Watch Straps

[Willith]

Since this seemed to be a popular topic on the sales forum, I thought I would bring it out here for an open discussion.

How do you all feel about straps made from exotic (or cute) animals? Would you buy a strap made from:

Buffalo (Bison)

Stingray

Shark

Elephant

Horse

Cow (calf)

Goat

Alligator

Crocodile

I have or have straps made from cow, horse, shark, elephant, croc, gator and buffalo. Does that make me a bad person? I have different feelings on some of the exotic animals, like the elephant. I guess if it was "collected" legally then I don't feel bad about the use of the whole animal. What I don't like to see is an animal used for a small part and thrown away, shark fins come to mind. I also love horses, but they do make a nice leather strap too and I know in some countries they eat horse (not in the US).

Anyway, I figured there would be a lot of opinions on this and I want people to be able to discuss this too.....

[Gerco]

Hi Willith,

Buffalo (Bison) NO

Stingray NO

Shark NO

Elephant NO

Horse Yes

Cow (calf) Yes

Goat Yes

Alligator NO

Crocodile NO

Why ?

Because cows, horses & goats are bread for human consumption. The leather is a rest product.

the others are species who belong in the wild. I am not a environmental nuthead, but that's my opinion.

Gerco

[Watchmeister]

Aah, the fur coat dilemma. If you or your you're wife wears one there is your answer. I am against killing off rare species otherwise I don't give it a thought. Of course, I only like leather, rubber, croc and alligator for watch straps.

[Chronus]

Can I have a poodle strap ?

[Pugwash]

I have already chosen to wear MooCroc and would wear other faux hides if I really liked the look, but there are some animals that I'd not want to wear. I don't even have a strict opinion and would not refuse a second-hand watch that came on a gator strap, but I'd probably nort wear the gator.

I suppose it boils down to "Would I eat it?" for me, apart from Camel that I'd not eat, but I dislike the bloody things and have no desire to protect them.

Buffalo (Bison) - Probably

Stingray - No

Shark - Yes

Elephant - No

Horse - No

Cow (calf) - Yes

Goat - Yes (but why would I?)

Alligator - No

Crocodile - No

Snake - No

Lizard - No

Camel - Yes

Ostrich - Probably

Whale/Dolphin - No

Fish Leather - Yes

[jraines87]

My favorite is the baby seal band

[ryyannon]

Puppy and kitten-skin for me: furry-side out.

[KB]

Yes well I have a hankering for a nice white strap so I've been doing a little breeding of my own....

Ken

[ryyannon]

Ken, have you considered Koala-skin straps?

And wow, those cute little black noses: bet they're just like shell cordovan...

Let me know when you've got some prototypes....

[Antrax]

Only if people shows this kind of concern about war and people killing each other this world sure would be a great place, don't you think?

Bigger things people, bigger things.

Diego

[Willith]

Because cows, horses & goats are bread for human consumption. The leather is a rest product.

the others are species who belong in the wild. I am not a environmental nuthead, but that's my opinion.

Gerco

Alligators are bread for their hides and meat in the US (Louisiana). I'm guessing that other species like ostrich and maybe snakes could be considered bread for "consumption" of one sort or another. I don't know if they can have farm raised stingrays too, but I guess it's possible.

[Chronus]

What straps do cannibals use?

[ryyannon]

Only if people shows this kind of concern about war and people killing each other this world sure would be a great place, don't you think?

Bigger things people, bigger things.

Diego

Bigger things depend on smaller details.

You can't have one without the other.

Respect for life is meaningless if it doesn't encompass all life.

Now pass me a beer and a slice of dead cow with french fries: nobody's perfect, right?*

*(see 'Coda' below)

[Gerco]

Only if people shows this kind of concern about war and people killing each other this world sure would be a great place, don't you think?

Bigger things people, bigger things.

Diego

awareness starts small.....

yes, with the strap on your wrist. As an individual you can make a small contribution.

By the way: I am not involved in an war, don't kill people & don't eat my neighbour, or his cat for breakfast.

So my small contribution is: not wearing fur & buying items that are made of exotic species.

To me there is no difference between killing Rhino's because some idiots think they can have a better sex life with the powdergrind Rhinohorn & killing other exotic species because their skin looks nice for boots, wallets........and straps.....

But it is just my humble opinion

Gerco

[retep]

If it looks good on my wrist i don`t care what it is made off.

[ryyannon]

* Coda, for Gerco, Diego and Mahler:

I

The winter evening settles down

With smell of steaks in passageways.

Six o'clock.

The burnt-out ends of smoky days.

