A Bit About Watch Straps

A Bit About Watch Straps

strapAt Studio Hall, we can mark our transition from leather goods as a "hobby" to a "business" with a single product: custom watch straps. These deceptively tricky little fasteners were an inflection point where we realized that it would take more than a couple nights a week to learn how to do them right. We also learned that there was, and is, a real demand for personalized, luxury watch straps that fit, look, and wear "just so". But what makes good watch straps so tricky?

The first challenge in creating a fitted watch strap is the sheer magnitude of variables. Lug width (where the strap connects to the watch), wrist size, strap ratio, strapand watch diameter are just a few of the factors in designing a strap. Creating a template for a 20mm, padded, tapered strap meant for a 7" wrist will be vastly different than an 18mm non-tapered, non-padded strap for a 6.5" wrist. Add in unique dimensions for Apple Watches and non-standard specialty watches that necessitate millimeter-tight precision, and you have yourself a veritable file cabinet of information to parse.

Our first (many) forays into designing custom watch straps were, let's say, instructive. They were too thick, too thin, too uneven, too inflexible, too unpolished, and downright ugly. We used the wrong spring bars, the wrong buckles. We watched video after video and traced template after template. Nothing seemed easy. But we persevered. And now that we've worked long and hard on our watch straps, we want your ordering process to be much, much easier.

strapOn our watch strap page, you'll select your watch type and input the lug width (or Apple Watch model) and your wrist size. Next, you go on an adventure of color and texture, browsing leather for the upper portion of your strap. We feature rotating exotics, as well as our tried and true Italian veg tan from world-famous tanneries of Tuscany. If you are designing a stitched strap, you can choose your color of thread for hand-stitching and (we love this part) your choice of light or dark lining. For the lining of our straps, we use Zermatt calf from Tanneries Haas of France. This incredible article is used by some of the foremost luxury brands for its sweat, scratch, and stain resistance, not to mention its hypoallergenic features and extreme comfort on the wrist. As an added touch, we offer edge paint in several colors, and stainless steel hardware in your choice of finish.

Sometimes it's tempting to make a one-size-fits-all solution, but each time westrap speak with our customers, they tell us how excited they are to design their very own custom strap. We strive every day to smooth off the edges of the ordering process while still offering the most personalization possible. We remember how challenging it was to put together the knowledge, the practice, and the procedures to get this right, and we think you should get to enjoy our hard work. Check our our watch strap options, or send us an email for bespoke questions at info@shopstudiohall.com.

Take care, and don't get time get away from you.
-Thomas
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