Why would you change a 6-digit Rolex bracelet? Tempomat Madrid – Curved Ended Grey Rubber Strap

If you are a watch enthusiast and you love Rolex, you have surely come across with the dilemma of adding a third-party strap to a Rolex. This is a unique situation that happens with owners of 6-digit Rolex and the main reason is because previously, the quality of their bracelet wasn’t there.

But when the new references were introduced at the first decade of the 2000’s the quality jumped quite a lot. Solid end links were the norm accompanied by a solid clasp too, everything started to feel sturdy, and you can probably say that from that moment on, Rolex became a true luxury company.

This is when our mentioned dilemma takes a scene, why would you take out the best bracelet in the current industry to add a third-party accessory? Not only would feel different, but the bar in terms of quality would be quite hard to beat.

Enter the guys at Tempomat in Madrid. Founder by 2 watch enthusiasts with an eye on detail, they have been offering quality accessories not only for ‘’the crown’’ but also for Omega, Patek Phillipe and Audemars Piguet to new a few. The reason why we are name dropping these high-end brands is because owners of these watches are the hardest one to please, they can understand quality.

Today we are looking at their Curved Ended Collection and pairing it with one of my favourite watches from my collection: The Oyster Perpetual 116000 with an anthracite grey dial. Let’s begin.

The watch

To understand a bit how this strap fits the watch, we need to understand dimensions and look. The Oyster perpetual is the most ‘’simple’’ watch that Rolex has released not so long ago. The watch itself doesn’t have anything that screams or stays out of the ordinary. It has no date, double markers at 3, 6 and 9 with a brushed dial that matches the steel case to perfection, that’s it.

Coming to the bracelet, it attaches to perfection to the 36mm case. The quality is high and so are the tolerances, I’ll be honest, it is the perfect GADA watch, together with the new Explorer 36mm, I couldn’t think of a better watch for every occasion. The Oyster Perpetual is luxurious but also robust enough to take a beating.

The strap

Changing the strap is quite a nice experience but also a strange one. I have never tried something as good as the 904L steel bracelet from Rolex but the grey strap from Tempomat, has the best rubber quality I’ve experienced. Sure, there are competitors who claim to have better materials and often at a higher price, but the softness and flexibility of this one is just ideal.

The strap attaches to the case just like the bracelet, there are no gaps, and it all feels quite OEM. This strap comes with the stainless steel buckle which is well milled, it would be great to use your own Rolex clasp but I think I prefer the convenience of a pin buckle, it feels easier as this version of the Oyster Perpetual doesn’t have any micro adjustment.

The strap breaths nicely and thanks to its curves, it feels great for summertime and also makes the watch feel lighter. It has been quite a surprise.

Let’s address the elephant in the room, the Rolex reference 116000 has quite odd lugs, this was corrected by the later version making them more svelte but the bulky nature of my Oyster Perpetual, doesn’t hide it as well when it is out of the OEM bracelet. That said, the grey of the strap does a great job minimizing this look and I have to say that I’ve enjoyed taking the Rolex to new activities like gym or jogging. The strap opened a new world of possibilities, is a completely different watch.

The reason why I’ve chosen this colour was because I quite enjoy the monochromatic scheme of the OP, but Tempomat offers a variety of colours to suit the mood. From red to green to blue, the watch would have a second life after adding this new companion.

The price is quite good as well, while competition is charging well above the 100 Euros bracket, Tempomat stays competitive at 76.50 Euros for each strap. Given the quality and fit, we believe is a bargain. It would be definitely be my first choice.

For more information please follow the link: https://tempomaterials.com/en-uk/collections/rolex-straps

Technical specifications

·       20mm Curved Ended Rubber Watch Strap

·       Grey - Unique Pattern

·       Aprox measures : 12cm x 8cm + buckle

·       Tappers to 18mm stainless steel buckle

Compatible with the following Rolex & Omega:

·       Rolex Air-King

·       Rolex Milgauss

·       Rolex Daytona

·       Rolex Explorer l

·       Rolex Explorer ll 16570 (Old Model)

·       Rolex GMT Master II (Ceramic and Non-Ceramic)

·       Rolex Submariner (Ceramic and Non-Ceramic)

·       Rolex Sea-Dweller (40mm case)

·       Rolex Yatchmaster (40mm case)

·       Omega Seamaster, Speedmaster (some ref), Planet Ocean - (ask more models)

·       Tag Heuer Carrera Chrono - (ask for more models)

·       Moonswatch models