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Made some straps for vintage or new Rolex, opinions please


edgematic1

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Hey guys,

I've been working for quite some time on this and finally had the chance to post some photos of my straps. I'm able to deliver straps for your timepieces.

My main inspiration were the straps from Hermes. As you will probably notice.

Here are some finished ones. This is a thread just to get a feeling if there would be any interest. My aim is to offer high quality straps only. Almost every type of skin is available, with Elephant being the most expensive one.

I have not produced any buckles yet as I'm still undecided to start selling straps or not.

Let me know your thoughts and if you'd be interested or not.
The straps are all 100% hand made.

Thanks.

 

1. Calf leather, cognac, will age beautifully

 

 

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2. Etoupe, calf skin

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3. Buffalo skin, honey color

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4. Ostrich skin, dark brown

 

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5. Alligator leather, grey

005_zpsl6pdapju.jpg

 

 

Some straps upon request and other finished ones:

001_zpsbko8aup3.jpg

 

005_zpsmeb7k2bv.jpg

Edited by edgematic1
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Just now, panerai153 said:

Edge,

Those look great!! I believe you will have a market for those. Also think about a 23mm X 20mm for the BP FF!!

Thanks buddy. Concerning the BP FF I have in mind to make a gummy alligator strap. For now I won't sell nor take orders. It's a thought of making a business out of it and offcourse I'd need a market. Everything has to be legit when I start it up.

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I definitely belive that you will have a market for it. As long as the quality is high and the price is fair compared to what you get i cant see how its not going to thrive as a business. Like most business it starts small and grows with reputation. I'd buy one

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Gorgeous straps mate and yes def a market on the boards and on the net for these I love the calfskin and the finish looks great too, I've just had a couple come in from D and these compare very well to them I'd buy from you too at the right pricing ;)

Important thing is whether the time spent is rewarded with the right $$ value I guess :)

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4aac859c8c25694ea9cc058125b631f4.jpg


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This is a great quality strap I purchased from crown and caliber. It is better than $150 straps that I've purchased in the past. Cost only $30! Came with an extra loop that I took off due to having a large wrist and using the second to last hole. Didn't need it.


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Nicely done.


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Bravo


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They look great. That said... The strap market is saturated. China and Vietnam are pumping out $80-$150 straps and selling them for $40 shipped. You have a better chance of gaining a foothold if you hand stitched them. Price is the deciding factor not only for the buyers but the maker. One day you wake up and realize what you're doing is arguably slave labor.

just .2c from someone that went through it.. 

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Thanks for the responses guys. Much appreciated. As for pricing, calf and buffalo should be €85, ostrich €120 and alligator €200.

I am well aware of the asian strapmakers at cheap prices. Yet, those leathers are not sourced in France or Italy, often not the best part of the hide is being used, mostly machined instead of hand stitched etc. There are exceptions but overall i feel the leather quality is way below the top quality available from European tanneries.

I mainly started these because for example straps from Hodinkee or Bulang (both from Menicucci) are overpriced vs their quality. They look cool, don't get me wrong but the quality is not what I'd expect at that price point.

I'll think it through very well. If I'm selling it will be in small quantities, it's not my daily job and I like the fact that they're not widely available.

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There are two ways to make a business, undercut your competitors or find a niche market. In watch straps I would think the later is best. There are a few people who will always be prepared to pay a premium price for a premium product. 


I agree. You aren't' going to get rich doing it, and you may well find that as was said above you are working for slave wages. Probably why a lot of folks start these businesses and after a while just shut everything down.

There will always be a market for high quality well made products. Price that Edge quoted are certainly well within reason if the quality is there. They actually are a bargain compared to OEM. Straps. OEM prices are crazy!! It's completely silly to pay 500-700 USD for a strap, but that's what some of the high end watch manufacturers are charging for replacement straps. Realistically, the niche market is the only possibility. You sure as heck can't compete against the EBay sellers, I checked on EBay today, and they have pages of supposed "Alligator" straps selling for less than 50.00 USD including shipping. While I am very skeptical as to what species of animal the strap came from, they are probably fine for the average guy looking for a cheap strap.

Keep up the good work Edge, I feel sure you will do well.



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  • 4 weeks later...
Thanks for the responses guys. Much appreciated. As for pricing, calf and buffalo should be €85, ostrich €120 and alligator €200.

I am well aware of the asian strapmakers at cheap prices. Yet, those leathers are not sourced in France or Italy, often not the best part of the hide is being used, mostly machined instead of hand stitched etc. There are exceptions but overall i feel the leather quality is way below the top quality available from European tanneries.
I mainly started these because for example straps from Hodinkee or Bulang (both from Menicucci) are overpriced vs their quality. They look cool, don't get me wrong but the quality is not what I'd expect at that price point.
I'll think it through very well. If I'm selling it will be in small quantities, it's not my daily job and I like the fact that they're not widely available.


This is a Crown & Buckle strap and it certainly isn't Asian. They are made in Florida using Horween leather sourced from Chicago. Nice try though.


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On 23-2-2017 at 4:56 PM, WeenFiend said:

 


This is a Crown & Buckle strap and it certainly isn't Asian. They are made in Florida using Horween leather sourced from Chicago. Nice try though.


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Apart from the shell cordovan horween offers I feel their leathers are not refined enough for high quality straps. They won't get near let's say a Hermes strap. Which is what I'm trying to get to.
I love the shell cordovan they offer. Hard to get due to low quantities.

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Looks like very nicely done craftsmanship. Kudos. But in all honesty I cannot think of a market that is more saturated than watch straps. I wouldn't even know how to get some marketing rolling that makes one really visible in the market. Unless you come up with something that cannot be easily reproduced like Rubber B or Everestbands, or at least sticks out like Gunny you would be lost in an ocean of competition. I can see that what you would offer is excellent quality but still...

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