfect colour and material to complement a watch with a black dial?
- How can you be sure you’re hitting the look you aim for?
Well, we have a few recommendations. We will dive deeper into brown, black, and grey straps in all materials. So let’s check out our options in turn.
Brown Straps
Black and brown have seldom gone together as a traditional colour combination. So surely a black dial watch strap with a brown strap is a non-starter, right? Actually, wrong. A brown strap for your black watch is an unexpected winning combo. This is because it can soften the watch and give it a more casual look.
Simple Handmade Italian Leather Strap
1980s Heuer Skipper on Brown Simple Handmade Leather Strap - Credit WatchGecko
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First, we have a 1980s Heuer Skipper on a Simple Handmade Italian Leather Strap with contrast Pepsi stitching which can suit a coloured bezel or sub-dial. This strap offers timeless simplicity and is always a popular choice. The simple double stitching makes this a very versatile strap with little extra detail to detract from the quality of the leather and of course the black dial watch itself. The strap also comes equipped with quick-release spring bars for easy strap changes.
Radstock Vintage
Seiko Willard on Radstock Vintage Leather Strap - Credit WatchGecko
Here we have a classic Seiko Prospex “Captain Willard” on a brown Radstock Vintage. This strap is handmade in Spain by artisans using vegetable tanned top-grain leather. Each Radstock is hand-painted, so individual straps vary slightly from one individual strap to the next. The combination of refined edge-stitching and superior leather projects an image of quality.
Vintage Highley in Reddish Brown
Tudor Black Bay GMT on a Vintage Highley - Credit WatchGecko
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Quite possibly, one of the best combos is a Tudor Black Bay GMT on a Vintage Highley in Reddish Brown. The colour and style perfectly complement this watch. One of our best sellers, the Vintage Highley is a classic within the WatchGecko range of leather straps.
Thickly padded (6mm thick at the lug end) and made from the very best Italian vegetable-tanned, full-grain leather, the supple pull-up leather is oiled and will age with grace, picking up patina as you journey through life with your black dial watch. This strap is well-suited to various mid-size to large watches, from dive watches to pilot watches, and everyday wear watches.
Black Straps
Matching black dials with black watch straps gives the overall look of your watch a stylish coherence.
A word of warning, however. The black-and-black look can be a bit severe. This may be desirable for situations such as work events where you want it to be clear that you mean business, but less so for casual situations. Many manufacturers go for this look as standard, such as Omega with the Speedmaster, and if chosen well it can complement a watch.
ZULUDIVER Maverick Sailcloth
Sinn 104 on a ZULUDIVER Maverick Sailcloth - Credit WatchGecko
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A stunning combination is the Sinn 104 on a ZULUDIVER Maverick Sailcloth. A perfect choice for a professional dive watch, the Maverick is a quick-release sailcloth watch strap made from premium PVC rubber which outperforms cheaper alternative sailcloth materials.
This latest 2022 upgrade has a buckle upgraded to our popular Sub-Aquatic model, which is made from saltwater resistant 316L stainless steel, professional dual finishing, solid machined tongue and drilled holes for easy fitting or removal.
Stanton Badalassi Carlo Minerva Box Leather Padded Watch Strap in Black
Seiko Willard on a Stanton Badalassi Carlo Minerva - Credit WatchGecko
Seiko’s Captain Willard is back on duty again, sporting a stunning Stanton Badalassi Carlo Minerva Box Leather Padded Watch Strap in Black to compliment the dark dial. The Stanton padded collection features Minerva Box leather and suede hailing from the Opera tannery in Tuscany. Our Stanton straps take on a classic padded strap design with contrasting edge stitching that will suit various watches.
Grey Straps
It’ll probably come as no surprise that grey straps are among our favourites. It helps that grey goes with anything, however on a black dial watch it is an especially powerful combination. You could be forgiven for thinking it would create a monotone look but that could not be further from the truth.
ZULUDIVER Endurance Extreme Nimrod
Vertex M100A on ZULUDIVER Endurance Extreme Nimrod - Credit WatchGecko
The Vertex M100A looks mission ready on a ZULUDIVER Endurance Extreme Nimrod. We created the Endurance Extreme Rubber Watch Strap by combining our two toughest straps into one bullet-proof design. An evolution of the current Endurance strap, the Extreme replaces the original leather upper with Sailcloth.
ARMOURED RECON ZULUDIVER British Military Watch Strap – Classic Bond
Helm on Classic Bond Armoured Recon Zuludiver - Credit WatchGecko
Think grey and immediately, it takes you to our new Classic Bond ARMOURED RECON ZULUDIVER British Military Watch Strap. And what better watch to model it than the much sought after Helm Vanuatu ISO 6425 Diver. The Premium Herringbone design is made from high-strength seatbelt nylon webbing and fitted with premium-grade stainless steel hardware, which includes the ZULUDIVER etching on the buckle and the keeper at 6 o'clock. The strap retains the standard British military design, measuring 300mm, and measures 1.2mm in thickness.
WatchGecko Vintage Tropical Style FKM Rubber
Omega Seamaster300 on a WatchGecko Vintage Tropical Style Strap - Credit WatchGecko
On this beautiful vintage Omega Seamaster 300 we have fitted a grey WatchGecko Vintage Tropical Style FKM Rubber. Rubber will always suit a dive watch, and this variant really compliments the black dial of the Seamaster. Inspired by the golden age of diving watches in the 1960s, it seamlessly blends functionality and sophistication. Despite its vintage style and heritage, the Tropical is in every way a thoroughly modern strap with hi-tec FKM rubber and quick-release spring bars. If you want to take your vintage dive watch back to 1960s dive culture then the WatchGecko Vintage Tropical is the strap to do it.
Metal Straps
Just by virtue of its colour a metal strap can be the perfect partner to a black dial watch. Of course the metal must match the case, be that steel or bronze, but if you get the combination right, it can create one of the most striking looks.
WatchGecko 'Oblique' Milanese Mesh Stainless Steel Watch Strap – Polished
Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch on WatchGecko 'Oblique' Milanese Mesh - Credit WatchGecko
The superior steel used for the case of the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch and black dial definitely suits an equally high-quality metal bracelet. The ‘Oblique’ is a stylish, versatile watch strap with an attractive diagonal mesh weave. The design is inspired by traditional Milanese mesh bracelets known for their durability and supreme comfort.
The strap is easy to adjust and does not require any special tools. It is made of high-quality 316L grade stainless steel wire that has been woven tight, giving it a smooth and silky feel when worn on the wrist. The silver colour sets off perfectly against any dark coloured dial.
In Conclusion
It is worth mentioning that a bit of reader discretion is advised in this feature. These are our general recommendations for black dials, but ultimately, a strap must complement your specific timepiece. We are sure these watch strap suggestions will give you an excellent starting point to consider your pairing. All of the straps mentioned are of the utmost high quality, and we guarantee that you’d find them all comfortable and hard-wearing. But of course, the final decision is down to you.
