Artem Has Come for the Nato Strap Market

in

Disclaimer

Anytime I write a review or conduct a collaboration that involves profit in any way, I’m compelled to inform my readers and followers of this. Being an active member of the watch community myself, I feel a responsibility to maintain a clear and discernible level of respect for those who share this passion.

For this reason, if I am being paid to talk about a particular product - I’ll always make sure you know upfront. So, in that spirit of transparency – I am being paid to conduct this review.

However, there’s a caveat to this disclaimer. The fact of the matter is that I just don’t have it in me to manipulate or deceive for money. The content I create within this community is a true passion for me. I didn’t start my account to make money and I haven’t continued to contribute my perspective over the years for that reason either. Personally, I think it’s nice to be compensated from time to time for the considerable amount of effort I put into my content. But that doesn’t mean I’d ever jeopardize my integrity for a buck. I just love watches and the community surrounding them too much to do that.

So, built into my process, with respect to paid reviews, is my own internal review before I ever agree to go forward with writing about a product. I don’t have it in me to fabricate or amplify my thoughts and feelings about anything watch related. I either like it or I don’t – if I can’t stand behind it or wouldn’t use it myself, I just can’t write a piece suggesting others should.

This review does not deviate from that approach. This company sent me an example of their product to try out before I agreed to do the review and accept payment. So, as a bit of a spoiler, the fact that you’re reading this disclaimer means I think highly of this product.

Setting the Stage

Before we get into the revelation that is these new nato straps from Artem, I thought it would be prudent to also draw your attention to the review I conducted previously on their sailcloth line of straps.

As I state up front in that article, I’m a bracelet guy. So, convincing me to wear anything other than a bracelet (where that option is available) is a difficult task.

I’m a curmudgeon and a nitpicker when it comes to the look and feel of aftermarket strap options. I’ve been made this way by the strap market landscape. I really believe a lot of the companies out there that are making it their business to produce straps aren’t putting in the time or effort, and aren’t minding the fine details. Unfortunately, for the most part, it seems to be a cash-grab environment. Virtually no suppliers that I’ve experienced seem to care about the wearing experience of their product. They seem to be more interested in making the product look deceptively good on their site, and moving units. The end-user experience is apparently irrelevant to their business model.

This is obviously very frustrating.

Some people have skeletons in their closet – well, I’ve got a pile of useless straps in a dusty old drawer. I’ve invested my trust and my money in a variety of straps from different providers, hoping beyond hope that maybe this time I’d be rewarded with an aftermarket strap produced by a company that actually cares about the end-user experience. Sadly, nine out of ten times, when the new strap arrived and I pulled it out of its packaging, it was clear from the outset that this item would not match its associated price tag, or my expectations (which, again, are very high).

All of this to say, it was such a nice contrast and a refreshing experience to receive those original sailcloth straps and to immediately see and feel the standard that Artem set for themselves as a strap provider. And, as I saw those sailcloth straps show up in my Instagram feed more and more over those following months, it was clear to me that I wasn’t alone in being able to quickly identify that Artem was doing something different – something that was very much needed in the space.

With those sailcloth straps, Artem sent a wakeup call to the entire aftermarket strap industry. No longer would you be able to hawk sub-par straps that aren’t designed or constructed to champion a favourable wearing experience. No longer would you be able to find sustainable success conning watch enthusiasts into drawer-bound strips of fabric or leather.

A word of warning to existing strap providers and would-be strap entrepreneurs – Artem isn’t messing around. The sailcloth strap they created was an opening salvo in a war that will see the unmasking of those providers who intend to sell substandard straps and will most likely create a healthier, more competitive strap market that favours the demographic it should – the watch community.

With the release of these new nato straps, Artem is making it crystal clear that they’re going to expand into every genre of the strap market, so long as their competition continues to serve up products that make the space ripe for the taking.

The Nato Strap Market, Before Artem

I’m generally hard on aftermarket straps. However, I’m specifically discerning when it comes to aftermarket natos, in particular. Even though I’m a bracelet guy, when I do get the motivation to change things up, I think nato. So, because I consider myself part of the nato-buying crowd, I care about what’s available for purchase and the level of quality you get for your dollars.

