There comes a time when we must find the right shoes to strap our favorite watches onto our wrists. And let’s face it, we live in a time where there are many options to choose from at many price points. Besides the popular NATO-style straps and Tropic-style rubber straps, we all sorta need a good leather one in our arsenal. Or perhaps a soft perlon for these hotter days of the year. At the risk of generalizing a tad too much, I’d say that we more or less see the same straps being offered on the market everyday. And thus shopping for straps becomes a little bit overwhelming and boring just the same. Sometimes, however, a brand creates something new or proposes a fresh take on a popular style. And that’s what we’re going to talk about today. 

Based in Singapore, RSM has been offering unique collections of well-made straps at competitive prices since 2019. The brand started with a single-pass Herringbone Twill strap and has evolved quite a bit since. While it offers poly-cotton and various types of robust polyester straps, today we’re going to focus on two of RSM’s most recent creations: 2-piece and reversible silk straps as well as a 2-piece and one-piece Camo that has more than a few tricks up its sleeves. What will perhaps become immediately apparent is that RSM goes the extra mile to make their straps look and feel special. Whether it is how it came about finding an artisanal silk maker or new ways to weave polyester fibers together. 

While most straps we see everyday are made of either leather, cotton, nylon, rubber, or canvas, I didn’t think I’d ever see a strap made of silk. The latter is known for being soft and elegant, and it turns out—to my great surprise—that silk is also robust as it has a high tensile strength. However, it is a material difficult to work with and expensive to acquire, so creating watch straps made out of this material was not an easy task. RSM, therefore, partnered with a silk artist who had no prior experience in the strap making business to create the 2-piece and the reversible straps. Each is woven and stitched by hand to create unique cross-hatched patterns that are available in four color combinations each. 

The two-piece version comes with a contrasting lining which marries well with the color on top. Presented here, for instance, you’ll see the Bronze with the Champagne lining version ideally paired with the Fleux FLX001. This version is equipped with RSM’s proprietary clasp specifically designed for the silk collection. Given how soft and delicate silk is, the brand quickly realized a classic tongue and buckle wouldn’t work here as the fabric could fray and get easily damaged. The operation of this clasp is quite easy and keeps the strap firmly secured on the wrist. 

The other ingenious trick this strap comes with, and which can also be found on the reversible, single-pass variant, is the adjustable buckle which makes it possible to find the perfect fit. (Adjusting the strap can be done by gently pulling on it through the buckle or removing the spring-bar found in the buckle.) This operation makes it possible to change where the keeper is and where the clasp lands on your wrist so that the strap drapes around the wrist and doesn’t create a bundle at the 12 o’clock position of the watch head. (Some of us don’t like this classic visual attribute NATO’s come with.) Both variants of the straps add elegance to any watch they are paired with and are comfortable to wear. 

The only caveat with silk which should be pointed out is that it doesn’t like moisture and water that much. So this is not the type of strap you would want to wear diving or even snorkeling. 

The second collection I’ll highlight here is the Camo strap that also comes in 2-piece and single-pass variants. RSM’s intent in providing both options is to give those of us who were born with smaller wrists the ability to find the perfect fit. My wrists have a circumference of 6.50”/17cm and I’d say both versions work well. What distinguishes this Camo strap from other similar ones is how it’s made. Oftentimes, the Camo pattern is printed onto the nylon or polyester while here it is all woven. Indeed, five pre-dyed yarns are woven together to guarantee robustness and a seamless integration of this pattern. 

And although one might think that the Camo straps might not be the most comfortable to wear on the wrist—given the patterns and Rambo-like hardware—I’ll be honest and say it’s very comfortable and soft to the touch. It is a high quality product and this can be seen in all aspects of its design and manufacturing. Looking more closely at the hardware, we can see that RSM opted for a distressed look which perfectly matches this style of strap. The fixed keeper is tall so that it is easy to pass through the reinforced tail-end. And the buckle has a rather flat profile which makes it rest gently against the skin. 

As you can see from the photos included in this write-up, I paired the two collections of straps with a variety of tool watches to showcase how versatile they are. The blue one-piece silk strap is paired with my trusty Seiko Alpinist GMT ref. SPB379—which totally changed its look. While the two-piece Champagne variant perfectly matches the Old Radium tones of the vintage-inspired Fleux FLX001. The single-pass Camo looks at home paired with the Newmark 6BB Chronograph as it enhances its pure militaristic aesthetics. 

Lastly, I would be remiss not to mention RSM’s thin and robust cotton-canvas two-piece straps handmade in Japan. They come in a variety of colors and lug widths so that one can find the perfect match for his or her watch. Below I’ve paired one with the Isotope Hydrium California. I particularly like how the earthy tones of this strap perfectly match the slightly vintage and utilitarian vibes of the California’s dial. 

In terms of prices, the Silk straps range $178-$195, the Camo ones $55-$68, and the Cotton Canvas straps will set you back $78. Yes, there are cheaper straps out there but few are made of these materials and of this quality which, to me at least, more than explains and justifies the asking prices. I recommend visiting RSM’s website to learn more about the brand and its vast catalog of straps.