What Crown & Buckle does

Crown & Buckle (legal entity: Crown and Buckle LLC, a Florida LLC operating from Matthews, North Carolina) is a direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer that designs, manufactures, and distributes watch straps and watch accessories, founded in 2011 by Thomas Lathrop. The company serves individual watch enthusiasts, military-history collectors, and premium-leather buyers through its own Magento storefront at crownandbuckle.com, with no third-party retail or marketplace presence. The product portfolio spans NATO-style nylon straps, leather straps, perlon/braided nylon straps, and accessories such as spring bar tools, spring bars, watch buckles, and travel cases, organized into sub-collections including Supreme NATO, Chevron™ Adjustable, Defence NATO, American Made, Premium NATO, HD NATO, and the limited seasonal Black Label line. Crown & Buckle operates a hybrid sourcing model: standard lines are sourced finished, while the American Made and Chevron™ lines are designed and produced in-house in the United States using premium inputs such as Horween leather sourced under a supplier partnership, with hardware machined from CNC-machined 316L stainless steel. The company monetizes exclusively via one-time unit sales at price points ranging from $8 (Mini Spring Bar Tool) to $45+ (premium and limited-edition straps), with free domestic shipping on orders of $60+ and international economy shipping from $8.49 via FedEx and USPS, fulfilling directly from southeastern US operations. Marketing is concentrated in content (blog, NATO strap history, how-to guides), Klaviyo-driven email (2-3 campaigns per month), social media, occasional participation in watch industry events (e.g., Wind Up Watch Fair NYC), and charitable campaigns such as #Straps4ACure in partnership with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The company holds registered trademarks (Crown & Buckle®, C&B®, Black Label®, Chevron™) and operates under license for the NATO® mark from Andom, LLC. The leadership team disclosed is a founder (Thomas Lathrop) and a COO (Veronica McMaster), and headcount is reported at 1-10 employees, consistent with a small, founder-led specialty DTC business.

Name

Crown & Buckle

Legal name

Crown and Buckle LLC

Website

https://crownandbuckle.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Crown & Buckle is a US-based, direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer founded in 2011 that designs, manufactures, and sells watch straps — including proprietary NATO, leather, and perlon lines — plus watch accessories to individual watch enthusiasts globally via its own website.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Watch Straps and Accessories

NAICS

Luggage and Leather Goods Retailers (458320)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Leather & Leather Products (3100)

akta.pro primary industry

Tech & Utility Accessories (Phone Cases, Watch Bands, Key Holders) (CRAAAJAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Bag & Accessory Components/Hardware (Straps, Buckles, Zippers) (CRAAAJAJ)

Keywords

• Watch straps
• NATO watch straps
• Leather watch bands
• Watch accessories
• Premium watch straps

Headquarters

HQ city

Matthews

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Watch Strap Sales: Direct e-commerce sales of watch straps including NATO, leather, perlon, and specialty straps. Products sold at various price points from budget to premium, with both one-time purchases and limited edition/discontinued items.
2. Accessories Sales: Sale of watch accessories including spring bar tools, watch buckles, and travel/storage cases. One-time product purchases at fixed price points.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Crown & Buckle is an online retailer that designs, manufactures (in part), and sells watch straps and related accessories directly to consumers through its own e-commerce storefront. The catalog spans NATO-style straps (Supreme NATO, Defence NATO, Military NATO, Premium NATO, HD NATO, Standard NATO), the proprietary Chevron™ adjustable single-pass nylon strap, Perlon/braided nylon straps, leather straps (including American Made Horween leather lines), 2-piece nylon straps, and accessories such as spring bar tools, spring bars, watch buckles, and travel/storage cases.

Product overview

Crown & Buckle is an online retailer specializing in watch straps and accessories, operating as a single e-commerce platform. The product portfolio centers on NATO-style straps (including Supreme NATO, Matte Supreme, Chevron Adjustable, Defence NATO, Military NATO, Premium NATO, HD NATO, Standard NATO), Perlon/braided nylon straps, leather straps, and the premium Black Label collection. Additional offerings include American Made straps manufactured in-house, Riblon NATO straps, 2-piece nylon straps, and accessories such as spring bar tools, spring bars, watch buckles, and travel cases. The company positions itself as 'Purveyors of Fine Watch Straps' with products ranging from budget-friendly options to premium limited-edition collections.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Black Label: Premium watch strap collection combining world's finest materials with handmade tradition. Available in limited seasonal runs.
• Supreme NATO
• Chevron
• Defence NATO
• American Made
• Riblon

