Customising the look of your Apple Watch used to be a limited and expensive affair, with a small selection of expensive official bands all that was available.
But as the Apple Watch matures it's becoming increasingly possible to enhance your smartwatch in new and exciting ways through third party bands.
If you're looking for something different (or perhaps, cheaper) than the 38 official Apple Watch bands , we've got you covered with 25 of the best straps on the market, with 5 new arrivals joining our original lineup. Here are the latest and greatest.
The Baseus is a subtly different styling from the Apple leather straps and the large golden buckle is striking. The same gold effect is found on the connectors that attach the band to the Watch. Thankfully, this works just as well with the Apple Watch Sport as the real gold Edition.
Best for: Goldfingers (and wrists)
TR's recommended Watch: Apple Watch Sport gold, 38mm
Price: £14 ($21, AU$31)
So you want a rubber strap but you just don't quite fancy the colours Apple offers? That blue is just too baby for your liking, perhaps? This is a more vibrant colour, though the buckle arrangement is near-identical to Apple's own. As the rather generic name suggests, it's by no means premium priced, too.
Best for: l ouder statements
TR's recommended Watch: Apple Watch, 38mm
Price: £18 ($27, AU$38)
If you've bought the Space Black Watch with its elegant Sport band in black, you might be yearning for the Apple Space Black Stainless Steel link bracelet. But the £449 price tag would likely be putting you off. This one is a fraction of the price and looks pretty good, too. The clasp isn't as intricate as Apple's but it's still comfy and effective.
Best for: Affordable space black style
TR's recommended Watch: Apple Watch Space Black, 42mm
Price: £48 ($73, AU$102)
Another example of a company that has seen what Apple has done with its straps and produced an, er, let's say homage to it. This closely resembles the leather strap Apple has made with a classy magnetic end that folds back to hold the band in place. The blue and black models are the most attractive, as with Apple's own. As you might expect, it's much cheaper than Apple's version.
Best for: Economical stylishness
TR's recommended Watch: Apple Watch, 38mm
Price: £21 ($32, AU$45)
Different than every other band on this list, the classic NATO option gives off a charming casual look. Not just that, this type of band is generally the most comfortable and lightweight, especially when compared to stainless steel or leather.
Best for: keeping it casual
TR's recommended Watch: Apple Watch, 38mm or 42mm
Price: £20 ($25, AU$32)
If you've splashed out on a rose gold iPhone 6s, you might want a matching band for your Watch. Trouble is, for a metal rose gold strap, Apple only sells the real thing and that costs thousands. The UNHO is a classic buckle attachment stainless steel bracelet and although the colour is nowhere near as subtle as Apple's, it's an eye-catching band, and highly affordable.
Best for: That affordable rose gold look
TR's recommended Watch: Apple Watch Sport rose gold, 42mm
Price: £27 ($41, AU$58)
So you've plumped for the rose gold Apple Watch Sport but you want a fancier bracelet than the Sport Band options, do you? This is a rose gold bracelet that works with other other Apple Watches too because it has silver surround and rose gold in the centre of the strap, even if the colour doesn't match Apple's aluminium.
Best for: evening wear
TR's recommended Watch: Apple Watch Sport rose gold, 38mm
Price: £26 ($40, AU$56)
Baseus makes excellent and low-priced bands. This one looks great thanks to the bright red leather on the outside (black and brown are also available) and beige inside, which only you will see as most of the time it'll be on your wrist. Crisply made and stylish.
Best for: Colour freaks
TR's recommended Watch: Apple Watch, 42mm
Price: £20 ($30, AU$43)
Wristouch is a new Californian company that matches great design with impeccable build. The Mesh (£69, $105, AU$149) is similar to Apple's Milanese band, though this has a more conventional clasp, not the magnetic one Apple favours. It comes in silver, matte black and an eye-catching camouflage.
The Oyster Black 316L (£109, $166, AU$233) is a great alternative to Apple's stainless steel band that goes especially well with the Space Black Watch, while Meta Carbon Fibre (£149, $225, AU$320) is actually made of stainless steel), custom fitted, especially comfortable, and snazzy looking.
Price: from £69 ($105, AU$149)
High-end stylista brand Hermes has designed three straps for Apple. They feel lighter and more comfortable than they look, and they look stunning. But they only come with one version of the Watch, a special edition that's engraved on the back and has extra watch faces exclusive to the Hermes editions. You can't buy these straps separately, not can you buy them online; it's poncy boutiques only for you, sir!
Best for: fashionable show-offs
TR's recommended Watch: Apple Watch Hermes, 38mm
Price: from £1,000 ($1,100, AU$2,200), including Apple Watch Hermes 38mm
Best for: Evening wear
Apple's Milanese Loop is elegant and snazzy, it's also quite pricey. This one lacks the magnetic closure that's so great on the original, but it is half the price and still attractive. It also comes in golden stainless steel but we think this one looks better.
TR's recommended Watch: Apple Watch Steel, 38mm
Price: £69.99 (around US$108.55, AU$149.03)
Best for: Everyday comfort
A leather band at a price that beats Apple's cheapest strap. It comes in a bunch of colours: blue, red, brown and black, of course. The buckle is simple and perhaps a little basic but it looks nice and does the job.
TR's recommended Watch: Apple Watch Steel, 42mm
Price: £24.99 (around US$38.76, AU$53.21)
Best for: Affordable chic
Stainless steel bands need to fit perfectly for the Apple Watch – if it's loose the Watch will lock, and the heart rate monitor won't work. Thankfully this band comes with a link remover so you so it'll be a snug fit.