There’s definitely no shortage of options out there – the market is full of providers. Unfortunately, in nearly every case, when you choose to pull the trigger on a nato, you get very little in return.

I’ve experienced many different natos from many different providers. I’m not going to name names but some of them came from big brands in the watch community. It pains me to say that, much more often than not, the wearing experience these straps offered was abysmal. I’ve wasted a lot of money searching for natos that I’d hoped would rise to the occasion.

Prior to receiving Artem’s new natos for review, I’d been on record many times stating there was only one brand that produced the goods. That brand is Omega. However, they don’t come cheap – you’re made to pay for every ounce of quality they offer. And, when I say pay, I mean pay dearly – at the time of writing this review, if you were to purchase Omega’s 007 Edition nato strap, you’d be expected to cough up $440 CAD ($320 USD).

While that charge can sting your bank account, you do get quality for that money – no doubt. And, up until now – in my opinion – there really was no other choice. I think Omega was very aware that every other option out there in the nato space paled heavily in comparison to the quality they were (are) producing. Unfortunately, because they were really the only game in town, they knew they could push the price into the stratosphere (and they did).

It isn’t fun to be extorted in this way – it does sully the enjoyment of the product. However, I can’t hold Omega accountable for this. They had a much better product and its superiority is reflected in its pricing. Frankly, it’s the competitor brands that created an environment which allowed Omega to justify such soaring prices. The competition’s contented disposition to produce low quality, uncomfortable natos convinced Omega that they were unique and their product was unchallenged by anything else out there.

But nothing lasts forever. It wasn’t a matter of if, but when a strap provider would finally make the decision to go toe to toe with the reigning champ – and that time is now.

Artem has entered the ring, and they’ve come for the title and the belt.

Artem Has Entered the Chat

I don’t know if Artem always planned to expand into nato straps when they introduced their sailcloth options just a year ago. I probably could just ask them though – they’re one of the more responsive teams I’ve ever encountered. Whatever the case, whether they always planned to produce natos or they saw the opportunity, I’m confident that they’re here to stay.

If the quality of their sailcloths didn’t establish that Artem is playing for keeps, these natos they just dropped should leave no doubt – Artem means to challenge all strap makers by putting watch enthusiasts first.

This is a masterclass in how you build a brand. Offer a high-quality product that matches or exceeds the quality of your key competitor while also severely undercutting their pricing. I truly believe there’s more margin to be made on the supreme quality straps Artem offers, but I respect the process they’re applying. They’re ensuring that the price of admission to realize you get the same (or more) is so low that it becomes clear across the entire watch community that the decision of who you should give your money to is a no-brainer.

So, the question is – what do you get with an Artem nato strap?

The Look

This section of the review isn’t that important. I know that sounds sort of foolish. After all, looks obviously do matter – I’ve been on the record saying as much many times before. However, the reason I say it doesn’t matter (necessarily) is because we’re talking natos here. And, I don’t mean it doesn’t matter how natos look on your watch and on your wrist – it most definitely does.

The reason I say the look of a nato is not a large consideration is because, in my experience, most natos tend to look the part pretty well. That’s what makes buying a nato so tricky. It’s quite simple to make a nato look great in product photos. Many nato providers can easily nail strong colourways and style their straps on sought after watches. Typically, this is enough to visually convince potential buyers that what they’ll receive will look great. And, indeed it may – but looks mean nothing if it isn’t enjoyable to wear. You need to have both – look and feel.

Speaking specifically about Artem’s first run of nato colourways, I say bravo. They chose to go with three Bond inspired colourways and one Speedmaster Ultraman style colourway. This just shows what kind of people are behind these straps – true watch people. It can certainly be debated what the most iconic watches are, and we aren’t going to resolve that discussion here. However, I think it’s more than fair to say that the Seamaster, Speedmaster, and Submariner lines, found in Omega’s and Rolex’s catalogues respectively, are at least among the watches that should be considered when discussing icons. By offering a Spectre era colourway, a Commander style colourway, and a No Time to Die era colourway they’re evoking that Bondian theme that so many of us love to emulate with our Seamasters and Subs. And, of course, offering the quirky and simple styling of the Ultraman colourway plays right into Speedmaster owners’ wheelhouse. These three watches are nearly unanimously loved across the watch community, and there’s a pretty good chance that most every watch lover has one of these models in their collection. So, it goes without saying that this is a great first move when it comes to the selection they are providing. However, that’s not to say that you need any of the above models to buy into the thematic concept. I’ve put Bond styled natos on my Hamilton Khaki Pilot Pioneer Mechanical before and they feel right at home.

