The VB Hygienique canvas strap was a forerunner of the NATO strap, and was available at the end of WWII for use on watches with fixed bars.
The VB Hygienique strap had a ladder buckle, made from wire and painted khaki in colour. The tongue of the buckle was not sharpened. The buckle could be removed from the strap, and fitted through one of 2 eyelets to adjust the length of the strap. The strap was 2 layers of fine canvas, with stiffening material inside, sewn all around the outside.
VB HYGIENIQUE AND A.F.0210.® BUCKLES COMPARED.
The strap is narrower, at 16mm, and shorter at 205mm, than the 270mm long A.F.0210.® homage strap with webbing keeper, shown along side the VB Hygienique strap below. The 2 canvas keeper loops at the buckle slide along the strap, and the extra eyelet at the buckle can be seen in the top photo. The end of the strap has a 60 degree point, and there are 5 pre-sewn eyelet holes to fasten the strap.
VB HYGIENIQUE AND A.F.0210.® HOMAGE STRAP WITH WEBBING KEEPER.
The VB Hygienique design is slightly adjustable in length, as the buckle can be positioned at either of 2 eyelets, but the maximum length is 205mm. For either length the position of the webbing keeper is such that the buckle sits at the side of the wrist when the strap is fitted to a watch.
The A.F.0210® homage strap with webbing keeper allows the buckle to be worn under the wrist.
A.F.0210® HOMAGE STRAP WITH FABRIC KEEPER.
The VB Hygienique strap also came in 14mm and 18mm widths, below is the 18mm version.
VB HYGIENIQUE STRAP AND OMEGA WWW CK2444
Image courtesy Omega Forum user : chadpowell
OUR REMAKE OF THE VB HYGIENIQUE STRAP.
We have undertaken a remake of the VB Hygienique strap.
Users of the original VB Hygienique strap have complained that the strap is too short for the modern wrist, so we have made it longer, and added 2 more adjustment holes at the buckle, to give 4 at this location.
And, here is the VB Hygienique at its longest adjustment along side an 270mm AF0210 strap.
The remake is available for sale as we have these in stock at 16mm and 18mm wide.
Below is the original VB Hygienique strap and the faithful reproduction strap.
