At the beginning of June I took a trip around the UK to find some new leathers for the site. This is something I do once a year, and as often happens I came home after spending far too much money, but with a lot of leather I am hopeful you will like (and a car smelling like a tannery!). Lots of new leathers to work with!
The next stage is always to test the leathers to make sure they are suitable, and that can only be done by making straps and wearing them hard for a couple of weeks (and asking some close friends to do the same – I only have two wrists after all). Fortunately all eleven new leathers came through the process and so another strap was made from each to be photographed for my website. As you can imagine, this process takes time and this is why only now, a month on, the leathers are ready to go live. Five were launched last weekend, and I’m pleased to announce that that final six have just gone live in the store.
I know I am going to get asked which are my personal favorites, and it’s never an easy question to ask because often it depends on the watch the strap will be made for (and it’s also a little like asking a father which of his children are his favourite). Obviously I never buy anything new unless I am keen to make a strap from it for myself, and I like all eleven, but if I had to pick out a couple for a special mention there are a few new leathers that I am personally very excited about. Aegir is one that I am crazy about (don’t be surprised if you ask me for a recommendation any time soon if I send you a link to that leather), Cognac is a leather I’ve been looking for since 2013 and I finally found some (for those of you who like shell cordovan you really need to try this!), and as I love a light sand coloured strap on a base Panerai, Sahara is another that I am looking forward to wearing more.
Hopefully you will all find something in the new leathers there that you like (and maybe one or two that you might consider the next time you need a new watch strap?).
Now I’m going to have a beer!