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Ronald: To the best of my knowledge, Tropic was a Swiss company that made straps from the 1950s (possibly earlier) to the 1980s (possibly later). These straps were the OEM rubber for dive watches from Rolex, Blancpain, JLC, IWC, and many others. There were many different styles, but the most iconic strap has a diagonal basket-weave texture, perforated by three rows of diamond-shaped holes. This particular style was also produced by a Hong Kong-based company. You can identify these HK Tropics by their simple keepers, which look more like rubber bands.
I bought a modern Tropic earlier this year. Modena Watch sells it for about $10, but I'm sure you can find it elsewhere. It's very different from the original: The rubber is softer and gummier, while the strap is thicker and tapers from 22mm to 20mm. (The old Tropic is either 18mm or 16mm at the buckle.) Visually, the basket-weave pattern of the new strap is a much simplified version of the original, while the keepers aren't textured at all. The sides of the new strap are flat, and lack the distinctive sawtooth edge of the real Tropic. The new strap is well made and comfortable, but it doesn't look much like the original up close.
Unfortunately, the NOS Tropics are scarce these days, and rare sizes (like 22mm) are expensive. 20mm Tropics can be had for USD 20 to 40, but a 22mm can sell for anywhere between $80 and $400. I was lucky a few months ago when I bought a silver Tropic 22mm for $16 on eBay, but that doesn't happen too often. eBay is where you'll find these straps, and the sellers with the biggest selection are Squinky and Timesofplenty.
I bought a modern Tropic earlier this year. Modena Watch sells it for about $10, but I'm sure you can find it elsewhere. It's very different from the original: The rubber is softer and gummier, while the strap is thicker and tapers from 22mm to 20mm. (The old Tropic is either 18mm or 16mm at the buckle.) Visually, the basket-weave pattern of the new strap is a much simplified version of the original, while the keepers aren't textured at all. The sides of the new strap are flat, and lack the distinctive sawtooth edge of the real Tropic. The new strap is well made and comfortable, but it doesn't look much like the original up close.
Unfortunately, the NOS Tropics are scarce these days, and rare sizes (like 22mm) are expensive. 20mm Tropics can be had for USD 20 to 40, but a 22mm can sell for anywhere between $80 and $400. I was lucky a few months ago when I bought a silver Tropic 22mm for $16 on eBay, but that doesn't happen too often. eBay is where you'll find these straps, and the sellers with the biggest selection are Squinky and Timesofplenty.
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