HANDS ON REVIEW: ZEALANDE UNIVERSAL RUBBER STRAP

Wearing your watch on a rubber strap has become increasingly popular over the years, 10 years ago people would wonder why on earth you would take your watch off a bracelet to then wear it on a rubber strap. However, today things are different and now you can actually buy very high-quality rubber straps, like those made by ZEALANDE, to perfectly fit your watch. Individualism has become more important than ever in 2024 and wearing your watch on a different material and colour of your choice is an excellent way to personalise your watch-wearing experience. That is why ZEALANDE have created a universal rubber strap so you can simply choose between the three lug width options and select the perfect rubber strap for yourself. 

Starting off with the materials, it is always important to understand what goes into making a ZEALANDE rubber strap, because at first glance you may think it is “just a rubber strap”. ZEALANDE exclusively make their rubber straps from FKM rubber, the best quality rubber you can use to make a rubber strap. This is because the colour never fades over time, it does not stretch out as it is highly durable and the strap cannot stain or become shiny like an apple watch strap does after wear and tear. Unlike silicone or other cheaper rubber straps, they may look great at first but after a few wears you will need to buy a new one if you want it to look like new again. FKM rubber is also resistant to dust, if you see silicone straps you’ll notice that they are a dust magnet and UV light (direct sunlight exposure) can fade the colour. Another benefit is some people can be allergic to the materials found in silicone straps however FKM rubber is anti-allergic. This is why ZEALANDE use FKM rubber so it can last you for a lifetime and all you need to do every once in a while, is give it a wash and it will look as good as new again. 

FKM rubber is not the only material on these straps, the buckle and pin, or deployment clasp if you choose this option, is crafted from 316L stainless steel to give it the best durability. To showcase attention to detail, on the inside of the tang buckle you will find ‘ZEALANDE’ engraved perfectly and thanks to the 316L stainless steel, the classic tang buckle is rock solid and will not break. In addition to the solid craftsmanship behind the buckle, you have a fantastic choice of four tang buckles and four deployment clasps. You can have the traditional brushed finish, a high mirror polished finish, gold plated or black PVD. 


This is because ZEALANDE wants to make sure you can configure your universal strap perfectly to match your watch and that means the clasps as well as the colour of the rubber. The same colour choices apply to the deployment clasps, which are an excellent choice if you want that extra premium feel and prefer not to have to adjust the tang buckle to the perfect whole, instead just set it to your perfect size and then it will always be a perfect fit every time you put your watch on

ZEALANDE takes it a step further than other brands and recognises that not everyone has the same size wrist, and yes there are more than enough hotels in the straps for everyone to get the perfect fit but it is never a good look if you have to wear it on the very first or last pin hole. For this reason, ZEALANDE offers you two size options length-wise to choose from, a classic and a large option. The classic length is perfect for wrist sizes between Classic for 5,71" to 7,48" (145mm to 190mm) wrists and the large is for wrist sizes 6,57" to 8,26" (166mm to 210mm). This means if you have small wrists you can shoes the classic size and you will not have lot so of strap left sticking out of the other side and conversely, if you have larger wrists you can opt for the large size to avoid wearing it on the last one or two pin hotels to make sure it looks like perfect fit.

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ZEALANDE have spent many years perfecting the design of their FKM rubber straps to make sure they not only look incredible on your wrist but also feel amazing and very comfortable. The natural curve shape to them helps to hug your wrist and the raised inside portion allows for a slight air-flow to pass between the strap and your skin. The air flow will avoid lots of sweat building up and makes the wearing experience much more pleasant. The notched designs and raised centre on the outside makes for a stylish and premium look to your watch, with those extra details included compared to just a flat design, it will match the high levels of details showcased on any of your watch dials. 

But ZEALANDE did not stop there, there are two keepers on the watch to hold the excess strap in place, the first on is semi-fixed right after the buckle and the second one features a small shaft on the understood which slots into the hole at the end of our rubber straps. This makes the ‘floating’ keeper perfectly stay in place all day without coming off and allowing the excess strap to flap around. It is details like this that may sound like ZEALANDE are overthinking everything but when you experience wearing a ZEALANDE rubber strap in your wrist, you will easily understand how much more of a superior wearing feeling it is.

And there you have it, an overview of the ZEALANDE universal rubber straps that can really enhance your watch-wearing experience. The subtle soft yet durable FKM rubber makes for a long-lasting option and a great way to make your watch really your own unique one. Of course, it goes without saying, these universal straps work with any watches that share the same lug width so you don’t need to worry about it working on certain brands and not others. Make sure you check your watches lug-width and then have fun over on the ZEALANDE website selecting your perfect universal rubber strap in the colour you most like.

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