The Tropic Strap: An Old Legend Renewed by JOSEPH BONNIE
The Tropic strap: An old legend revamped by Joseph Bonnie
You’ve already had the chance to meet our leather bracelets in their numerous versions. Today we’re going to focus on our TROPIC straps in natural vulcanised rubber, available in six colors: black, olive drab, charcoal grey, ivory white, Florida orange and navy blue.
The Story Behind the TROPIC Strap
The invention of the TROPIC strap is connected to the creation of dive watches, naturally. With a water-resistant case comes a need for a water-resistant strap. Steel bracelets do the job, but we’re not all fans of it and they’re not always comfortable.
At the beginning of the 1960’s, a rubber strap with a unique basket-weave pattern entered the scene: a legend was born.
We’re dealing with a special “vulcanized” natural rubber dive strap here, resistant to cracking, stretching, attraction of dust and UV rays and sea water as well. A hydrophobic strap, ideal for diving. It was also what equipped the first great legendary dive watches of the time. Rolex Submariner, Blancpain Fifty Fathoms and Jaeger LeCoultre Polaris, to name but a few.
Like its predecessor from the 1960’s, the Joseph Bonnie Tropic strap is made of vulcanised natural rubber. A process using high temperatures where sulfur is incorporated into rubber to modify its structure.
Vulcanisation makes the rubber more resistant while retaining suppleness. It also gives the material a lustrous sheen that immediately distinguishes it from silicone reproductions.
Paired with What?
Six classic colors typically for vintage divers, echoing the famous TROPIC design we love so much, but this time with the incredible comfort of natural vulcanised rubber.
Naturally all dive watches, vintage or modern, will go wonderfully with this historic strap, but not only. You’d be surprised how well an old racing-oriented chronograph or a little Omega Constellation would fit with this type of bracelet.
