Just recently, Google rolled out its latest Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro alongside the Pixel Watch 2. However, with the introduction of the Pixel Watch 2, there’s been a shake-up in Google’s watch band lineup, and with it comes a compromise. Unfortunately, this redesign led to the removal of some options, including the original brown leather strap. The two-tone “Linen” leather strap offered a lighter brown hue with gold hardware, making it a perfect complement to the gold Pixel Watch. However, this variant has now been removed from the market entirely (via 9to5Google). Currently, Google offers Obsidian black/gray, Porcelain white/gray (slightly updated from last year’s Chalk), and Bay for its watch bands.
Last year’s initial lineup for Pixel Watch featured a solid lineup of bands. There were various active options in different colors, including two types of high-quality leather straps. The two-tone leather, in particular, stood out, and it was the only way to snag a brown leather strap for the Pixel Watch during launch.
This year, Google introduced a blue color for its Crafted Leather strap, but oddly enough, there’s still no brown option. Given that brown leather is a common and iconic choice for leather accessories, it’s surprising that Google decided to eliminate this option from its lineup.
Notably, the two-tone leather strap was exclusive to the Google Store, leaving no other source of purchase. While other brands offer replacements, the convenience of getting it directly from Google has been lost.
THE Pixel Watch 2 represents a nice upgrade over the original, but if you’re a first-generation owner, you may not find compelling reasons to make the change. And that’s completely normal: smartwatch innovation tends to progress at a slower pace. On the other hand, users also tend to keep their watch for a long time.