What’s my favourite colourway among them? I think, for me, it’s got to be the NTTD. I just think the colour combinations within that strap are amazing. All of the colour options are handsome but, if I had to choose, I’d go No Time to Die. I’m glad I don’t have to choose just one though.

The Feel

This section is for all the marbles. As I said, most natos pass the initial sniff test of looking good. However, you can offer the best looking nato ever conceived and if it doesn’t feel nice on the wrist, how it looks doesn’t really matter at all.

Speaking broadly, there are a couple of factors that play into how a nato feels on the wrist. Those factors are; the type of material the nato is constructed from, the refinement of the weave pattern, how the weave pattern is closed out on the edges, and how the strap keeper hardware is applied.

With regard to the material being used, there are multiple options a nato strap provider can go with. Artem selected polyamide (nylon) as their fabric of choice – the very same material Omega uses for their natos. From what I’ve experienced, you want to see the words “polyamide nylon” instead of “seatbelt style nylon”. Every seatbelt style fabric that I’ve had on my wrist has been abrasive and uncomfortable. Polyamide straps seem to lay true on the wrist and don’t tend to present any chafing properties on their surface. Not to mention, this material seems to hold up to wear and tear much better than any other nato fabric I’ve experienced. From my perspective, every nato should be made of this material.

Next point of consideration that impacts wrist feel is the refinement of the weave pattern. This isn’t something you’ll see with the naked eye. You’ve got to get in really close. As you’ll see in the associated image, both the Artem and the Omega natos use an interlocking pattern where the strands of fabric weave from one row to the next. It’s very difficult for me to determine if one weave pattern is tighter than the other, but both seem to offer a very robust and connective pattern that lends itself to comfortable wearing. These weave patterns place both Artem and Omega natos head and shoulders above the competition.

Following up from the weave pattern that constitutes the body of Artem’s natos, let’s explore the pattern on the edges of the strap. This portion of any nato is key in assuring comfort. Some natos I’ve experienced in the past are almost immediately disappointing in this regard. I’m not a textiles expert so I can’t really explain in words what went wrong with these past natos. All I can assume is that the carry-over of the weave pattern from the body of the strap was not well closed out at the edges – causing micro-edges that can (and do) cause abrasion. To my eye, it seems like the braiding pattern of the weave on the edges of Artem’s natos is, again, quite similar to Omega’s. This braid ensures that the weave pattern is contained within the mass of the strap – pushing directionally back toward the strap mass instead of jutting outward. These Artem natos cause no abrasion at the edges whatsoever.

So, up to this point I’ve stated that Artem uses top quality material, that they apply a premium weave pattern, and that the edges of their natos are finished neatly – all of these elements make their offering better than all but one nato provider and put them neck and neck with a powerhouse (Omega). If this were the end of the review, you’d have to say ‘well done’. This is Artem’s first effort in the nato space and they are matching the quality of the best nato provider to date. However, this review isn’t over. As I said above, there’s one last aspect that factors heavily into the feel of a nato strap – how the strap keeper hardware is applied. This element of Artem’s natos is what has allowed them to dethrone Omega from its dominion over the nato market. I always felt that there was one small (but significant) oversight in Omega’s natos. If you take an Omega nato in your hand and locate the lower strap keeper hardware (the keeper with Omega’s branding on it), then flip the strap over to the underside, you’ll notice that the steel hardware is exposed outside the bounds of the strap material. This means that this keeper will make contact, directly, with your wrist. While wearing an Omega nato, you won’t notice the steel keeper against your skin immediately (there won’t be instant discomfort). However, if you wear the strap long enough, this exposed steel will eventually begin to dig into the side of your wrist. And, when you take the strap off, you’ll notice that the exposed keeper will have imprinted a pressure point in the form of the steel bar into your skin. This is not optimum, to put it lightly. Now, Artem must have done some backwards engineering and had some serious discussions around how they could one-up Omega’s nato design, because if you conduct the same inspection on the Artem nato, you’ll see quite clearly that the underside of their branded keeper isn’t exposed to the wrist. Their lower keeper is protected from the wrist by the fold-back loop of the nato strap itself. So, when wearing the Artem nato, none of the steel keepers press directly against your skin. This makes the long-term wearing experience consistent and comfortable, and when you take your watch off for the day, there’s no keeper indent in your skin. Aside from that, there’s also another benefit in the way Artem integrated the branded keeper into the strap itself. If you compare the Omega and the Artem, and you inspect how this keeper is applied, you’ll realize that the Omega branded keeper depends on the jumble of concentrated nylon (created by the strap fold-back) to ensure the keeper doesn’t slip off the strap. It seems that, with enough force, it could be pulled completely free from the strap. This is kind of concerning. The good news is that with Artem’s version, because it isn’t exposed on the underside and is protected by the strap itself, it’s actually integrated into a closed and sewn loop – meaning there is no chance of removing this keeper by force. You’d literally have to fray all of the threading that affixes the fold-back loop for the keeper to come free. The probability of that happening is most likely nil. This improvement is a great example of impressive attention to detail. The Artem team obviously cares about what they’re offering customers.

