# Leather strap - can I get it wet?



## Freetrog

I've always had metal bracelets, just got a 656 on leather.

Can I wear it in the shower? Go swimming??

thanks. M


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## CheckSix

If you hang around here long enough, you'll find out that wearing your watch in the shower isn't a good idea. I was at a watch repair shop a couple of months back and thought that the watch owner was wearing his watch while hanging sheetrock. No, the soap residue had worked its way into everything - spring pins, in this case all the links in the bracelet and most surprising, the caking of residue, debris and oil against and under the caseback reached the gasket. The impact on a leather strap would be secondary to the watch's "health & safety."


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## Kurt Koerfgen

*No and no*

Normal leather straps are not intended to be submerged in water.

There are some leather straps available, the Sinn strap with case integration (made by DiModell) is one and Hirsch of Austria makes others, that are rated water resistant up to 100m.

Materials on these straps have been chosen and treated to give them added water protection, but - not unlike leather shoes - the more they are exposed to water, the faster they will age.

While a metal bracelet can be expected to last the life of a watch, straps have a more limited lifespan and my preferred option when swimming will always be either a bracelet, or a watch on a strap made from synthetic materials.


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## stetre76

CheckSix said:


> If you hang around here long enough, you'll find out that wearing your watch in the shower isn't a good idea.


that's probably one the most often stated mistakes one is to hear when it comes to watches and water resistance

in general you can take it like this: 

if the watch is water resistant and the gaskets/sealings are in good condition, then the watch simply is water resistant and neither soap nor the water pressure of the shower (also quite often stated) can do the watch any harm
however, if the gaskets are in poor condition and the watch's water resistance is not given any more then it water would permeate anyway
therefore it is important to check the watch's water resistance regularly and then neither swimming, showering,... is a problem.

concerning the leather straps:
as mentioned before "normal" leather straps are not really designed for water use. my experience is that even the waterproof leaterh straps suffer after some time in the water or after being exposed to water regularly.
the quality of the strap suffers, it's not as nice to watch as it was before and depending on the water (salt water) the straps also start to smell.


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