A quick history of the NATO bracelet

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A quick history of the NATO bracelet

This thin nylon band appears on the wrist of all watchmaking enthusiasts as soon as the summer sun comes up. Available in many colors, light and water resistant, it becomes the ideal accessory for sipping a cocktail in charming company by the beach or jumping on your surfboard before setting out to tame the waves.

But what is the origin of this bracelet, so practical and versatile, which has become an essential fashion accessory for almost half a century ?

To understand this, you have to go back to 1973 in England. Indeed, it was at the instigation of the British Ministry of Defense that the famous NATO bracelet was born. At the time, the English army wanted to equip its soldiers with bracelets that were discreet and resistant to the most hostile environments. Previously, watches were fitted with leather or metal straps. However, leather very quickly showed its limits when it came to operating in marine environments and the reflections of light on the metal bracelets made them too visible, thus risking jeopardizing the camouflage of a sniper.

The MOD (Ministry of Defence) therefore drew up very precise specifications in order to obtain an adequate bracelet. Here are the main features:

– Gray woven nylon 1.2mm thick (“Admiralty Grey” color – BS4800)

– Designed from a single piece

– Buckle in one piece (non-removable, without pump)

– Heat-sealed buckle and loops

– Nylon band cut and heat sealed holes

– 20mm wide (between the lugs of army watches of the time)

– 280mm in length (to be fixed on thick suits including that of Royal Navy divers).

But if this bracelet was developed by the British army, how come its name seems to allude to NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO)? It is actually a misnomer. Because if it was indeed originally created at the request of the British MOD, it was then made available to all the signatory countries with a single and standardized order reference. This reference is called “NSN”: NATO Stock Number.

This bracelet is also known by the code name “G10”, corresponding to the name of the form used by the soldiers to order them.

But where did the enthusiasm for this type of bracelet come from? How did a military object from the 1970s become the “must have” for collectors and watch enthusiasts of our time? When we think of the NATO strap, a character comes directly to mind: Bond, James Bond. Indeed, we remember the image of Sean Connery in the film “Goldfinger”, wearing his famous Rolex Submariner ref. 6538 « Big Crown » fitted with a gray and black striped nylon strap.

Sean Connery wearing his famous Rolex Submariner ref. 6538 « Big Crown » fitted with a gray and black striped nylon strap.. Source: British GQ.

In reality, Sean Connery never wore a NATO bracelet in “Goldfinger”. The film was released in cinemas in 1964, about ten years before the creation of the famous bracelet by the MOD. In addition, following the arrival of Blu-ray and the reissue of the film in high definition, we were able to have more precise images of the bracelet of the famous secret agent. It is actually a simple strip of nylon, there is no system of loops, nor a second layer of nylon under the case, characteristic of NATOs.

In 2015, Daniel Craig wore an Omega Seamaster 300 Master Co-Axial in the film “Spectre”. Source: GQ.com

The association of the agent with the NATO bracelet remains however credible knowing that in his fictional biography, he obtained the rank of “Commander” in the Royal Naval Reserve during the Second World War before entering the intelligence services of his Majesty. Moreover, in 2015, we could see Agent 007, played on screen by Daniel Craig in the film “Spectre”, wearing a magnificent Omega Seamaster 300 Master Co-axial mounted on a “genuine” NATO strap made up of black and gray stripes.

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