The bracelet to my 40 year old Submariner 16800 is in good condition but the flap opposite of the flip-lock keeps snagging onto things. It's not as bad as some of the other subs I've seen where the flap is literally loose. But it's annoying enough for me to want to replace the bracelet with something else. A new 93150 bracelet costs about $1,250 according to ChatGPT. I'm not prepared to spend that much to replace the entire bracelet, so I decided to look into a rubber strap instead. Having it repaired didn't seem like a good option yet but I may go down this path once I find a reliable watch repair shop.
I spent a couple of weeks doing research both desktop and with ChatGPT. The main suggestions were Rubber B and Everest, but at approx. $300 a piece those straps are way outside of my budget. I really like the Rubber B Dream Strap which has pin holes that are lined up so you can find the perfect fit throughout the year. Maybe I'll pick up for my birthday or a special occasion.
ChatGPT suggested a brand I've never heard of called Crafter Blue. I did some research on the brand and it seems they got their start from making rubber straps for Seiko dive watches. Over the past few years they added Rolex rubber straps that are supposedly molded to the case for a tight fit. I placed an order last week and used a promotion code to bring it down to $60 (15% off). The strap shipped recently, so I should hopefully get it within a week or so. The company is based in Hong Kong but the strap was shipped from Seattle; no customs duty, yay!
Review to come once I've spent time with the strap.