And now a gusty shower wraps

The grimy scraps

Of withered leaves about your feet

And newspapers from vacant lots;

The showers beat

On broken blinds and chimney-pots,

And at the corner of the street

A lonely cab-horse steams and stamps.

And then the lighting of the lamps.

II

The morning comes to consciousness

Of faint stale smells of beer

From the sawdust-trampled street

With all its muddy feet that press

To early coffee-stands.

With the other masquerades

That time resumes,

One thinks of all the hands

That are raising dingy shades

In a thousand furnished rooms.

III

You tossed a blanket from the bed,

You lay upon your back, and waited;

You dozed, and watched the night revealing

The thousand sordid images

Of which your soul was constituted;

They flickered against the ceiling.

And when all the world came back

And the light crept up between the shutters,

And you heard the sparrows in the gutters,

You had such a vision of the street

As the street hardly understands;

Sitting along the bed's edge, where

You curled the papers from your hair,

Or clasped the yellow soles of feet

In the palms of both soiled hands.

IV

His soul stretched tight across the skies

That fade behind a city block,

Or trampled by insistent feet

At four and five and six o'clock

And short square fingers stuffing pipes,

And evening newspapers, and eyes

Assured of certain certainties,

The conscience of a blackened street

Impatient to assume the world.

I am moved by fancies that are curled

Around these images, and cling:

The notion of some infinitely gentle

Infinitely suffering thing.

Wipe your hand across your mouth, and laugh;

The worlds revolve like ancient women

Gathering fuel in vacant lots.

Now let's see who knows who wrote this (it weren't me).

Pugwash, C-Stone, Willith and Jjah are excluded from the competition. Not sure if they have books in Oz, so I guess Ken is ok...

 

[Pugwash]

Pugwash, C-Stone, Willith and Jjah are excluded from the competition. Not sure if they have books in Oz, so I guess Ken is ok...

I believe they have an oral tradition down-under. I heard their version of this work and it started like this:

It was t-shirt weather and drinkin' hour.

The barbies stank of beef.

Beer time.

Did I mention it was beer time?

Someone sprays a tinny,

and it dampens the sand ...

Oh, and they said it was written as a prelude for the toilets or something.

[retep]

Oeh,oeh, can i play too please.

"pointing finger in the air and waving my arm"

I believe they have an oral tradition down-under. I heard their version of this work and it started like this:

It was t-shirt weather and drinkin' hour.

The barbies stank of beef.

Beer time.

Did I mention it was beer time?

Someone sprays a tinny,

and it dampens the sand ...

Oh, and they said it was written as a prelude for the toilets or something.

Hilarious

[dadog13]

If it looks good on my wrist i don`t care what it is made off.

so cruel...but sooo true!

[ryyannon]

"I am moved by fancies that are curled

Around these images, and cling:

The notion of some infinitely gentle

Infinitely suffering thing."

Commie [censored].

Now let's get back to watchez....

[dadog13]

this little thing could be used for making one strap...and it would be so sweet to have it on the wrist rather than on the finger...

Edited July 17, 2006 by dadog13

[ryyannon]

this little thing could be used for making one strap...and it would be so sweet to have it on the wrist rather than on the finger...

Can't see the image!

Let me guess....humm.....

It's Monica Bellucci's..... no, never mind.

[out2lnch]

Hi Willith,

Buffalo (Bison) NO

Stingray NO

Shark NO

Elephant NO

Horse Yes

Cow (calf) Yes

Goat Yes

Alligator NO

Crocodile NO

Why ?

Because cows, horses & goats are bread for human consumption. The leather is a rest product.

the others are species who belong in the wild. I am not a environmental nuthead, but that's my opinion.

Gerco

I'm against killing of wild or endangered animals to make articles of clothing, but I figure if the animal is being killed for food, then it is fine to use as much as possible (not sure about the whole mounting of heads on the wall thing though). As far as I know, no one hunts elephant for food, but they are killed for people wanting a piece of nature, as it were. It's hard to argue that it's not a shame that an endangered species is being further threatened by people wanting especially supple purses, pants, studded suspenders etc.

To add to your list, I know of a buffalo farm, as well as an ostrich farm, so those can be considered farmed animals too. Of course, this assumes that the animal is being farmed for food and the skins are used for other purposes and therefore excludes most fur-farms that breed the animal for skinning only.

It's a fine line, and someone will have a wise-ass remark about pet goldfish, koala bears or something equally ridiculous making great straps to annoy those of us that care about such things, but everyone's entitled to their own opinion I guess, even if it's wrong

[V]

I don't wear exotic leather straps.

[Alextor]

Puppy and kitten-skin for me: furry-side out.

Panda and bald eagle for me (feathers included)...protect the cows!