iStrap Leather Watch Band -Alligator Grain Embossed Pattern Calfskin Replacement Strap-Stainless Steel Deployment Buckle with Push Buttons-Bracelet for Men Women-18mm 19mm 20mm 21mm 22mm 24mm

~1-MONTH UPDATE:Much to my surprise, this strap has performed extremely well - so well, in fact, that I bought an identical one for another watch. I've gotten a lot of compliments from people, and they all seem surprised that it cost <$20. So far, there's no significant wear despite daily use. Definitely recommend!ORIGINAL REVIEW:When looking at a strap like this, I think it's important to keep in mind what you're getting and, more importantly, what you're not. What you're getting is almost certainly a relatively low quality strap that is likely to have durability issues. You're not getting the same quality materials that you would probably expect from a $200-300 OEM strap. Instead, you're getting relatively low quality leather and likely low quality materials for the clasp mechanism that, while they look nice, are unlikely to be nearly as durable as a more expensive strap.With that said, I'm happy with the quality of the strap for the price. Here are my thoughts:- The leather looks nice but is extremely stiff; while this is to be expected with an alligator-like style, I suspect that this is also due to the relatively low quality of the leather used. There is absolutely no give in the leather, and it's not supple in the slightest. The strap is extremely difficult to bend as there is almost no give because of the stiffness. I suspect that if you were to fully bend the strap, it would likely leave clear creases in the leather.- The clasp and buckle works as expected, but as noted above the materials feel extremely cheap and lightweight, and I expect durability to be an issue. With a <$20 strap I wouldn't expect anything different, and I expect that this strap will likely need to be replaced again in the relatively near future, especially with heavy use. However, the clasp does work as advertised, and I haven't had any trouble with the button mechanism releasing the clasp when pressed or with the clasp spontaneously coming loose so far.- The size of the band is as advertised. I got a 22mm strap and it fit the lugs on my watch perfectly.- I absolutely love leather straps with the metal clasps: the leather strap makes the watch much lighter than a full metal band and I just prefer the look of a leather strap over a metal bracelet, but the clasp mechanism reduces wear on the leather since you're not having to constantly pull the strap to put the watch on/off. As above, the steel used on the clasp mechanism is very thin and lightweight, and I bet I could probably bend it just with the force of my hands. This obviously raises durability concerns.- Aesthetically, the strap does look quite nice. Seen in passing, it looks like a high-quality, OEM strap that you might see on a nicer watch. The key issue here will be how it wears with time, and I don't expect that it will wear nicely, but out of the packaging, it looks great.- I've only worn my watch after replacing the strap for a day, but it has been comfortable to wear so far. The leather is so stiff that it actually creaks a little bit when moved, but other than that I haven't had any issues. As I mentioned above, the clasp stays securely shut and I haven't had an issue with the clasp abruptly coming open during regular use.- The packaging did include a spring bar tool and some extra spring bars, so if you don't have either, you're covered here. I ended up buying a separate spring bar tool and used that, so I can't comment on the quality of the tool, though it looks and feels quite cheap, and the other tool that I bought cost more than the entire cost of this strap. I also used the original spring bars that came with the watch since I still had them, so I can't comment on the quality of those either. For one-off use the included tool is probably fine, but you find yourself replacing watch straps with any degree of regularity, you'd probably be better served buying a higher quality tool separately.Should you buy this strap? That's a difficult question, and it depends on what you're looking for. If you're looking for a strap that is likely to last quite a long time, this almost certainly isn't going to be the strap for you. I haven't had the strap long enough to comment on long-term durability (I will update this review if/when I have any issues), but at this price point and based on my impression of the materials, I think there's zero chance that this strap is going to last a long time. You should expect that you will need to replace this strap at some point in the future, especially if you wear your watch regularly. However, for a <$20 strap, I'm satisfied with the product as a whole: it looks nice (for now) and functions as advertised, and it's better than the strap it replaced, which was entirely broken and made my watch unwearable. If you set your expectations accordingly and understand that you're not getting the quality of an original OEM strap that costs $200 or more, then this is a great product for the price (as long as it lasts more than a couple of months).

Looking for an inexpensive strap for my Citizen Ecodrive, I found the reviews for this product almost unbelievable, especially at this price, and especially because a butterfly deployant clasp is included along with 4 spring bars and an installation tool. But after installing and wearing it, I have to say it does compare favorably to alligator grain straps from other manufacturers for which I've paid more than 4 times as much. Is it as nice as $300 straps sold by OEMs such as Rolex, Omega, etc? Of course not. And even high end aftermarket brands exude a look of higher price, if not quality. But for everyday wear on "daily drivers" like my Ecodrive, it looks just fine.Installation is easy with included spring bars and spring bar tool, but I find the quality of the spring bars and tool questionable. One supplied spring bar popped apart during installation, with the internal spring and end piece falling out on the workbench. The supplied tool is rather short and hard to hold securely in place on the spring bar, which risks slippage and possible scratching of the watch lugs. I did use the spring bars after applying a slight crimp to prevent the guts from popping out. But because I own a professional spring bar installation tool, I used it rather than risk damaging the watch head.The leather strap is nicely padded and about as stiff as any other brand new leather strap. A couple of days of wear has it conforming nicely to the wrist. The material on the wrist side of the strap may or may not be genuine leather, but it's supple and comfortable.The butterfly deployant clasp is already installed on the buckle end of the strap, and the end with the holes is easily inserted into the clasp after opening the folding buckle. I've paid $40 or more for "high end" versions of this clasp. And while those do appear more stout and better finished, the clasp included here is frankly just as much up to the job and looks quite nice. FYI, a clasp such as this, rather than a tang-style buckle, extends the life of the strap by eliminating the sharp bending of the leather at the buckle.Considering the short time I've worn this strap and clasp, I feel that rating it for durability would be unfair. But I see no reason to assume it won't hold up as well as more pricey competitors. Given the look, fit, and feel of the strap, plus the inclusion of a deployant clasp, I feel this product is well worth the price.

I had recently got a Gear Sport smartwatch. I certainly wasn't going to wear it with the silicon band. I always wear a metal watch band, but as the color of the watch itself didn't match well with any metal band I would have gotten, I decided to go leather. I had gotten a regular dark brown leather band, but I quickly remembered why I'm not a fan: after wearing metal bands on watches my whole life, me fumbling around with a regular leather band everytime I put on or took off the watch was a cumbersome process I wanted nothing to do with.So I found this band with a push button clasp. It was inexpensive, the color works well with pretty much any standard colored watch, the pattern on the leather gives it a little class without being over the top, and the 20mm version fit my gear sport perfectly while not looking to thin on my wrist (I'm a bigger guy). Also, I've had it for a month and half, and haven't had any issues with any wear or tear, or color fading (seems to hold up fairly well to water thus far). Most importantly, after a slight learning curve setting the band to the right size and putting it on the first couple times, the clasp works great. Not as simple as most metal watch bands, but it's a snap compared to the standard leather band.A couple small gripes are that the second (free roaming) loop is much too loose and tends to wonder away from where you need to place it, and additionally, the leather is pretty stiff (though it is slooooooowly getting a little better over time). This things are minor enough that it's not an issue. I still have to see how long it will hold up, but think I'd be fine absolutely purchasing this again if I needed another leather watch band.