The Story Behind the Iconic Connery Nylon Strap

Have you ever wondered how certain fashion trends become iconic?

There are a few interesting stories behind our popular "Connery" watch straps, as well as the iconic "Bond" black and grey (alternatively, black and olive) watch strap. Discover the history behind the 'Connery' and 'Bond' watch strap variations.

Let's dive into the origin of these iconic bands and the role Sean Connery played in the birthing of a watch strap legend.

How it all began

It all started with the legendary, and arguably most famous Bond actor, Sean Connery, a scotsman, who was the first to portray the suave and sophisticated — yet daring — British MI6 spy, James Bond (aka, 007).

During Goldfinger's filming, a crew member's undersized nylon strap was used to accommodate Connery and his Rolex Submariner ref. 6538. Interestingly, the legendary nylon strap pictured in the scene is noticeably too narrow for the watch's lugs; a detail that would be unthinkable today.

But, Connery pulled it off. And the rest, as they say, is horological history.

A still from Goldfinger (1964) showing Sean Connery checking his Rolex Submariner reference 6538 secured with the now iconic "Connery" 1pc nylon strap, borrowed from a crew member the day of shooting.

The iconic moment

As the cameras rolled, Sean Connery, as James Bond, checks the time, revealing his Rolex Submariner watch with the borrowed nylon strap. Little did anyone know that moment would go on to become a defining fashion statement.

That single scene forever cemented the association between Sean Connery's portrayal of James Bond, the association of Bond and Rolex, and the now-famous multi-colored nylon watch strap still sought-after by watch enthusiasts. 

The rugged yet stylish look of the strap perfectly complements Bond's adventurous and sophisticated persona as portrayed by Connery, capturing the imagination of audiences worldwide.

Today, our "Connery" one-piece and two-piece nylon straps pay homage to the daring and dashing qualities of Connery's portrayal of a man able to meet any moment. And these Bond and Connery straps remain a symbol of timeless elegance and understated cool, while able to transform into a dive watch band when your mission calls for last-minute action.

Two Bonds: One Connery

So, what's the deal with so many different "Bond" straps?

You might be wondering why there are primarily two "Bond" NATO straps. The original black and grey Bond strap came to be partially due to the fact that, in those days, film resolution was poor and the lack of color fidelity led many to believe Connery was wearing a black strap with grey stripes.

This style has become known as the common Bond nylon strap, which is why we offer the more common two-tone Bond model, along with the original Connery-fashioned nylon strap in a variety of nylon strap styles, materials, patterns, and thicknesses.

Imagine glancing at this scene, which is a mere 2-3 seconds, and before the days of BluRay and pause. In those days, the band appeared to be a simple design of three black stripes flanking two inner grey, tan, or olive stripes. Is the olive or tan hue in the band or due to lighting? It's easy to see how this mistake was made.

And so, the black and grey "Bond" was birthed.

True Colors

However, when viewed on hi-res devices and with the ability to digitally pause and enhance, look at the colors below.

Here's a close-up of the strap:

You can now clearly see the colors of the Connery strap: black outer, green/olive inner, with red pin stripes flanking the green stripes.

Today, some of the Connery straps have more of a purple-ish hue to the pin stripes.

And instead of the green, some will take on a bronze hue, harkening back to the initial olive/tan perception of those green inner broad stripes.

Our Bond & Connery Models

The image above features our RECON™ Connery 2pc nylon strap (left) and RECON™ Bond 2pc nylon strap (right). These straps are thinner, but very strong.

Here is our HALO™ Elite Connery 1pc nylon strap on my beautifully patinaed Bronze Glycine Combat dive watch. The HALO straps are thicker, softer, but even stronger.

Below is our HALO™ Bond (black and grey) 1pc nylon strap paired with a black HELM Komodo 300m dive watch.

Check out our definitive Bond and Connery Collections

Want to see all of our Bond models, including our Connery models? Shop our Bond Collection. Looking for just Connery models? Shop our Connery Collection. 

My Favorite? For sure, it's the HALO™ one-piece Connery. But I love them all for different watches and uses. But the HALO is beautiful and comfortable!

Last minute lasting impact

So, the next time you catch a glimpse of a nylon watch strap reminiscent of the one worn by Sean Connery as the ultimate James Bond, remember the story behind its rise to fame.

Sometimes, it's the unexpected moments that leave a lasting impact on style and culture.