To close out this section, let me just make this statement – Artem’s natos match, in quality and construction, the aspects that have made Omega the nato provider of note up to this point. But they didn’t stop there. They decided to put an exclamation point on their offering by actually significantly improving a key aspect in wearability, besting Omega in how they apply their branded keepers. If Omega is supposed to be the best nato manufacturer and I just alluded that Artem is producing a better nato, what does that make Artem?

Pricing

This is just the cherry on top.

Frankly, within reason, price doesn’t matter all that much to me. I’ll pay a premium for quality. These are luxury products and accessories after all. I’m willing to pay more for something better. However, I think we can collectively agree that Omega’s natos cost a large sum for an alternative, rough and tumble strap. So, if I can pay less and get the same (actually better) quality, I’d be a fool not to say ‘yes, please’. This is what Artem is offering and I’m so thankful they are. Their pricing is much more reasonable and strikes a fair balance between making a profit and ensuring the buyer doesn’t feel fleeced.

Let’s look at the Artem to Omega pricing, apples to apples:

So, for the Spectre and No Time to Die era natos, as you can see, you’re paying significantly more for the Omega version. 165% more for the Spectre era nato, and 430% more for the No Time to Die era nato. So much more money for lesser straps. And, in regard to the Commander and Ultraman straps, Omega doesn’t even offer those as purchasable options. However, I’m willing to speculate that, if they did, Omega wouldn’t come close to Artem’s reasonable pricing.

It's not very often (if ever) that you pay less for a legitimately better product, but it’s happening here without a doubt.

What I’d Like to See Next

First off – Artem shouldn’t change anything about these current designs. The colours are on point, the construction is second to none, and the fit and feel are top notch.

What I would like to see is more of the same (or same-ish).

Firstly – more colourways. Maybe some less complex colour designs – like a solid OD Green or a solid Khaki Tan. The more options the better. For this wishlist item, I’ve got some news - a little birdie told me that this is in the works. So, we can expect more colourways in the near future.

Secondly – more size options. The only size currently available is 20mm. That’s a great size to begin with, but I’d like to see more. It would be amazing if they could expand each line to include sizes from 18mm all the way up to 22mm. Doing this would open up these high quality natos to so many more watches, which is something I’d like to see because I’m all too aware of the struggle to find quality natos for certain lug widths. Being able to depend on one nato provider, no matter the size necessary, would be amazing. I’m happy to say that I received news on this item as well - Artem does plan to expand their sizing options to be more inclusive of varying lug widths.

Outside of seeing Artem expand the nato line by adding more colourways and more sizing options, I’m completely satisfied with what they’ve done with these so far.

Final Thoughts

Have no doubt – when you go to Artem’s nato strap shop, you’re looking at the very best natos on the market. No other provider can compete with the quality they are producing.

Simply put, they look fantastic, they feel incredibly comfortable on the wrist, they’re well thought out, and they’re reasonably priced.

Artem has done it again. They targeted a segment of the market and delivered a product that means to dominate in the space. With a company like Artem, I’m always left wondering, what will they do next? Whatever it is, I’m confident it’s something worth getting excited about.