Uncle Straps Beads of Rice: the only aftermarket Marinemaster bracelet I've ever approved
It's not about the twerp tonight
Tonight's review is not of the watch, it's of what it's on. The watch is Mr Jun's SBDX001, and this is the Uncle Straps Beads of Rice bracelet. I hate aftermarket Marinemaster straps. Me and Mr Jun have tried them all. I've had the Hexad, Mr Jun has had the Engineer and the Jubilee, and they were all rubbish from Strapcode. But this one is the only one I've ever found that is actually good.
Look at the end link
The integration of the end link is exceptional. The rattle is less than the OEM version. If I'm picky, the links are slightly too thin; I think they could be thicker by about a millimetre. And the slots near the end link look a bit weird, don't they? I'm not sure about them. Get rid of them immediately. But don't get rid of them too quickly, because I quite like the way they appear.
The clasp and the money
It comes with its own clasp, but it's a poor clasp, so it's fitted with the OEM clasp. You can specify the ratcheting one, but it's about this long and you need a 7.5 inch wrist just to pull it off. The bracelet cost £75. It ships from the US, and the postage to my house comes to £10.51, so £85.51 delivered. Not an inconsiderable amount of money, but quite cheap if you're rich. It fits all the previous-generation SLAs as well.
Meanwhile, on the wrist
The watch it's on cost Mr Jun £2,750 last year, 2025. Daniel bought it in 2011 and left it in the box. No Diashield, a double-domed Hardlex crystal, a lacquered bezel that will scratch as soon as you touch it, a 300 metre monocoque case with exquisite Zaratsu polishing, an 8L35 with 50 hours of power reserve, and an unsigned crown. Refined but toolish. A jewel on the wrist. 15.4 mm thick, 44 mm wide, 50 mm lug to lug. The case is probably my favourite, 025 excluded.
Verdict
I love the original bracelet that you get with your Marinemasters. But if you were ever going to consider another one, this is the only one I can personally approve. With the OEM clasp, I am a purist, but this is actually good. Unreal scenario, bros. For the beach. Never give up.
