I finally found a leather band for my Apple Watch that exudes quality (and it's on sale)

1 week ago 4

ZDNET's key takeaways

The Konsu Apple Watch band is made in NYC, and retails for $140.
The leather band is flexible and comfortable, and the bold color and design options create a unique quiet-luxury accessory.
The band might be considered too pricey for some Apple Watch wearers

What's the deal?

Konsu is discounting their watch bands by 15% before the holiday season. Right now, you can grab one for $119 (save $21 at Konsu).

While Apple's watch lineup are perhaps some of the most popular smart wearables on the market, it doesn't often have the same allure when it comes to its accessories. Brands like Casetify, Moft, Speck, Otterbox, and more have all cashed in on manufacturing products like phone cases, watch bands, iPad covers, and beyond for consumers, and they're often preferred over Apple's own.

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I recently had a chance to go hands-on with Konsu's leather Apple Watch Band and was pleasantly surprised with its quality. Konsu is a NYC-based brand that makes bands for the Apple Watch out of 100% top-grain Italian calfskin leather, and I was very curious to test one out myself, especially after testing dozens of bands in 2024 made from silicone, metal, to rubber, and more.

After working with the bands for a few weeks -- consider me impressed. I don't typically wear a leather watch band; my daily driver is Nomad's Sport Slim Band, and I live in it to the point that it's slightly embarrassing to admit how disgusting it gets before I realize I should probably clean it. Alas, this is ZDNET and I'm always going to be real with you.

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If I had to rank my band preferences, I would chose a silicone or synthetic band option, then a metal band, and lastly, I would pick a leather option. This is not because I am anti-leather (in fact, I have tested some great leather bands before). I just never found a leather watch band that was comfortable enough for everyday wear that I justified giving up a more practical material like silicone or fluoroelastomer rubber (FKM).

But in the weeks since I've tried Konsu's leather band, I've been converted. Let's get into it.

How does it fit (and feel)?

Overall, the Konsu band feels premium and is comfortable to wear. My favorite thing about this band is that it requires no break-in period to conform to my wrist despite being leather. It was comfortable and secure immediately, which is one of my biggest annoyances with some leather bands I've tried, like Nomad's Modern Band.

The only downside is that I felt it was a little small. It does secure around my wrist, but just barely. I mostly wear it on the second to last notch, and the third to last would be the snuggest I could comfortably go.

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Konsu says that their 40/41/42 mm bands accommodate wrist circumferences ranging from 5.3 to 6.9 inches, and that the 44/45/46 mm and Ultra bands accommodate wrist circumferences ranging from 6.2 to 7.7 inches. I have pretty average wrists for a female (I think) and have never needed to secure my band this close to the end of the strap on any other watch band, so consider sizing before you purchase.

How does it look?

The look of this watch band screams quiet luxury (which it should, for $140). It's very minimalist in construction, but each material has been carefully selected, and Konsu has done a great job creating a premium consumer experience.

The packaging on these bands is exceptional and is the most perfected I have ever seen. No plastic boxes, messy tape, or elastic security bands here; it's a giftable item for yourself or a loved one, and the unboxing experience is something I wanted to savor. It was the tech equivalent of unboxing an expensive purse, which says a lot considering I unbox dozens of products each year.

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The band itself, although minimalist, can be worn casually or dressed up, and is available in a deep green, a bright yellow, and even a punchy red. While these are totally colors you can find in silicone or FKM bands, it's not as common for leather.

You also get to select your metal (gold, silver, or black), which Konsu says are made from 316-grade stainless steel. I tested the Moher Green band with gold buckles and the Arashiyama White band with silver hardware on my Starlight Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen).

How does it wear?

I can't speak to the true longevity of this band just yet as I've only been using it a few weeks, but I haven't identified any abnormal wear thus far. Leather will naturally patina and bend overtime, and any hardware will eventually develop scratches or imperfections, even if they're faint. For the most part, both bands I tried still look like they came out of the box, except for some expected stretching on the most used notches.

ZDNET's buying advice

I don't think I would have initially purchased this product on my own, but now that I had a chance to go hands-on, I would. But let me address the biggest elephant in the room -- the price. At $140, these bands are more expensive than others I've tested. For comparison, there are many other band options well under $100, including most of Nomad's leather bands.

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But there is something to be said for the premium construction and design here, in addition to the unique leather color and hardware options I haven't seen anywhere else. From the carefully crafted boxes to the ready-to-wear, no-break-in-needed leather, Konsu has made a splash in the wearable accessory market by coupling a premium product with a curated, premium consumer experience.

If this Konsu band is a bit too out of your budget, don't fret. You can can snag one of these watch bands on sale right now for $119. Bonus points because the box is so pretty, you could just pop a bow on it and you'd be set.

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