Elastomers vs Silicone Watchbands

Silicone rubber and elastomers are synthetic compounds that were created to mimic and provide an alternative to the real thing. They have their different strengths and weaknesses and they are considerably cheaper than the all-natural option for watch straps.

Since we cannot try to assimilate the two materials because they are much more complicated than it actually appears, we will make our choice by paying attention only to the relevant qualities that each rubber possesses. By relevant qualities we mean the attributes that customers look for in strap before deciding to buy it.These attributes are comfort, durability and elasticity.

Before diving in, it's important to mention that most forms of rubber are Elastomers. Elastomer is the umbrella word which is used to refer to all synthetic and natural polymers which have an elastic nature.
The elastomer in this article refers to all other types or rubbers that are not completely natural or silicone. These are rubbers which are mostly industrial but have also been used in the creation of low end webbing.

Silicone rubbers are incredibly customizable multifunctional one part or two part polymers that are incredibly stable, heat resistant and non-reactive. They are widely used by the manufacturing and beauty industry in the creation of some products and they can be used for just about anything.

Flexible and expandable
Incredibly breathable
Durability

Inclined to tears
ElasticityVery elastic

Elastomers

There are many types of synthetic rubber out there that can and have been used to make wristwatch straps. They are all different and have their strengths and weaknesses. We will focus on PVC and PU rubber as these are the most common.

PVC rubber

It is a thermoplastic vinyl polymer which is very durable, but not quite elastic. This type of strap is found on less expensive sports watches and typically break when exposed to extreme conditions.

Comfortability

The material is not very breathable
Durability

Rubber is extremely durable, but cannot withstand extreme weather conditions.

Elastic

Rubber is not particularly malleable
PU rubberThese are fire resistant polymers that are made up of organic units that are attached by carbamate bonds. They are one of the most durable and load bearing rubbers out there. They are used in machine making and sometimes they find their way into the wrist strap market.
Comfortability

They are not quite comfortable or breathable

They can often get sticky when they get wet
Durability

They are quite durable
Elasticity

The material is not the most malleable Elastomer.
Without a doubt, pure rubber is definitely the material to go with if you want to buckle down and not compromise, but there are other options that aren't too bad too. Silicone rubber, for example, is fairly well rounded but it's not as durable as the real thing.

The other types of Elastomers are also basically lacking in some areas PVC and PU rubber is quite durable, but not breathable or elastic.
If we had to choose a particular material and recommend it, it would have to be silicone rubber. We recommend it because it strikes a balance between comfort and durability and that's very rare for something so inexpensive.

You cannot afford not to take good care of your watches when you are paying over $ 2000 with each purchase, it is just unnatural.

You simply have to make an effort to keep your watches in tip-top shape and this usually involves storing them in the upright cabinets, taking them to the watchmaker every now and then, and most importantly, fitting them with the best watch straps on the market. market.

Choosing the right type of bracelets is not as difficult as it used to be. With the leather out of the way, choosing a rubber belt shouldn't be a challenge if you know what you're looking for.

The case is pretty open and closed when it comes to choosing the right quality rubber straps. Pure rubber is still the way to go. It's better than silicones and other elastomers because it's much more comfortable, durable, and breathable than all of the other synthetic polymers out there. But if we were to recommend either Elastomer or Silicone, we would recommend silicone.