Hello everyone, and welcome to another of my reviews. In this article, I take a look at the latest accessories from the local watch accessories label Delugs.
I last reviewed Delugs’ strap offerings back in 2020. Since then, Delugs has grown by leaps and bounds, culminating in a recent high-profile meeting with the one-and-only Ed Sheeran. It’s genuinely heartwarming to see a homegrown brand being arguably the preeminent strap provider in the industry, and I reached out to Ken and his (now much bigger) team to offer my congratulations. In turn, Ken asked if I wanted to take a look at some of Delugs’ latest accessories, namely the Strap Folio and the Essentials Kit. Of course I agreed – let’s see if they are any good.
Delugs – Strap Folio
Let’s start by taking a look at the Strap Folio.
The Strap Folio is crafted from Saffiano leather, which features the iconic cross-hatch texture that’s made popular by Prada. Aside from being aesthetically striking, the cross-hatch graining of Saffiano leather also grants it enhanced scratch and water resistance, resulting in a sturdier folio.
Given the striking nature of Saffiano, I was pleased that Delugs has smartly decided to take a minimalist approach to its branding. There’s no ostentatious branding on the folio, simply two Delugs logos subtlly emblazoned – one on the front of the folio, and one on the zipper.
On the inside, the Strap Folio is lined with microfibre velvet that feels premium to the touch. Although technically made out of polyester, it has none of the cheap, plasticky texture that’s often associated with synthetic materials. Instead, the microfibre velvet is soft to the touch and easy to maintain. It’s often used in bags and other accessories, and in my experience holds up well.
The Strap Folio also comes with steel binders that feature reinforced eyelets. This prevents stretching over time, which should enhance long-term durability.
The Delugs Strap Folio can fit a total of 6 packaging inserts, with each insert having 12 strap slots. In other words, the folio has a total capacity of 72 straps – that’s more than enough for me, and likely the majority of watch enthusiasts.
I’ve reviewed strap storage options before, namely from Nomadwatchworks. However, Nomad’s strap roll only has 5 strap slots, and as you can see I’ve dozens of straps. I’ve previously tried to search for alternatives online, but to no avail – I’m not as hands-on as Daan of Fratello. Delugs’ Strap Folio is such a straightforward solution (essentially a folder for straps) that I’m surprised no one else had thought of it before.
However, I found that some of the slot dividers broke easily, resulting in the unlucky strap “encroaching” on the adjacent slot (see picture above). It’s not a terrible dealbreaker, but it is a slight disappointment given the Strap Folio’s premium pricing.
Overall, I enjoyed using Delugs’ Strap Folio. It’s by far the most comprehensive strap storage option on the market and is an elegant solution for strap hoarders like myself. That being said, there is room for improvement, mainly in the quality of the inserts. The price is also a tad high at S$350 – I would have preferred to see a sub-S$300 price point. Still, compared to $100 strap cases on Etsy that hold 12 straps, the Delugs Strap Folio (with its 72-strap capacity) is a decent value.
Note: Delugs currently has a handful of “overstocked” Strap Folios available for $250 (inclusive of the plastic inserts). At that price, the Strap Folio is a good value proposition. However, do note that accessories sold in Overstock are final and no returns or refunds will be accepted.
Delugs – Essentials Kit
Next up is the newly launched Essentials Kit.
The Essentials Kit comes in a sleek matte black case which Delugs says is custom moulded. It’s soft to the touch, and (unlike the Strap Folio) features Delugs’ brand name emblazoned boldly on the front.
Priced at S$175, the Essentials Kit comes with a medley of five different tools: a travel spring bar tool, a 15x magnification loupe, a microfibre cloth, a link pin remover, and a wrist measuring tool. Notice how each tool has its dedicated compartment – custom moulding indeed.
All the tools come in matte black, which complements the sleek dark case perfectly.
Out of the five, I found the link pin remover to be the most useful. Previously, I’ve always brought my watches to a watchmaker to have my watch bracelets sized. With the link pin remover, I can now do it myself, saving both time and money. It’s very easy and convenient to use, and I was able to size my watches within 3-5 minutes accurately. Do note that the tool won’t work on bracelets using screws, instead of link pins.
The 15x Magnification Loupe is also handy for times when you want to examine the finer details of your watch.
As a watch enthusiast, I had a blast examining every minute detail of my watches with the 15x loupe. The loupe was especially useful during new watch purchases, allowing me to ensure there weren’t any unwanted scratches, nicks or chips.
I also like the Travel Spring Bar tool, which allows one to switch out traditional straps (those without quick-release spring bars), buckles, etc with ease. I have a few spring bar tools, but Delugs’ iteration felt noticeably sturdier than most.
Interestingly, the spring bar tool comes with reversible heads, resulting in a total of 4 heads which should fit almost all strap connection methods in the industry. It’s one of the most over-engineered spring bar tools I’ve used, so kudos to Delugs for offering arguably the most advanced spring bar tool on the market.
Additionally, there’s a microfibre cloth set that feels high-quality to the touch and even comes with a matching carry case. Unlike the spring bar tool, the microfibre cloth doesn’t reinvent the wheel but it’s still a well-made product that works well. It’s effective in keeping my timepieces clean of lint and dust, and I often find myself reaching for Delugs’ microfibre cloth before I shoot or film a watch.
Lastly, there’s a wrist-measuring tool that allows users to measure your precise wrist size.
Knowing your wrist size is important (for example, I have an 18cm wrist) as it allows watch enthusiasts to understand what watches are best, given your wrist size.
There’s also a 6cm scale with 1mm increments, allowing enthusiasts to measure the lug sizes of their watches accurately (and order Delugs straps in the correct lug widths).
Conclusion – so Delugs Accessories “shiok” or not?
Delugs has developed a strong reputation in the industry as a true enthusiast brand – its founder Ken has an awe-inspiring watch collection himself. At the same time, the brand also boasts a large roster of renowned ambassadors. Delugs is a brand run by watch enthusiasts, for watch enthusiasts. This philosophy is espoused in its products, as Delugs continuously churns out products that target the pain points of watch enthusiasts, such as the Strap Folio and the Essentials Kit. The Strap Folio solves my strap storage problem (albeit at a cost), while the Essentials Kit provides me with the literal tools necessary to tinker with my watches. I’ve used the link pin removal, loupe, and spring bar tools dozens of times now, and they have held up pretty well.
The Strap Folio (with the inserts) costs S$350, while the Essential Kit has a price tag of S$175. While not the cheapest, Delugs’ accessories are well-conceived and put together, and it’s good to see that the brand continues to deliver bangers even when deviating from its bread-and-butter of watch straps. If I had to choose between the two, I would say the Essential Kit is the better buy – it has everything a watch enthusiast requires while costing only as much as an average Delugs strap. That being said, the “overstocked” Strap Folios are a steal at S$250, so I’ll take a look at them as well for those seeking strap storage options.
View the Strap Folio here.
View the Essentials Kit here.
View the full range of Delugs’ offerings here.
Delugs Essentials Kit – Video
Those interested in viewing some hands-on footage of the Essentials Kit can watch my unboxing video below:
P.S: Check out The Shiok Store here – it serves as a curation of my favourite products from my favourite brands.
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P.P.P.P.S Shiok is a common word Singaporeans use to express admiration or approval. As of 2016, you can find the definition of the word in the Oxford English Dictionary.
