Will A Mesh Strap Save You From A Shark Attack?

Sep 2, 2020

The history behind this strap is actually a rather spectacular story. It's designed to survive shark attacks. Let me explain before you burst into laughing:

We are of course not talking about a bloodthirsty Jaws-type shark, but small, playful sharks. Sharks often confuse divers, surfers or swimmers for their natural preys like seals. There are many records of sharks taking a small bite, realizing they are wrong, and then fleeing away after they realized they won’t be eating seal for dinner. These types of bites aren’t uncommon, but neither are they deadly. They are however powerful enough to damage a rubber strap, or they can break a link of a steel bracelet. The interwoven steel wires of the mesh strap make it a lot more robust, and extremely hard to cut.

This is of course just marketing, since it’s impossible to find a single diver whose watch and/or arm was saved due to a mesh strap. Most story’s usually end in one of two different ways: either with some buses and a cool story to tell your friends in a bar, or in the hospital with your arm completely ripped off.

This does not mean that mesh isn’t a great option if you love diving or doing outdoor activities. Rubber and nylon straps can get accidentally cut or damaged without the wearer noticing. Rubber straps can also get brittle over time by getting too much exposure to salt water and sunlight. It’s also almost impossible to notice scratches on mesh, since the wires are so thin. (Take that, Rolex polished center links)

So a short recap: will a mesh strap keep you and your watch safe from the jaws of Jaws? Probably not.

Is mesh an excellent and very comfortable option on your watch in active conditions? Absolutely!