Another strap review from WRUK, this time from a fledgling company over in Poland: Paul Twice. How does their natural Horween look on a vintage Rolex Datejust?
Paul Twice Strap Review
The world of watch straps is very competitive. As well as a number of skilled artisanal makers there are big companies such as Watchgecko that put out high-quality straps at low prices. Paul Twice aims itself squarely at the gap in the middle of the market, promising hand-made straps that do not cost the earth.
First things first, this strap (which was given to us free of charge) retails at €99. The straps are all priced around this point, and that will immediately make a lot of potential buyers think twice. You can, after all, get a very decent watch strap for half that price or less. It will, of course, have been factory-made and the grade of leather will not be quite as good but I can’t ignore the fact that I have watches that cost less than this strap!
The good news is that Paul Twice watch straps are indeed of very good quality. Although the leather is not backed, it is very smooth to the touch and does not irritate the skin. The texture of the leather feels great, it is soft enough to feel supple but not so soft that the pin of the buckle pulls at the holes and stretches the material the first time you wear it. I liked the natural finish, and the way the fibres of the material “lift” as the strap flexes. I anticipate that over the years it will pick up an attractive patina.
Video Review
Paul Twice suggested I tried the strap on my vintage Rolex Datejust 1601 (full review here) which I thought was rather a high bar for a strap – and which demonstrates the confidence the company has in the quality of its straps. Is a Paul Twice watch-band “worthy” of being fitted to a Rolex? It’s hard to say. It certainly does not look bad on the watch – though I would never choose normally to wear my Rolex on leather. I tried it on a couple of other watch heads and the one that I felt it suited best was the Vintro Le Mans 52 so it may well end up fitted to that in the long term. Looking online, I can see that Fratello watches also ended up fitting Paul Twice straps to a chronograph (in their case an Omega Speedmaster).
Paul Twice Watch Straps – the WRUK verdict
Overall? I was impressed with the Paul Twice watch strap. I like the feel, the look and the quality of the leather. Presentation is more than acceptable with a cardboard box and tissue-paper wrapping. The buckle is “okay” – but I would immediately swap it for the one that matched whichever watch I was fitting the strap onto anyway. The price point is high, but still cheaper than an OEM strap for a quality watch and you do get what you pay for. All in all, I can recommend Paul Twice watch straps.
Buy a Paul Twice watch strap
Paul Twice watch straps are available online from PaulTwice.com
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