TR's recommended Watch: Apple Watch Steel, 42mm
Price: Around £59.99 (US$79, around $AU108.46)
Best for: Gaudy sportiness
So you've got an Apple Watch Sport and you fancy a different-coloured band? Maybe the apple-green shade Apple produces is too quiet and you'd prefer a neon-bright one. Or you want royal instead of baby blue. Olixar has these as well as pillar-box red, black and white. The clasp isn't as snazzy as on Apple's and you need watch adaptors (see accessories) to connect it.
TR's recommended Watch: Apple Watch Sport, 42mm
Price: £17.99 (around US$27.90, AU$38.31)
Best for: Party wear
Like Apple's sporty bands, this band is made of elastomer. And as such it works best on the Watch Sport. It's definitely a feminine band thanks to the intricate bangle design and the charm attached. Oh, and the fact that it's pink.
TR's recommended Watch: Apple Watch Sport, 38mm
Price: £24.99 (US$35, around AU$53.21)
Best for: Work
Choose from red or brown leather with this neat strap that looks and feels pretty good. The red is particularly attractive, though the company logo on the buckle is perhaps a little too strident. A good fit – the same strap length as Apple's and complete with adaptors to fit the Watch
TR's recommended Watch: Apple Watch, 42mm
Price: £22.90 (around US$35.52, AU$48.76)
Best for: Special occasions
Like Apple's gorgeous Milanese Loop band, this one has a magnetic closure so it feels classy. Of course, the build quality is no match for the original by which it was inspired, but it's a quarter of the price so makes a great extra strap.
TR's recommended Watch: Apple Watch, 42mm
Price: £32.99 (US$29.99, around AU$70.24)
Best for: Space Grey Apple Watch wearers
The Space Grey Apple Watch is strikingly attractive but it really only looks at its best with a black strap, like the stainless steel one it comes with. But this band works thanks to the black stainless steel connectors that match the Watch. There's no magnetic clasp here, but this is a spiffy alternative band for Space Grey aficionados.
TR's recommended Watch: Apple Watch Space Grey, 38mm
Price: £15.99 (around US$24.80, AU$34.05)
Best for: A full-on workout in the gym
Want to keep your Watch pristine even when you're working out? Then clad it in this ruggedised case and built-in strap. The raised front protects the display and the case guards against knocks. It's till not waterproof, please note.
TR's recommended Watch: Apple Watch Sport, 42mm
Price: £8.95 (US$19.95, around AU$19.06)
Best for: Clubbing
See, this strap has enough bling to suit a gold watch, but it's probably best to keep it away from those pricey Watch Editions as the build quality doesn't quite match. But it's certainly a head-turner and the translucent elastomer is comfy.
TR's recommended Watch: Apple Watch Sport, 38mm
Price: £19.99 (US$35, around AU$42.56)
Best for : Stylishly sustainable types
When you think about a list of common Apple Watch materials, you're typically talking different varieties of metal and leather. Lux Woods's effort stands out from the crowd by offering a link bracelet made from black ebony wood. The effect is truly beautiful, as well as lending the band a warmer, more natural feel.
As well as being sustainable, you can buy your Lux Woods Apple Watch band safe in the knowledge that it will be a completely unique example. How many Apple Watch bands can claim that?
TR's recommended Watch : Apple Watch Space Black, 42mm
Best for : Those who have a collection of vintage watches
Okay, so this one isn't a band as such. Rather, it's a facilitator to a whole new world of straps. The Wearlizer clasp slides into the band slot on your Apple Watch, and enables you to fit any standard-fit (i.e. non-Apple Watch) watch strap to it via its spring bar system. Just like that, your customisation options have suddenly become endless - as well as a lot more affordable.
There are lots of these band adaptors out there now, but we've selected the Wearlizer as a good example for its intuitive and tool-free fitting system, as well as its easy availability through Amazon on both sides of the pond.
TR's recommended Watch : Apple Watch Sport, either colour and size
Best for : Extreme sports/outdoorsy types
We buy chunky protective cases for our iPhones and iPads, so why not our iWatches? This rugged strap-cum-case from i-Blason is just about the least sympathetic to Apple's beautiful design work we've ever seen, but it's also the most protective. For some people, that will matter.
Besides holding the Apple Watch on your wrist, the i-Blason Unity covers all of the core unit's exposed metal body. The crown is allowed to poke through on the side, but it sits in a recess so as to fend off any glancing knocks.
TR's recommended Watch : Apple Watch Sport
Best for : Fashionistas with only a little money to burn
In the wake of Apple's official Hermès range being released, a whole bunch of knock-off leather cuffs have hit the internet. That's fine and dandy, but the cheaper ones can often make you look like an extra from Gladiator.
Pad and Quill's effort might cost the best part of £100/US$100, but it's one of the classier attempts at this style that we've seen, with proper full-grain leather and hand-finished stitching. Plus, £100/US$100 is a lot less than the £1,000 Apple is asking for the Hermès edition.
TR's recommended Watch : Apple Watch stainless steel, 42mm
Best for : Sporty and outdoorsy types
Blekkord's Paracord band has one of the mort striking, textured, and just plain fun (not a word you can throw at too many Apple Watch bands) designs that we've seen of late. Each strap is essential made of several lengths of coloured parachute chord, or paracord.
Add in a deliberately utilitarian-looking stainless steel clasp, and you have something that looks like it could double for a piece of climbing gear. As such, we can imagine the Blekkord Paracord appealing to active outdoors sorts - or at least those who like to appear as such.
TR's recommended Watch : Apple Watch Sport Silver Aluminium, 42mm
Price : £32 (around US$46, AU$62)
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