# pro diver / rubber strap for office / suit ?



## coolio

Hi All,

I am a traitor! I bought an Omega Planet Ocean about 8-9 months ago but barely worn it (its on the for sale pages), and I'm thinking of getting a Breitling, something like the Steelfish (if available as 'new') or a Seawolf Avenger.

With the Seawolf, I think the rubber strap looks better on my wrist (6.5 inch) just because of the way the watch is. Question is, would it be wrong to wear this with a suit to work? I wouldn't have thought so until I read somewhere lots of people saying a big fat no-no to rubber straps and formal wear. I see where they're coming from, but we're not talking about a g-shock rubber watch here! The Breitling pro diver strap along with the polished deployment claps actually looks pretty cool to me and I would have thought it would be ok to pull off wearing this with formal or casual wear... What do you guys think? Does anyone here wear this rubber strap to the office?

(In case you are wondering, I do like the look of the Pro 2 steel bracelet, but it seems to sit closer and tighter to my wrist, thereby making the watch head seem larger than with the rubber strap. Rubber also feels nice and comfy too!)

Cheers
Sunny


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## 2500M_Sub

coolio said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I am a traitor! I bought an Omega Planet Ocean about 8-9 months ago but barely worn it (its on the for sale pages), and I'm thinking of getting a Breitling, something like the Steelfish (if available as 'new') or a Seawolf Avenger.
> 
> With the Seawolf, I think the rubber strap looks better on my wrist (6.5 inch) just because of the way the watch is. Question is, would it be wrong to wear this with a suit to work? I wouldn't have thought so until I read somewhere lots of people saying a big fat no-no to rubber straps and formal wear. I see where they're coming from, but we're not talking about a g-shock rubber watch here! The Breitling pro diver strap along with the polished deployment claps actually looks pretty cool to me and I would have thought it would be ok to pull off wearing this with formal or casual wear... What do you guys think? Does anyone here wear this rubber strap to the office?
> 
> (In case you are wondering, I do like the look of the Pro 2 steel bracelet, but it seems to sit closer and tighter to my wrist, thereby making the watch head seem larger than with the rubber strap. Rubber also feels nice and comfy too!)
> 
> Cheers
> Sunny


Yeah, I think you would be fine, the bracelet would be more appropriate or even a leather strap but think you can get away with the rubber strap.

Regards,

Ren


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## G-Shock

I wear my silver dial seawolf on the proII rubber deployment clasp with a suit all the time. It' a very versatile combo. Looks great in my opinion.


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## coolio

G-Shock said:


> I wear my silver dial seawolf on the proII rubber deployment clasp with a suit all the time. It' a very versatile combo. Looks great in my opinion.


That's neat! I'm looking at the same with the black face (and with the baton markers, like yours). What size wrist do you have??

Its a big watch, but for some reason doesn't feel as big as the dimensions suggest, especially with the rubber or leather strap...it just sits about 1-2 mm higher than ideal for me...


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## G-Shock

Puny 6.25" wrist.


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## coolio

G-Shock said:


> Puny 6.25" wrist.


well it doesn't seem to look too big... I think its to do with the curved down lugs and the actual face/dial being small...solid and nice looking!


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## shandy

I have the seawolf avenger chrono, got it a couple of weeks ago. I have a 7 1/2" wrist but small hands and it looks fine I think. Funny thing is my two other "good" watches are a 34mm Rolex Air-King and a 22mm/28mm Vintage Cartier tank and I seem to be able to switch all of them and not feel any look crazy on my wrist.

I actually find despite it's thickness and width the Avenger Seawolf line wears much smaller. I also think the bracelet makes the head look smaller to me compared to the leather breitling strap I have for it. I think the metal seems to give the illusion of spreading the size of the watch throughout the wrist rather than just on top. Also, I have found wristshots always seem to distort the actual size of the watch on the wrist.

Take a look at the photo's below and see if you agree! Oh yes. Personally I could not give a rats crap what anyone thinks I should or should not wear to work or play, it's my wrist and my watch. If people judge me negatively for it then that is their issue not mine and I am not sure I would want to work somewhere with such narrow minded people for workmates!

ASC on leather (but it will give you an idea of it on a strap rather than bracelet!)









And on Bracelet( in the company of a friends speedmaster!)









And to give you an idea of distortion here are my other two for comparison!


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## Sea-Wolf

Coolio,
It all depends on what you do for a living and whether by suit you mean an actual suit or a sport coat with i.e. khakis. Generally, a rubber strap is not worn with a suit; in a casual office you can get away with a bracelet (especially in summer if you live/work i.e. below the equator where it's super hot), but leather strap is best as above said. In terms of "formal wear" and what to wear there are numerous threads here about that, which you can find via the search engine. Briefly, if we're talking formal wear (or semi formal business attire, like in a bank, law office, etc.) then the classic rules dictate that one should wear a dress watch with their suit (basically, thin white dial (or solid gold), < 40mm on a black leather strap, or exotic (i.e. croc, lizard which is even better), and the simpler the watch (i.e., no complications except maybe date function) is best. Classically speaking, that is. That said, and like so many other things, it all depends--like on for e.g. what you do, whether you meet clients face-to-face, etc., and where you live (culture and regional norms very much play into this). If you're in a casual office for e.g. and everyone else--including your boss--is wearing a G-shock, then you might if you're a junior/just starting out want to re-think any notions of wearing a solid gold Patek at that particular office for e.g. at least, not until you're promoted that is 

Trust this helps.
All the best.


