The Breitling Watch Blog

Many of you guys know that I am a sucker for a good PAM Strap, and now that I’ve got a Bell & Ross, I’m a sucker for a good B&R strap too! The thing is, more so than any other watches out there, Panerai and Bell & Ross are characterized by their straps. Without a good strap, the watch just doesn’t look as good as it should.

One of my recent acquisitions is a French Ammo Canvas strap by Micah of Vintagerstraps. I reviewed this recently on Paneraisource, and it is certainly worth a look if you are interested in something different:

The French Ammo Pouch Canvas is mounted on a medium-soft leather backing and looks amazing. I have to say this is one of the most fun straps I’ve worn in a while. Micah is a true artist.

Below is a strap by one of the most creative minds in modern strapmaking today: Shane Delaurian. This one is one of his tamer models, the Easy Rider. The tale is folded over on this model, which gives the strap a subtle uniqueness to it. Something about old school leatherworking gives these straps tons of personality and makes them a joy to wear.

Shane’s straps are always hand-signed on the back or the side of the strap!

This last one here is one from the famous ABP-Paris, which is considered the finest aftermarket strapmaker on the planet. They do custom EVERYTHING, and make Aftermarket OEM replacements for nearly every single watch available. A great choice if you’re having trouble finding a strap for a watch with odd lugs. ABP straps will cost you, however – a typicaly strap costs around $350-500.

Mounted happily on a Panerai PAM90. I love my Panerai Straps!!

In Case anyone was wondering about the various Gucci Straps that have shown up on eBay in the last year or so, I have posted a Gucci strap Review on Strapaholics.

There have been many styles of straps with exotic hides such as Ostrich and Crocodile and many basic Leather straps, most made by famous French strap maker Camille Fournet. I have purchased several of these straps and all have been incredible buys for the money. Not many places offer top quality French-made calf straps for $15 and Ostrich and Crocodile for $30-40!

Pic from Strapaholics Review:

I decided to start a new site called Strapaholics, since I have found myself gravitating more and more towards watch straps in recent years. At first, every single watch in my collection was on a bracelet, but lately, that number has become more like 50/50. Half my collection is watch straps now, and I want to bring strapmakers and strap collectors together now. I don’t want to just focus on Panerai Straps.. I want to focus on all sorts of straps… Everyone is welcome, come to the site and join the forum!!

I’ve been dying for a shell cordovan strap for a while… something about having horse-butt leather on a strap is appealing to me. Maybe its because Shell Cordovan has a unique look and sheen to it that leather does not.. or maybe its that it bends without ever making those micro-folds that leather always develops, or maybes its that it is more water-resistant than normal leather. At any rate, Shell Cordovan just has that mysterious coolness to it for me.

There aren’t too many companies that use shell cordovan to make watch straps and they always cost more… Nomos uses it for their watch straps, and there are a few other European companies that do as well. There is only one factory in the US that processes Shell Cordovan, and that’s Horween. Note: The material really does come from the butt-cheeks of a horse.

I ended up purchasing my shell cordovan strap from Europelli. Many of you who frequent Timezone know Europelli. They have a very broad range of straps for Panerai and many other types of watches. I picked up a 22/20mm Shell Cordovan to wear with my Graham Chronofighter, and it is great. I have to say that while it looks like leather to most, it is definately has a different feel to it and its own charm.

New Straps reviews have been posted at Paneraisource… some really nice straps have been posted. TWB – The Watch Boys, Zeugma, Strapluxe and a new Heroic18 review have been posted.

New reviews a continually being posted here, so keep your eyes peeled! Also look for updated reviews on older existing reviews as new straps are always being reviewed!

Paneraisource Aftermarket Strap Reviews

A little video I shot on Aftermarket Panerai Straps. I do a quick review of several of these straps, and talk about the different kinds available on the market. Aftermarket Panerai straps are a world of fun, and can be purchased second-hand or new. They are easy to sell and a great way to get some variety without breaking the bank, especially in these times.

One of the things about Panerai’s that draw me towards them are the numerous strap options and how nice they look. My tastes likely lean towards the rougher, ammo looking straps which don’t go well with dress shirts and suits, but for those occasions, I switch to an OEM Gator strap of some sort usually.

I don’t know if I qualify as a Strapaholic, but I own about a dozen or so aftermarket straps, give or take. They are cheap to buy, and adds some fun to your watch collection without having to shell out the cash for a whole new watch to satisfy the I-need-something-new addiction. I am actually in the process of building an aftermarket strap directory complete with reviews of all the straps I have purchased. This should be a useful resource in the future for new Panerai owners.

From browsing the Paneristi forums, I’ve seem some Strapaholics collect hundreds of straps, and some of them of the rare Pre-V Variety that costs in the thousands of dollars.. for a single strap. I couldn’t afford to do that even if I wanted to!

I’ll be posting a brief informational video on straps on youtube soon, keep your eyes peeled Straps are a great way to add some diversity to your hobby without spending an arm and a leg. And its not just Panerai collectors that can get in on this strap stuff… any watch is suitable for a change of pace by adding an aftermarket strap!

Here is a sampling of some of my straps: