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Get strapped for cash
Beautifully made leather is proving a draw for both high-end shoemakers and watchmakers like Santoni, one of the marques that has collaborated with timekeeping leaders such as IWC to supply many of it new models with calfskin straps. Photo: Supplied -
Hublot’s Classic Fusion Berluti All Black has a strap marked with Berluti’s signature handmade Gaspard incision, seen as a fold in the middle of the Venezia leather strap that is secured by a single stitch. Photo: Supplied -
The brown strap of Hublot’s Classic Fusion Berluti Scritto is carved from Venezia Scritto calf leather, with the laser-engraved script inspired by 18th century calligraphy. Photo: Supplied -
The IWC Big Pilot's Watch Annual Calendar Edition ‘Le Petit Prince’ ref. 5027, one of the renewals of the IWC Big Pilot offerings, with a Santoni leather watch strap. The front of the calfskin strap is dark brown while the reverse is a lighter brown. Photo: Supplied -
The see-through sapphire-glass back of IWC Big Pilot's Watch Annual Calendar Edition ‘Le Petit Prince’ ref. 5027, showing the book character, in solid red gold, standing on a tiny planet that forms the rotor and revolves around its axis. The underside of the Santoni-made strap is a lighter shade of brown than the exterior strap surface. Photo: Supplied -
The King of Heels, Christian Louboutin, is helping mark the 85th anniversary of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso with his treatment of the watch icon. This option’s strap shimmers from soft green to pink, from blue to plum, creating an effect like petrol on water. Photo: Supplied -
Christian Louboutin’s Reverso Classic Duetto collection brings playful iridescence to the celebrated swiveling watch on its 85th birthday, including the actual dial in one case. Photo: Supplied -
The Tudor Heritage Black Bay Bronze is a prime example of Tudor’s fabric watch strap supremacy and was a hit of Baselworld 2016. Photo: Supplied -
The Tudor Heritage Black Bay Dark, with a choice of black PVD-treated steel bracelet or an aged leather strap with a black PVD-treated folding clasp, is also accompanied by a grey fabric strap. A signature of the Heritage line, the strap is created by a traditional Jacquard technique mastered by a century-old French company that works with the watch brand. Photo: Supplied -
2016’s Vacheron Constantin Overseas ref. 4500V’s three straps include two blue options along with the stainless steel bracelet, in leather and rubber, that make for attractive complements to the luxury sports watch’s sunburst blue dial. The former strap is hand-stitched blue alligator leather with large square scales, featuring a black nubuck lining with a micro-perforated effect. Photo: Supplied -
Moonwatch tones: the Omega Speedmaster Grey Side of the Moon ‘Meteorite’ is Omega’s first visit to the meteorite side of the moon, with a grey dial made from slices of the Gibeon iron meteorite (from Namibia) with a ribbon-like flecked Widmanstätten pattern, and similarly hued leather strap. Photo: Supplied -
Comfort on the wrist: Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M chocolate is a design for women presented on a brown leather strap with a soft rubber underside. This use of two materials is a new feature that delivers a sporty and comfortable combination while being more suitable for swimming. The strap also accentuates the rich chocolate ceramic and 18K Sedna Gold face. Photo: Supplied -
The leather rally-style strap of the new TAG Heuer Monza, a vintage-inspired revisit of a 1975 design to commemorate Ferrari’s winning F1 season, is marked by a 70s automobile interiors’ plushness that is well-pitched for the 40th anniversary of the Monza. Photo: Supplied -
MB&F; HMX Black Badger is a collaboration between MB&F; and Canadian accessories designer James Thompson, known for his glow-in-the-dark rings. It comes in a limited edition (capped at 18 for each option) of three: Radar Green (shown here), Phantom Blue and Purple Reign. Photo: Supplied -
While not able to compete with the luminescent display capabilities of the watch, the straps are dynamic visual elements. The watch is eye-catching by day but truly comes into its own at nightfall. Photo: Supplied -
MB&F; LM1 Silberstein is another ‘Performance Art’ series collaborative effort, this time revealing the aesthetic imprint of French watch designer Alain Silberstein, a former interior designer, with its use of his signature three bright colours and shapes, along with the concave curve of its subdials. The watch comes in black PVD-treated titanium, titanium and red gold; and on a black calfskin strap with stitching in black or red, which in this example playfully matches the red-arrow hour indicator. Photo: Supplied -
