[Quick Release] Saffiano Leather - Black

[Quick Release] Saffiano Leather - Black

Disappointing new design specs

I purchased a black Saffiano 18mm S/M band for my Garmin Vivoactive 4S in November 2021 and have been extremely happy with it. The quality and value are both good. But it was approaching time for replacement, so I bought another in March 2023. Unfortunately the specs had been changed, and not for the better. The part of the strap with the holes is now 10mm longer (120mm, previously it was 110mm), which wouldn't be too bad, but the holes now start 15mm further away from the watch face than before. So if you have a slim wrist, the band will not only be a bit too long but you'll also have to punch additional holes. Even more disappointing (because the website hasn't been updated to reflect this) the band is now much more tapered. Previously, the width at the buckle was 16mm (i.e. it tapered only 2mm – very subtle); now it tapers to 14mm. Given that these bands are being sold to go with fitness watches such as the Garmin, which are big and chunky, having such a slim band means the watch isn't as secure – it can rock around, especially on a slim wrist. The slightly wider band all round felt, and looked, much better. Now if the website had been updated to reflect the new specs (both on this page and on the buckle ordering page), I would have chosen a different style of band. I probably should have questioned the customer service person more carefully when I got an "order update" email telling me that my buckle had been changed from 16mm to 14mm. But they simply replied assuring me that the technician would be fitting the right buckle for my band and not to worry, without actually informing me that 14mm was right because the band design had been changed since my previous purchase! Not that it would have made any difference because the update email was sent simultaneously with the shipping notification, so I couldn't have changed my order at that point anyway. As it is, I feel like I've wasted my money on a band that I'm nowhere near as happy with, and that when my current Saffiano wears out, I'll have to find a different band. But I'll have learned from experience and will be emailing to verify all specs before purchasing.

Very good.

On line ordering was good at making sure of a correct fit. Prompt delivery. 👍