Product Details

The term ‘military watch straps’ is often broadly applied to one-piece straps, but a closer look reveals a fascinating variety, each with its own origins within different military branches of the military in a wide variety of countries. Historically ground troops have relied on the NATO strap or it’s US variant, aircrew on the other hand prefer the Bund Strap and divers opted for either standard NATO straps or in some countries naval divers have operated for a very specialised strap often referred to as the Parachute Elastic strap or ‘Marine Nationale’ strap. These military straps all share a common heritage of necessity-driven design, offering practicality and functionality. The straps were first used with a watch made by Tudor but we also used on the ELVIA and various other watches used by the French military.

The Origins of the Parachute Elastic Strap

The origins of the Parachute Elastic strap can be traced back to the 1950s. While some divers purchased resilient Perlon straps made of woven nylon fibres, others creatively repurposed the elastic straps from their reserve parachute bags. These elastic straps, often khaki-green with a yellow stripe, although also made in a wide variety of other colors were flexible, resilient, and comfortable over a wetsuit.

The metal elements on the parachute bag were also repurposed for the strap’s hardware: the keepers and hook clasp. Essentially, a long strip of elastic material is folded over itself at the halfway point. Here, the metal hook is stitched into place. A metal loop is fitted over both loose ends, providing an anchor for the hook. The loop slides freely along the strap’s length, making it easy to adjust for a perfect fit. Comfortable and practical, the strap was made from issued material and was therefore a cost-effective solution for the divers.

Premium Parachute Elastic Straps

Our Parachute Elastic Straps replicate the vintage Marine Nationale strap, making them perfect for summer wristwear and an ideal partner for dive watches. Crafted from premium elastic, the tight weave of the material is soft to the touch yet rugged and strong. Available in several colours, the strap that most closely resembles the original is our Khaki Green/Yellow Stripe Elastic Strap. Additional color options available currently of due to be added to the range include Khaki versions with Red and White Stripes, Black, Grey, and Navy Blue. Featuring brushed stainless-steel hardware, the hook clasp stays true to the original vintage design. All the designs are manufactured in 20mm and 22mm widths.

Advantages of Parachute Elastic Straps

There are many reasons for customers to opt for a parachute elastic strap:

• Unmatched Comfort: Many people claim it's the most comfortable strap they've ever experienced. It fits so well, you barely notice it.
• Sweat and Odour Resistant: The elastic wicks away sweat almost instantly and absorbs no odour.
• Washable: Simply pull it through, wash, and pull it back through.
• Infinite Adjustability: The strap is infinitely adjustable, allowing for a snug or loose fit as desired. Adjusting is effortless.
• Secure Fit: Once on, the strap remains firmly secured to the wrist with no flipping, twisting, or moving. The watch stays centered and secure, eliminating movement up and down the wrist.
• Enhanced Security: The strap's design helps keep the watch safe, reducing the risk of loss due to spring bar failure.
• Affordability: Parachute Elastic Straps are an affordable option allowing for easy access to a new look.
• Stylish Colour Options: Great color choices allow for matching with dials. The central stripe can highlight a feature on the dial, such as the color of the seconds hand or a complication, or simply add a splash of color.

Installing a Marine Nationale strap may seem challenging at first, similar to how some people struggle with NATO straps due to their length which can seem quite baffling until you realise how it's fitted and worn. The same applies with parachute elastic watch straps once you know how it's done, the process is very straightforward. It's important to note that these straps cannot be used on watches with fixed solid bars.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2X26pc3TlWk the first time we saw one of the straps here, a few years ago, even though we are very familiar with straps in general it took a bit of figuring out but once you know how it's done, it could not be easier.

• Delivery

  • Delivery charges are as follows:

    USA/CANADA	EUROPE	UK	REST OF THE WORLD
    Tracked Mail US$11.50	Tracked Mail €11.75 / £10.25 / US$11.50	Tracked Mail  £9.95	Tracked Mail US$11.50 / €11.75 / £10.25
    Express Courier UPS or FedEx  US$25.00	Express Courier UPS or FedEx  €27.50 / £24.00 / US$27.00	Express Courier  UPS £12.95	Express Courier UPS or FedEx  US$41.50 / €42.50 / £36.50

    You will generally receive two emails after placing an order, the first will be a confirmation of receipt of the order and payment, this will be followed by a notification of shipment  once the goods are dispatched. When an order and payment has been processed, goods will be shipped by the Post Office or Courier within 48 hours. Please note that our shipping centers are closed on Saturdays and Sundays therefore orders placed during this time may take up to 72 hours to be dispatched, this includes orders after 13:00 European time on Fridays.

