High-quality bands for the Apple Watch band tend to be quite expensive, but they don't have to be. Clockwork Synergy makes some incredible bands. Their newest bands, the Cordura style, are no exception. Best of all? You don't have to break the bank if you want in on this action.
Price: $35Bottom line: Clockwork Synergy hits it out of the park again with this classy but casual band for Apple Watch. Cordura bands are lined with comfortable leather and topped with canvas fabric in a variety of colors to suit every look.
The Good
- Attractive
- Comfortable
- Lots of band and hardware color choices
- Fits the Apple Watch perfectly
- Reasonably priced
The Bad
- Leather is somewhat stiff initially
- Not ideal for tiny wrists
Colorful and easy to wear
Clockwork Synergy Cordura Apple Watch Bands: What I like
I own quite a few Clockwork Synergy bands and I always recommend them to my friends and family. Their quality can't be beaten. I've worn them in regular rotation for years and never had a single issue with wear and tear. Other brands have developed small tears in the leather/fabric, or the adaptors themselves have distorted and no longer fit the watch properly. This is not the case with Clockwork Synergy, which uses the best adapters. Clockwork Synergy's adapters actually look better than most of the adapters other companies use — the shape is more expensive looking than most and they slide on and off the watch like butter (but only when they're supposed to, of course).
Clockwork Synergy's latest style is called Cordura, which are two-layer bands. The interior layer is genuine leather that feels nice against the skin, while the outer layer is a stain-resistant 1000 denier Cordura canvas fabric. This is the sort of fabric you'd find on a high-quality hiking gear backpack.
As with all Clockwork Synergy bands, the adapters come in your choice of stainless steel, brushed steel, yellow gold, rose gold, PVD black, brushed gold, and space grey. For the buckle, choose any of the first five colors listed above. There are 20 color options for the bands themselves, ranging from neutrals to brights to military camo patterns.
The bands are compatible with any series Apple Watch, and available in both the 38mm (or 40mm) and 42mm (or 44mm) sizes.
Not a perfect fit for everyone
Clockwork Synergy Cordura Apple Watch Bands: What I don't like
The Cordura bands are currently available in two sizes, but Clockwork Synergy is phasing out the smaller size. That's unfortunate for me, as my wrists are pretty small at 145mm. I was sent the larger M/L size, and I can wear it on the second-smallest of seven holes. This means the tail wraps around my wrist far enough that it's visible when looking at the watch face. I would have gotten the S/M size if it wasn't being phased out.
The leather is pretty stiff initially. Bending it and breaking it in helps to clear that up, but just be aware that it's not super supple right out of the box.
Overall, fabulous bands
Clockwork Synergy Cordura Apple Watch Bands: Bottom line
I've spent a lot of time and money trying out different bands for the Apple Watch, and the general rule is that you get what you pay for. Apple's own bands are fantastic but quite pricey. You can find some real bargains on Amazon, eBay, and the like, but I've found at least as many duds as gems in the lower price ranges. Clockwork Synergy puts out amazing products at fair price points. I'm a huge fan of a number of their bands. Their Perlon, Classic Nato, Dapper Leather, and Lizard Leather bands are all in my regular daily rotation (yes, I do wear a different watch band every day.) Clockwork Synergy's bands are under $50, with some styles as low as $15.
For a limited time, you can use this special coupon code for iMore users to save 25 percent off of your purchase: SAVE25MORE. This code expires on Oct. 8, 2018. In case you miss that one, here is a code you can use forever for 15 percent off your purchase: SAVE15MORE. This is a great deal considering the bands are already only $35. What are you waiting for?
