Few watch straps carry a history like the TROPIC®. Introduced in 1955, it became the rubber strap of the golden age of diving, and it is still made today from the same design. This is the short version of a long story.
1955: a new kind of strap
The TROPIC® strap arrived in 1955, just as the modern dive watch was taking shape. Its cross-hatched, tapestry-like surface was designed to breathe and to drain, and its tapered shape sat comfortably under a diving cuff. It was registered as a trademark from the start, and every genuine strap carried the name embossed on the inside.
The strap of the golden age
Through the 1950s, 60s, and 70s the TROPIC® became standard issue on many of the most important tool watches ever made, among them the Rolex Submariner, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, and the Omega Seamaster 300. It also served as the official strap of the French Navy’s Tudor Submariners. The look was copied so widely that people began using the word for any basket-weave strap, but there was only ever one original.
2003: Synchron takes the reins
When Synchron acquired TROPIC® in 2003, it took ownership of the original company in full: the blueprints, the tooling, and the manufacturing heritage. That mattered, because it meant the strap could continue as a genuine continuation of the original rather than a reproduction of its appearance.
Today
The modern TROPIC® is made in Italy from a proprietary vulcanised rubber compound, PFAS-free and silicone-free, with the same basket-weave design that made it an icon. Seventy years on, it is still the only genuine TROPIC®.
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Frequently asked questions
When was the TROPIC® strap introduced?
In 1955. It has been a registered trademark ever since.
Who makes the TROPIC® strap now?
Synchron, which acquired TROPIC® in 2003 along with the original blueprints and tooling.
Is the TROPIC® strap still made?
Yes. It is produced today in Italy using a modern vulcanised rubber formula, keeping the original basket-weave design.
Where is the TROPIC® strap made?
In Italy.
