Handmade leather watch straps – why should you consider one of my watch straps?
This is something I get asked frequently, so if you’ve not ordered a handmade leather watch strap from me before you might be wondering what all the fuss is about. I thought it might be useful to go through some of the many advantages they offer here.
First of all though, let’s define “handmade”. It may seem obvious, but over the last ten years or so the term “handmade” has been over-used, so it’s worth starting with a definition. To me, “handmade” means that the product has been made without using machines. My watch straps are made by hand using hand tools and traditional leather working techniques – there are no machines used in any part of the production process.
One of the main advantages of my watch straps is the quality of the materials I use. I realise it doesn’t automatically follow that a handmade product will be made from premium quality materials, but because of the time it takes me to produce a watch strap by hand it is not sensible to use materials that will reduce the life expectancy of the straps I produce. My reputation is of the utmost importance to me, and so I want the straps I make to last far longer than my customer’s expectations. For that reason I am careful only to select the best quality leathers from around the world. The vast majority are vegetable tanned, which means the skins have been cured using tree bark and other vegetable matter before being dyed and oiled, and I prefer to use full grain leathers (which means the top side has not been sanded or buffed to remove the natural grain of the leather) where possible. Using the leathers I do means that with minimal care they will be durable and long lasting.
Very often with mass-produced watch straps, the top layer is a decent leather but the manufacturer will incorporate a low quality lining leather on the bottom, and use a cheap filler (sometimes even cardboard is used) inside the strap to add bulk. This means the top layer can be very thin, thus reducing the material cost of the strap, but it will also have a direct effect on the life expectancy of the strap. My watch straps are made using one length of leather folded to produce a double layer strap, so the same high quality leather on the top side is also on the bottom. No cheap lining leathers or fillers are used.
The choice of leather is not the only aspect that makes my straps so durable however. A leather product is only as strong as the stitching that holds it together, so I decided a long time ago that all my watch straps would be hand stitched. This allows me to use a thicker, stronger thread than is possible with a leather sewing machine. I use only 4-ply linen thread i.e. linen thread made up of 4 cords of linen twisted together to make one strong thread, and this thread is heavily waxed prior to the stitching.
The strength of the thread I use is not the only advantage of a hand stitched strap, however. The process of hand stitching is done using a “saddle stitch”, where one length of thread is used with two needles crossing over each other as you go. This results in two lines of stitching locked together, so if one stitch is cut the other will hold the seam together and prevent it from unraveling. With a machine stitched strap, two lengths of thread are used in parallel, so if one stitch gets cut the seam will unravel and come apart.
The final advantage to buying a completely handmade leather watch strap is the ability for customisation it brings. My straps are always made to order, so they can be made to any size, and with any combination of leather and thread colour you wish. You can also specify the stitching pattern, decide exactly where you want the holes to be punched (and how many) so they can be sized to your exact specification (no more settling for a standard length, after all there is no standard wrist size), and whether you want fixed or floating keepers (or both). A handmade leather watch strap will allow you to own a truly bespoke item, something that has been made for you specifically and because of the quality of the materials used with minimal care it will give you many years of service.
So if you are seriously thinking about ordering a strap to be made for you, take a little time to look through the leathers I have available, and if you need any help you can always get in touch and I’ll be happy to help if I can