    The estimated delivery times in working days are set out below: *

    • USA Registered Mail: 4 to 12 days
    • USA UPS: 2 to 3 days
    • Europe UPS: 2 to 5 days
    • Europe Registered Mail: 7 to 14 days
    • UK DPD or UPS: 12 to 48 hours
    • UK Royal Mail: 1 to 3 days
    • Rest of World UPS: 3 to 10 days
    • Rest of World Registered Mail: 7 to 21 days

    All shipping estimates exclude Saturdays and Sundays when our packing and shipping centres are closed and also some countries postal services do not operate at the weekend.
    

    * Some countries are prone to be notoriously slow to process goods on arrival, among these countries are Israel, Hong Kong, Macau, Mexico, South Africa and some South American countries. We also tend to experience significant delays with many countries in Africa in addition to South Africa, you can always contact us for advice although we do not know with certainty exactly which countries will be slow, and which will be fast but the above estimates are a pretty good guide for most countries, keen in mind remote territories or those with slow customs processing can also tend to be problematic. Regardless of the processing speed, all of our shipments are fully insured against Loss.

    Please Note: We recommend using UPS, DHL or Fedex, which we offer as an option, if the delivery is very time sensitive and you are aware that your local Postal Service he's not particularly reliable.

    Whilst we make every effort to deliver your order within the above timeframes this is a guide and delivery cannot be guaranteed. We will not accept responsibility for delays caused by our Couriers or any National postal service. If the goods are not delivered within the time we have estimated, please feel free to contact us or email admin@mwc.watch, and we will do everything possible to resolve the issue promptly. We will not be liable for any loss caused to you by late delivery.

    Our delivery charges covers the cost of shipping the goods to you. However, this does not include import charges and administration fees to clear the goods when entering your country. 

    If you need to clarify any details regarding local taxes for your location, please contact us before placing an order. For clarification, goods shipped to the EU can be dispatched from our EU location if ordered on this site, and we also have a UK shipping center if you order at www.mwcwatches.co.uk

    In the United States, orders under $800 do not incur taxes or fees. In Australia, orders up to AU$1000 are tax-free. Many other countries have similar regulations, which you can verify using this helpful link: Zonos De Minimis Values and also another link below to calculate taxes for shipments to most countries which is here https://www.simplyduty.com/import-calculator/

    It is the responsibility of the purchaser to understand that charges may apply and pay all subsequent import tax and duty on goods shipped to their respective Country. In the instance that items are returned to MWC as a result of a rejected payment, subsequent charges incurred such as Import Duty and processing costs will be deducted from any refund issued. For further information on this please contact accounts@mwc-distribution.com 

    We do not accept any liability for goods that have been lost after delivery to a PO Box. We reserve the right to cancel orders where the delivery address is a PO Box. Furthermore, we also do not accept any liability for goods that have been lost after they are confirmed as delivered to APO or BFPO locations. 

    It is the Customer's responsibility to notify us if the goods have not been received within 21 days of the estimated delivery date or time of ordering. If no notification is made within this time period the buyer shall be deemed to have received the goods.

    Failed delivery of an item ordered due to non-acceptance of the delivery

    Please note that if you order an item and the delivery company inform us that the item was refused it would be returned back to us, in many cases especially with FedEx, UPS etc they will also charge a return fee to send it back. Because in these circumstances we have done everything that is required to get the item to you we would refund less both the outbound and Inbound shipping charges once the item was received back at our packing and shipping centre. Unfortunately sometimes if you are having the order delivered to a business location the people receiving inbound parcels are prone to refuse an item without checking with the individual concerned we would strongly recommend being very cautious in this situation and notifying the people who handle the incoming parcels that you are expecting a delivery to avoid this problem occurring. Usually, we would be notified there is a delivery issue and would email you for your instructions, normally these sorts of problems can be avoided if you contact the carrier and tell them there is an error but it's very important to act quickly to avoid the return and associated costs.