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## ShortyB

I do. I also wear a SuperOcean with a yellow face. Not really interested what others think.


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## Guarionex

Here is my Ti Seawolf on leather,with the option of swapping straps you can find any combo to suit your attire.


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## up2nogood

For me, I don't like rubber in the office. 
Reckon you know should go nuts on a nice, heavy leather strap. You are right on the Pro II with the smaller wrist size. I'm just over 7" and the bracelet does pull in a bit on my Avenger when it's to one side, so imagine would be worse on your wrists due to size. 
I now have 2 rubber straps in my drawer that I don't use......


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## coolio

Loving the pics  The Pro 2 bracelet does look damn good ...


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## fastward

Rubber looks better with a swimsuit. Leather or bracelet work better in the office.


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## ShortyB

Most people don't look at our watches. We look at ever wrist that walks by but most don't. With that said do you really think anyone 
notices or cares that the black strap holding your watch on is rubber, leather or nylon,,,,,,,if they see anything it's just black.
Wear what you want.


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## Sea-Wolf

It's not that easy, ShortyB. No, people don't notice one's watch, this is most true. They do, however, notice when something is "off" and in most offices rubber watch straps are "off" when it comes to an office, which go best with a diving suit 

Cheers.


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## ShortyB

Sea-Wolf I do think it is that easy. There are no rules, Ms. Manners does not comment on your watch band as she does what fork to use.
The standard many years ago was a 36 mm on a leather band, thats changed. The average size today is @42. Divers are abundant and made by the 
most well known elite watch makers. It is the new Norm now. Rubber straps are not "off". It may not be your taste.


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## Sea-Wolf

Like I said earlier, Shorty, depends on where you work and what you do for a living. Watches have grown a tad bit in recent years, but rubber straps are not now, never have been and never will be the norm, unless you're a diver that is 

Cheers.


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## ecthelion

Sea-Wolf said:


> (culture and regional norms very much play into this). If you're in a casual office for e.g. and everyone else--including your boss--is wearing a G-shock, then you might if you're a junior/just starting out want to re-think any notions of wearing a solid gold Patek at that particular office for e.g. at least, not until you're promoted that is


This is probably the closest to truth you'll get in terms of an answer to the question of the appropriateness of strap materials for the workplace. In the vast majority of workplaces, band material appears to be unimportant/irrelevant (especially with today's greater emphasis on results and productivity and decreased emphasis on a formal standard appearance), and you're more likely to encounter places in which certain materials are frowned upon because they are impractical or pose some sort of risk (e.g. gold/platinum and leather bands in hospitals, the first because of the risk of theft and the second because of its potential biological hazard - leather would be expected to house and incubate pathogens far better than either metal or rubber; metal bands in MRI rooms; and so on) than places that frown upon band material because it somehow does not conform to (admittedly older) standards of professional dress.

There are certain work environments where you might want to defer to the non-conspicuous aspect of leather bands (such as in a courtroom, or the boardroom, and other very formal work environments where dress/formal wear are the only acceptable standard and such traditions are verbally and non-verbally "encouraged"), but today in most of those places metal bracelets on watches, provided they don't flash too much, are probably acceptable as well.

That said, the only time I think one should actually pay close attention to the accessories one wears (e.g. belt, shoes, watch, and in some cases ring/s) is in the event that such items have been commented upon directly, either in a dress code handbook/manual (UBS, for instance, has one) or by others in positions of relative authority in the workplace (either at some orientation or perhaps during the course of the day). In terms of my personal opinion and experiences, I've found that so long as it's not one of those garishly-designed and obviously "sport" rubber straps - which probably describes the majority of rubber watch bands - rubber is acceptable (and perhaps even preferable) in the workplace. An example of an acceptable rubber strap would be the black rubber strap for the Victorinox Dive Master 500 should be acceptable in any workplace where leather is acceptable (take a look at it, maybe wear it once, and you'll see what I mean), but there is a good to excellent chance the other colors are not, or they might get you the sort of attention you don't want at work (which is exactly what you should aim to avoid).


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## 1watchaholic

Sea Wolf on a rubber with a suit is ok to me, however, the thickness of the Seawolf if you can get it under your sleeve...good luck.


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## Close 2 Cool

I would not hesitate to wear a Breitling on rubber whether it was going to the gym or a wedding.

Here's my Seawolf on my 8" wrist for comparison.


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