Since the debut of the Pixel Watch, band selection has been somewhat of a sore point. Though google offers a selection, they’re nowhere near cheap. Ringke offers a cheaper solution that is up to par with the Pixel Watch’s quality.
The Pixel Watch is built with a proprietary band connection. Much like what Fitbit uses for its wearables, the Pixel Watch has a sliding connector that makes use of locking teeth. In theory and in practice with Google’s own bands, the connection is more than secure and feels very nice.
Becuase of that, though, it is very hard to find a sub-$70 band that includes lugs that feel well-made. Searching on Amazon will only offer up results that include bands and lugs that dangle in the Pixel Watch’s connection slot.
Having had no luck with cheap and accessible bands, I decided to give the Ringke Leather One Band a chance. After placing what I thought was a pre-order, the band was immediately shipped prior to the actual release date.
Ringke’s Leather One Band option is absolutely gorgeous. It comes in both a brown and black finish, contrary to Google’s Crafted Leather band which only comes in black and green colorways. The brown version has a gorgeous hue. The band I received looks a little lighter than what Ringke showcases on its website, though I find absolutely no fault in that. The Leather One Band is styled with white stitching all along the outline of the band, with the end of the tongue being a little thinner than the base. That shape gives the band a more refined look than a more rustic-looking rectangle shape.
What really sold me on the band after installing it was the lugs and connection. As mentioned, I’ve had little success with other third-party bands, specifically with the lugs. On the Leather One, there is very little play, and with that, the connection feels very strong when compared to official bands. The other aspect that impresses me is the finish. Ringke implemented a polished finish that almost identically matches the Pixel Watch’s silver colorway. Becuase of that, the band looks stock and you wouldn’t be able to tell it was from a third-party seller.
The same goes for the buckle, which bears the same finish and a small Ringke logo. The buckle takes on a great shape, giving the overall band look a classic edge. Included with Ringke’s lugs are two quick-release pins, meaning you can remove the leather band and replace it with another set of leather or fabric straps using the same shiny connector.
As far as fit goes, the band is stiff when it’s first installed. Over a period of several days, it slowly became a little more pliable and eventually has become a solid and comfortable Pixel Watch band. After a few minutes, you forget you’re wearing the Pixel Watch at all, which has been a reliable mark of comfort when it comes to watch bands and straps.
In all, Ringke’s Leather One Band is exactly what I was looking for in a third-party Pixel Watch Band. It’s comfortable, strong, and bears an absolutely great look and finish. While the classic look might not be for all, Ringke sure has done a fantastic job with this band.
The Leather One Band from Ringke comes in at $69.99 – $10 cheaper than the Crafted Leather band from Google. If you’re looking for a metal option, we suggest you take a look into Ringke’s Metal One Band, which undercuts the official metal band for the Pixel Watch by $100.
Buy the Ringke Leather One Band for Pixel Watch
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