Leather Watch Straps

Leather straps for work and evenings

Leather gives a smartwatch the look of a traditional watch. It softens and shapes to the wrist the more it is worn, and it suits an office, a dinner or a suit. It is not a strap for the pool or the gym, so many people keep a silicone or fabric strap alongside it for exercise and sleep. The straps here are made to be compatible with Apple Watch, not by Apple.

The leather straps here

• Retro leather straps with a classic belt-style buckle, in plain leather or a crack-line finish that looks aged, in browns, greys, greens, pinks and black.
• Bracelet-style bands with a choice of leather or silicone on the same design, in colours such as rouge, taupe, grey and midnight blue.

For leather that closes with a magnet instead of a buckle, see the leather loops in sport loop watch straps. For something just as smart that can get wet, see metal watch straps.

Getting the size right

Apple sorts its watch sizes into two groups, and a strap made for one size fits every size in its group. Bands for 38mm, 40mm, 41mm and 42mm fit 38mm, 40mm, 41mm and 42mm cases. Bands for 44mm, 45mm, 46mm and 49mm fit 44mm, 45mm, 46mm and 49mm cases. Your watch's size is engraved on its back. There is one trap: on the old Series 3, 42mm was the larger of the two cases, so a 42mm Series 3 takes straps from the larger group.

The leather straps here say the same thing in their own words: their small sizes are interchangeable across 38mm, 40mm, 41mm and the Series 10 42mm, and their large sizes across the 42mm Series 3, 44mm, 45mm, 46mm and 49mm. A buckle strap adjusts hole by hole, so choose the hole that is snug but comfortable, as Apple puts it, with the sensors on the back against your skin.

Looking after a leather strap

Keep leather dry. Apple says not to soak its own leather bands, and the same goes for any leather strap. Take it off for swimming, the shower, washing up and hard exercise, and if it gets damp, wipe it with a dry cloth and let it dry away from a radiator. Sweat darkens leather over time, so a strap worn every day will change colour a little: part of its look. Replace it when the leather cracks, the holes stretch, or it stays damp.

Questions people ask about leather watch straps

Is this real leather?

Each product page says what the strap is made of. One design here comes in leather or silicone, chosen as an option, so check which you have picked.

How do I change the strap?

Apple's steps are simple. Put the watch face down on a soft cloth, hold the band release button on the back, and slide the old strap across and out. Slide the new one in, with its writing facing you, until it clicks. Never force a strap into the slot, and do not wear the watch if the strap slides once it is in.

How long does delivery take?

Delivery is included in every price and tracked to your door. Each product page says when it usually arrives.

More to look at

• Metal watch straps
• Sport loop watch straps
• Nylon watch straps
• Silicone watch straps
• All straps compatible with Apple Watch
• Guide: Watch straps: sizes, materials and fitting