Various examples of Worn & Wound Model 1 Horween leather straps, available in eight colours (note, main watch cases not for sale), made from leather from one of the finest tanneries in the world, Chicago’s Horween, which supplies a number of watchmakers. Photo: Supplied -
All straps from Brooklyn-based watch accessories brand Worn & Wound are made in the US and often feature Horween leather, from the globally recognized Chicago tannery. Pictured is the Model 1 Horween – Moss. Other colours cover Olive, Rye and Crimson, among several choices. Model 2 premiums also use Horween leather. Photo: Supplied -
Completely camo: the latest three Bell & Ross 03 Desert Type watches (including a feminine edition) bear sand coloured dials on sand coloured calfskin leather straps (the 42-mm models are lined with a black synthetic fabric). This colour scheme, taken from Air Force pilot's sand coloured uniforms for desert missions, is seen here on the Bell & Ross BR 03-94 Desert Type chronograph. Photo: Supplied -
A beautiful diver: the latest time-only variation of the iconic Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe has a plasma grey ceramic case and comes with two strap options. The watch can be worn on a blue NATO-strap or a blue sail canvas strap, the latter seen here. Photo: Supplied -
The Gucci G-Timeless Automatic’s first impression is elicited from its bees-and-stars hour indicators but its brown or black alligator strap, of the calibre expected of a luxury fashion house, does not go unnoticed. Photo: Supplied -
The I.N.O.X. Paracord by Victorinox Swiss Army now boasts a red version of its braided rope strap that is as much a watch band as a survival tool. The paracord is produced by Scandinavian brand Naimakka and is normally a material used for parachute suspension lines and has a breaking point of 250kg. Photo: Supplied -
Roger Dubuis Velvet by Massaro, from the Velvet Collection. Both men and women are enjoying the fruits of the intersection between shoe brands and watch leaders, but the glamour quotient drives female admirers of Roger Dubuis’s Velvet collection. One of its latest iterations from the women’s line, it bears the audacious golden stamp of Massaro with a pleated leather haute couture strap. The French shoemaker founded in 1894 has produced Chanel’s shoes since 2002 and is most known for the house’s iconic black and beige heel. -
Chanel Signature Diamond Secret watch, one of two new releases from the French luxury label’s Les Éternelles de Chanel high jewellery collection. Cross-pollinating Chanel has also been extolling some perennial purses in its new watches. Riffing on its much loved quilted handbags that have become an integral part of the Chanel identity are two new editions of its Les Éternelles de Chanel collection, a Signature Diamond Secret and a Signature Morganite Secret, with square quilted patterns of glistening diamonds that are feats of pliancy by the craftsmen in Chanel’s high jewellery workshops. -
Hermès Faubourg Manchette – a leather cuff that celebrates the brand’s equestrian roots – was released in a gem-set Faubourg Manchette Joaillerie in four colours at Baselworld 2016, with straps that match the gemstones on them: green (malachite dial and emeralds), blue (lapis lazuli dial and blue sapphires), brown (tiger’s eye dial and brown sapphires) and black (onxy dial and diamonds). An Alligator cuff replaces the usual calfskin but still features the maison’s famed stitching technique, and let’s not forget: 36 baguette-cut gemstones and the pavé diamond hour indicators. A nod to Hermès’ origin as a saddle and harness maker, the leather is worked as one piece that moulds around the wrist like a second skin. Photo: Supplied -
GC-3 Papaya, the latest from Gc, possesses a vibrant colour pairing of bright papaya orange dial and dark ocean blue bezel that is continued with its strap, which flaunts crocodile-patterned blue leather with orange seaming. Photo: Supplied -
Another striking colour statement, though this time from a jeweller, is the Boucheron Small Reflet Bleu de Jodhpur, with its vivid blue alligator strap, plus sapphires and a blue aventurine dial, evoking the Blue City, the sobriquet for Jodhpur in Rajasthan, while the white version of the two new Reflets similarly acknowledges Boucheron’s affinity with Indian Royalty, by incorporating marble into the dial in reference to the Taj Mahal.
Watchmakers love to dazzle with stunning displays and breathtaking complications - but it would be a misstep to overlook that which tethers all that mechanical wizardry to our wrists. Watch straps accompanying some of the best horological releases this year are being led in intriguing directions by the very best shoe design houses.
A highlight debut from Baselworld 2016 was Hublot's Classic Fusion Berluti, which employed Parisian shoemaker Berluti's glorious Venezia leather to supersede the traditional use of leather in watchmaking.
