Rubber B on Explorer I review.

[Dickie Watty]

Much to my chagrin, I guess I am just not a bracelet guy. I love the way they look but they tend to be uncomfortable to me and in high heat and humidity and I sometimes get a small rash. This has happened with stainless Rolex bracelets and other fine watch brands. For me titanium is the only sure way for me to comfortably wear a bracelet but even then I tend to always be searching for the right micro adjustment. It's always too loose or too tight(this may have to do with the local weather). This is disappointing because I prefer the look of my Explorer I on the bracelet, but for me, changing to a strap is more of a necessity than a preference.

So what are the options?
NATO straps: I love them and they may be the most widely accepted option for a Rolex.
Downsides: Being fabric/nylon they do tend to hold dirt and certainly do not look dressy or even casual dressy. They are pure sport/tactical unless you get a fancy weave pattern or leather. Leather NATO straps tend to be too thick for my tastes and aren't exactly waterproof.

Leather strap: Certainly looks good if done well, not waterproof unless you buy a waterproof model and even then I am not sure. Some methods of staining the leather color and the glues involved tend to irritate my wrist, also they get old and dirty fast when worn daily on a sports watch.

So what is left? Rubber! Which brings me to the Rubber B strap made specifically for Rolex watches.

Since I don't like the look of the Rubber B strap/Rolex clasp combo I opted for the tang buckle.

Strap: This is a very well made rubber strap, probably the nicest I have seen ever. The fit to the watch case is really quite impressive. No gap, no chance of movement seamless integration.
The area of the strap that holds the spring bars is hardened(like a hard plastic) yet is made of the same vulcanized rubber and offers great protection for the lugs and prevents any chance of the spring bar getting dislodged. The folks at Rubber B really designed this well.
The look of the strap is matte black not shiny at all, very muted charcoal like color and this compliments the matte dial of the Explorer I. I am not sure how I would like the contrast of this on a gloss dial model like a Sub.

Buckle: The tang buckle is well made and is designed to compliment the lines of the oyster case and a Rubber B strap. It has a brushed finish and looks great. Perhaps it is the curve of my wrist but I would prefer that the tang buckle be more curved to integrate into the curve of the band when worn, as it is it works fine and looks great.

Fit: Comfortable! Where I am from we deal with high humidity and frequent changes in temperature. My wrist may change weekly and sometimes daily from somewhere between 7 1/2 and 7 3/4. There are 2 holes that I can use on the strap, one for hot humid days and one for all other days. I expect with time the smaller fit(4th hole from 6 o'clock side) will be the best for me. Like a NATO strap it is nice to have a quick and easy option to make it fit more loose.

Value: The strap is expensive but superbly made and looks like it came with the watch. Given the cost of the watch and the excellent design and quality of the strap I think it is a fair price and a decent value. If I could buy a Rolex signed buckle for it I would be even happier(I know that will never be an option).
In my situation this works. Many high end leather straps cost well over $100. With the Rubber B you get a strap that should last many years, will not absorb sweat(like leather), and is custom fit to the watch. Is that worth $240? I think so, others may not. One other benefit is these hold value well so if one wanted to sell it they can typically get $150-$190 used for one.

And now the pics, I took some shots in 3 different lighting conditions. Indoors, outdoors/sun, and in my car in the rain so you can see how the band and buckle looks in those conditions. I hope this review helps others looking into buying a Rubber B strap. I am very happy with it so far.

[ralpie]

I like the way this looks! May try it myself.

[Friar]

Looks great--perfect fit. Certainly more practical than leather or croc, as good looking and a better match for the sport watch it is.

[GhostInTheMachine]

What a timely post…I have been considering this strap for my Explorer as well. Thank you for the well written review. Nice photos too.

[sea-dweller]

Looks sharp!

[cop414]

I'm not a strap kind of guy but I have to say that looks fantastic! The Exp I flies under the radar and that strap makes it even more so. I would love to see another review after 6 months or a year.

[Cesium133]

[w!dowmaker]

RubberBs are definitely not cheap. My only concern really is later on, when the rubber ages. I hope this wouldn't be brittle and eventually cut itself in half.

[knoffie]

I think it looks fantastic. A great improvement on the flimsy band on the Explorer 114270
A really good mod.
I like it very , very much
Knoffie

[spinter]

Looks great and comfortable. Adds a nice dose of "dive" to it.

[PanosI]

Super !

[unitas12]

I love my rubber b strap on my polar explorer. I went with using my clasp.

[resco123]

You deleted all your photos!

[116680]

Please repost the photos - very much enjoyed the review !

[One Ping Only]

I have had one on my 16710 for about six months. Still haven't gotten my stretched bracelet fixed I like this so much.

[SemperFi]

It's great that the RubberB is made specifically for each Rolex...takes all of the guesswork out of it. What tool is needed to remove the strap on an Explorer 214270? I've seen various threads on Bergeon tools, specifically the 6767ff and 6111 spring bar tools and the 1.6mm screwdriver. Will one tool do the trick, and if so, which one?

[Bladesfield]

Originally Posted by w!dowmaker

RubberBs are definitely not cheap. My only concern really is later on, when the rubber ages. I hope this wouldn't be brittle and eventually cut itself in half.

This "later on" would be many many years. They should easily be able to survive 10+ years assuming you're not taking it out to sea 7 days a week. Mine is about a year old and it looks brand new. Not even a single stretch mark on the holes.

As for the price. If you can afford to throw down $5k+ on a watch, $240 wouldn't really break the bank. In fact, that's how much a link or two would cost just for the OEM steel oyster bracelet.