Black is Always Back

There is one certainty in life – black will always be a classic style staple. In times of continuous change and the rush for the ‘new thing’, designers and stylists can always rely on black to give a watch, car, dress or accessory a longevity that all other colours aspire to! Dating back to the 1950s, black has a pure and timeless elegance that always transcends trends, fads and transient looks. Black is always back…

Classic Eames chair in black

Some of the most iconic designs of the past one hundred years have been executed in black, giving an aesthetic that can never be matched. Whether it was the famous ‘little black dress’ that Audrey Hepburn wore in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Ralph Lauren’s incredible Bugatti or Eric Clapton’s trusty old Strat ‘Blackie’ – black is associated with cool!

Audrey Hepburn – LBD

Clapton playing his signature Strat -‘Blackie’

The famous Bugatti from the Ralph Lauren collection

Famous Fashion Faces

Many famous style and fashion icons accessorize with black…

Yves Saint Laurent wearing his iconic black glasses

Karl Lagerfeld in signature black

Revered Japanese designer and trend setter Hiroshi Fujiwara always opts for black

Always elegant in black – Giorgio Armani

Black on The Inside

Black is also a firm favourite for interior designers. Where the main theme, or used for splashes of dramatic effect, black always makes a starring appearance in elegant interiors.

Future Focus

As well as celebrating classic vintage design in black, there are many examples of modern day classics that when executed in black can also adopt the timeless, stylish look that gives the product an edge that is unmatched and unrivaled. One of the hottest trends in the sneaker world over the past couple of years has been the reissued Nike Hurache. I remember buying an original pair in the 1990s – all black with a blue sock built in. I wish I still had those sneakers today…they would still be as relevant today as they were back when I bought them as a teenager.

OG Nike Hurache Sneaker from the 1990s

It was also no coincidence that the American Express invitation-only Centurion was crafted our of anodized titanium and finished in black; known as the Amex Black Card.

The invitation only Amex Black Card

The newest version of the Porsche Targa is, in our eyes, flawless in execution and utterly timeless when wearing black…

Modern Porsche 911 Targa – utterly timeless when executed in black

Black Magic

Whilst we love to celebrate colour and seasonal shades at Bulang & Sons, we also love the elegance that black watch straps can give to your watch. A classic clean Datejust, gilt dial Explorer or matte Maxi dial Submariner are all given an elegant dimension when paired with a black classic leather strap.

19mm Black Vintage Leather Strap

Our ‘Black Croco Newman Strap’ is the epitome of cool. Inspired by the straps Paul Newman wore on his eponymous Daytonas, we love this cuff style strap on a range of watches but it looks most at home on a classic chronograph.

Black Tie

When the time arrives for you to wear an elegant dress watch, look no further than the black ‘Saffiano’ straps. Invented by Mario Prada, the leather is stamped with a cross-hatch pattern and then finished with a wax coating that makes the strap very hard wearing.

One of the most luxurious leathers for strap making is shell cordovan, which is the smallest and most treasured section of the equine hide and is, therefore, a more expensive and sought after product for luxury accessories. Our Shell Cordovan straps are the thinnest in our collection and are nicely suited to dress watches as well as thinner cased sports models from the 50s and 60s.

Modern Mood

Modern watches can look cool too. We love to wear our modern Tudor Heritage watches on 22mm classic leather NATO or buckle straps. On the buckle strap, the cream side-stitch brings out the elegant details of the dial of the Black Bay Black and the watch presents as a vintage style watch ready to go with your tailored dinner jacket for a night on the gaming tables at Monte Carlo…very James Bond!

Put the ‘Triple B’ on a leather nato strap and it’s instantly a tool watch, ready for back ops missions…on your camping trip or your journey through the urban jungle.