Hublot x Berluti
Hublot is no stranger to pushing the boundaries on materials, previously producing watches featuring denim and carbon fibre. An alliance between Hublot and Berluti is not such an odd pairing as luxury marques, linked as they are by an obsession with detail and their standing among the very best in their respective industries.
A tobacco or jet black-toned fusion of Berluti's patina expertise and Hublot's know-how ensures a watch with character and warmth; but the technical application of leather in the dial of the two models is also a stand-out.
Dial file
One of the major difficulties of the collaboration was the challenge of using an organic material in a sealed environment that would be able to withstand long-term use. In the end, a chemical process helped preserve the dial leather.
Each limited edition watch is housed in a special box covered in the same Berluti leather as the strap, befitting the considerations of a classic gentleman with its leather care kit, complete with wax and brushes for your straps or Berluti shoes, plus a watch pouch.
Heart and sole
Another parallel between design areas is the application of engineering – a shoe's hidden engineering is all about weight-bearing, while a watch's engineering ensures accurate timekeeping.
Functionality often steals the limelight over fashion statements, but style can't be ignored when cult shoe hero Christian Louboutin makes his mark on an icon like the Jaeger-Le Coultre Reverso.
Louboutin's series for the Swiss watchmaker, available in the small and medium sizes of the Reverso Classic Duetto, comprises the first watches from its new Atelier Reverso line, on the 85th anniversary of the famous swiveling watch.
Any mention of Louboutin elicits expectation of the French designer's signature seductively red leather swathe. But although two red options are available, a strap and dial with shimmering colours, traversing soft green to pink, from blue to plum, are playful surprises that create an effect like petrol on water that emulates an iridescence Louboutin has used on shoes.
Other Louboutin Reverso designs include a lattice-like strap with pastel geometric, plastic inserts.
Santorini style
IWC has had a fruitful, exclusive relationship for a number of years with Santoni, the luxury Italian shoe purveyor. Most of Santoni's production, like the exacting ornamental seam work and its famous anticatura or antique finishing, is still carried out by nimble fingered hands, and all work is done under the same roof. The family company is proud to use a manually operated carousel over a conveyor belt, and is revered for its Manofatto men's shoes. Many of IWC's new Big Pilot's models feature calfskin straps by Santoni, in homage to aviator watches produced by IWC 80 years ago.
Of course, luxury names such as Gucci, Ferragamo, Fendi, Louis Vuitton and Hermès are well-poised to apply their wealth of leather knowledge to watch straps. And some of the fashion-centred houses have really bolstered their watch designs with richly coloured leather this year.
The feel of fabric
High quality leather and colour play, followed by textured and cut-out or perforated leather, are leading the visual interest. Yet fabric is also bringing attention to straps, notably on the customisation front.
There are lots of fabric straps on view but Tudor excels in the fabric game with the numerous offerings for its Heritage collection (and some models of its Fastrider and Clair de Rose).
While easy to mistakenly compare to NATO nylon variants, the brand's fabric straps are actually made in France by a traditional passementerie firm that specialises in the art of hand-woven elaborate trimmings and is one of the few remaining in the country still practising Jacquard weaving.
Interchangeable options
The result is a sturdy, flexible strap with complex patterns and a dense weave for peerless comfort. An audience favourite at Baselworld was the Tudor Heritage Black Bay Bronze, with its nautical-inspired bronze theme from case to fabric strap.
The desire for versatility is also well met by Boucheron with its latest interchangeable strap options for Reflets that are a nod to Mondrian's favourite yellow, red and black, and Vacheron Constantin Overseas models with three straps (a steel bracelet, and two blue choices - a waterproof textured band and a classic leather strap).
Strap yourself in
To bring the watchmaker-shoemaker alliance to its logical conclusion, you could opt to pair iconic Gucci Horsebit loafers with a latest Gucci G-Timeless watch on a brown or black alligator strap; but if that's too matchy-matchy preppie, a little bit of creativity will work. But keeping in the same tone of leather is a good guide and leather always impresses when suiting up.
If you are after a new leather strap for your regular watch remember pricing is based on the type of hide - from basic leather to exotics - as well as the way it's treated, the workmanship (including stitching), and comfort factors.
Omega is known for its exceptional leather straps, but there are hundreds of manufacturers in the straps market. A sound piece of advice is to prioritise seeing a strap in person if the budget permits a fair expenditure – it can be challenging to verify quality and authentic leather from a screengrab.
Check out the finest watch strap collaborations featured in the gallery at the top of the page.