The Origin of Leather Watch Straps

A material like no other, leather is perhaps the unequivocal display of sophistication & class. Despite more modern materials like rubber, silicon, & nylon, it is not surprising that leather straps are still usually highly sought after.

There were numerous possible reasons for the rise of leather watch straps. However, it is widely agreed upon that it was mainly driven by changes to military requirements towards the end of the 19th century, this transition started with the leather cup wristlets. The principal design was a leather cup on a strap that became known as a “wristlet”, which started as below:

Source: Vintage Watch Straps

Another possible reason for a strap would come from observing the contemporary watches of that time. They were relatively fragile & the precise mechanism would have been easily  damaged due to the constant removal from one’s pocket. It was also during the 1890s that the interest of cycling grew exponentially within America.

The wristlet watch had become very popular amongst cyclist enthusiasts as a practical manner to be able to tell the time whilst cycling. Prior to which, cyclists would often clip their pocket watches to the bicycle itself, exposing it to a myriad source of potential damage. As evidenced by a 1893 advertisement by Henry Woods from a book on bicycling called The Amateur Cyclist.

With its countless upsides, leather watch straps rapidly gained favor due to the harsh military demands (such as artillery and aviation) of WW1. The military one-piece safety-pattern straps of that era were clearly predecessors of the 1970s NATO or G10 straps.

There were pocket watches which were given to soldiers during WW1. It did not take the military long to figure out that there was a need for these pocket watches to be worn on the wrist. In 1916 out of necessity and efficient utilization of the pocket watches, a military specification was developed based on the Garstin strap. By the end of the war it would have become known as a watch strap.  Made of pig skin 11 inches long and 1/2 inch wide, tanned with a hinged brass circular holder and a half inches diameter. With sheepskin leather inside, and pigskin glued on the outside, with a black oxidised brass buckle. 

Types of Leather Watch Straps

Leather watch straps come in all kinds of material, some common materials are Alligator, sheep, cow, & kangaroo just to name a few. With a plethora of leather choices, what are the things that you should consider when purchasing one?

If you’re prioritising immediate comfort of the strap, a thinner leather like sheep or pig leather might feel good when wearing it in the short run, however, the durability of it is often put into question. For example, sheep and pig leather might feel softer than alligator, but alligator leather is far more durable & comfortable in the long run, especially if you’re subjecting it to heat & sweat.

An exotic leather that is often utilized for luxury products including high end watch straps. The two parts of the Alligator make up the leather watch strap. The belly of the Alligator forms the interior portion of the watch strap, with the outeria being ‘Hornback’ in the form of a webbed pattern with rectangular tiles which gives it a relatively uniform appearance.

Here at Barkerhill, our customers only deserve the best. Your bespoke leather straps will be fully customizable straps, masterfully hand-crafted in Singapore from 100% genuine Alligator leather. Each piece is carefully crafted giving them a unique one-of-a-kind appearance that is specially made for you. Choose from a range of more than 30 colours, scale patterns and thread colours to create yours today. Find out more here.