Products and services

• Chevron™ Adjustable Straps Exclusive single-layer, adjustable-length, single-pass nylon straps with unique alternating nylon weave, ultrasonic sizing holes, fully stitched tip, and CNC-machined 316L stainless steel hardware; sold to individual watch enthusiasts across multiple widths.
• Supreme NATO Straps Premium NATO straps made from high-quality nylon resembling automotive seat belt material, sewn with strong nylon thread and finished with machined 316L stainless steel hardware; sold to watch enthusiasts seeking comfort and quality.
• Matte Supreme NATO Straps Tactical NATO straps featuring matte finish with the same quality construction as Supreme NATO straps, including machined 316L stainless steel hardware.
• Defence NATO Straps Military-inspired NATO straps faithful to the classic 1960s British MoD design, with thoughtful improvements for better fit and feel while remaining true to the original specifications; aimed at military history enthusiasts and watch collectors.
• Military NATO Straps Collection of military-inspired NATO straps including Defence NATO, US Military, and US-G10 styles in various colors and widths (16mm–24mm).
• Premium NATO Straps Higher quality NATO straps with premium hardware and materials, ranging from $30.00 to $45.00 depending on standard colors or jacquard camouflage patterns.
• HD (Heavy Duty) NATO Straps Heavy duty NATO straps with heftier oval-shaped hardware and extra-heavy nylon construction for durability.
• Standard NATO Straps Basic NATO straps meeting standard military specifications in various colors and widths.
• Perlon Straps Braided nylon straps that are thin, lightweight, and waterproof, available in various colors and widths.
• Riblon NATO Straps NATO-style straps with unique ribbed construction, available in Admiralty Grey, Olive Drab, Black and other colors at $38.00 across 20mm width.
• 2-Piece Nylon Straps Two-piece nylon watch straps for traditional watch mounting in multiple widths and colors.
• Leather Straps Leather watch straps including 2-piece leather, leather NATO, and canvas/leather combinations across multiple colors and widths.
• Black Label Collection Premium watch strap sub-brand combining world's finest materials with handmade tradition; available in limited seasonal runs using premium leathers such as Horween Chromexcel and Shell Cordovan.
• American Made Straps Handmade straps produced in-house in the United States using Horween leather (Chromexcel, Shell Cordovan, Kangaroo leather, football leather) and other premium domestic materials.
• Billet Spring Bar Tool Premium spring bar tool for watch strap installation and removal, priced at $25.00.
• Mini Spring Bar Tool Lightweight, slim, and small spring bar tool as a budget option for occasional strap changes, priced at $8.00.
• Spring Bars Replacement spring bars for watch strap attachment in multiple sizes.
• Watch Buckles Replacement watch buckles in various finishes including brushed, polished, and black PVD.
• Travel & Storage Cases Cases and rolls designed for storing and traveling with watch straps.

Quantifiable outcome

• Customer testimonial reports Crown & Buckle Defence NATO matches original Phoenix MOD specifications for color and material quality
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Horween Leather Co.coreTechnology or Integration · 7 February 2020Strategic supplier partnership with Horween Leather Co., a Chicago-based leather tannery. Crown & Buckle sources premium leather including Chromexcel, Shell Cordovan, Kangaroo leather, football leather (same leather used for NFL footballs), and other specialty leathers for their American Made collection. Products are hand-made in the United States using Horween materials.
• Andom, LLCminorOthersAndom, LLC owns the NATO® registered trademark. Crown & Buckle operates under license to use the NATO® trademark designation on their website.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Everest Watch Bands: Everest Watch Bands sells premium rubber and leather straps specifically engineered for popular watch models, marketed to enthusiasts. Comparable in DTC model and focus on the watch collector segment, with proprietary engineered designs.
• Strapcode: Strapcode is a major online watch strap retailer offering metal, leather, and nylon straps with strong enthusiast community presence. Comparable to Crown & Buckle in DTC model, niche authority, and focus on premium materials like 316L stainless steel hardware.
• WatchGecko: WatchGecko is a UK-based watch strap and accessories retailer serving a global enthusiast audience with proprietary designs. Comparable in DTC e-commerce focus, branded sub-collections, and emphasis on content marketing and watch community engagement.
• CNS Watch Bands: CNS Watch Bands specializes in canvas, leather, and NATO watch straps sold direct to consumers at competitive price points. Comparable as a focused DTC watch strap brand serving enthusiasts with similar product range and pricing.
• BluShark: BluShark specializes in premium NATO and nylon watch straps sold direct-to-consumer with a strong enthusiast following. Directly comparable as a NATO strap-focused DTC brand with similar price points ($25-$45) and target customer (watch collectors).
• Barton Watch Bands: Barton Watch Bands is one of the largest direct-to-consumer watch strap brands, offering silicone, leather, and nylon NATO straps at similar price points. Directly comparable as both companies specialize in DTC watch strap sales with similar product breadth across NATO and leather styles.
• Windup Watch Shop: Windup Watch Shop sells watches, straps, and accessories direct to enthusiasts, with strong ties to the Wind Up Watch Fair that Crown & Buckle also participates in. Comparable as a DTC watch accessory retailer focused on the microbrand and enthusiast community.
• Clockwork Synergy: Clockwork Synergy sells watch bands, NATO straps, and accessories via direct e-commerce with a focus on watch enthusiasts. Comparable in DTC model, product breadth across NATO and leather styles, and target customer of hobbyist watch owners.
• Holben's Watch Bands: Holben's sells premium leather and specialty watch straps to enthusiasts and collectors via direct e-commerce. Comparable as a boutique DTC watch strap retailer focused on quality materials and enthusiast customers.

Broad incumbents

• Hodinkee: Hodinkee is a leading watch media and retail platform that sells watch straps and accessories alongside its broader content business. Comparable in selling premium watch straps to enthusiasts, though Hodinkee operates at significantly larger scale and includes editorial content as its primary offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/crownandbuckle
• Facebookfacebook.com/crownandbuckle
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/crown-buckle

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Crown & Buckle