If shoes make the man, then the bracelet must make the watch: watchmaking and leather, a love story – Reprise
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Classic instead of gold: the Hermès standard
It’s one thing to be creative and another to excel at it – the former is generally achieved by maintaining the well-known classic quality, durability and value. And when it comes to straps and handbags, few can reach the level of Hermès.
Horses and Hermès
Since its founding in 1837, the world-famous brand has focused on processing leather. At the time, however, Hermès did not produce luxury handbags and silk scarves emblazoned with the double-ribbon rider logo, but rather offered riding boots, quilted saddles, and bridles. It was only much later that Hermès made a name for itself by producing bracelets for wristwatches and “pockets” for pocket watches.
Hermés leather watch strap
However, Hermès initially operated as a watch retailer for various brands, from Jaeger-LeCoultre, Mido, Rolex and Universal Genéve to Vacheron Constantin. In the 20th century, the company began making its own watch history at a time when it was just toying with the idea of luxury handbags to compete with the established Louis Vuitton.
After all, Hermès’ own artfully crafted leather goods generated great demand – and it’s no different today. But it’s actually different: demand is constantly growing, even for belts that are very difficult to buy. In fact, it’s completely impossible if you didn’t get it on one of Hermès’ own watches, a Parmigiani watch, or the special Apple Watch Hermès edition.
Apple Watch from Hermés
These bracelets are not sold individually, as they are intended for the owners of Hermès brand products (and Parmigiani, who has a special position as partner of the owner of the movement manufacturer Vaucher). To maintain exclusivity, Hermès straps taper to an unconventional 17mm buckle, meaning they won’t fit into most competitors’ cases.
In the small Swiss town of Brügg, just outside Biel, where La Montre Hermès is based, the bracelets are made in more than 50 different steps from a portfolio of more than 2,000 leather colors, only a tenth of which are used for watches. Only three straps are made from the skin of a two- to three-year-old alligator, while around 50 straps can be made from a calfskin.
Leather in the Hermés watch strap atelier
Others such as Barenia, French Calf, Ostrich, Goat and Zermatt are placed on the inside of all straps for hypoallergenic reasons. They are always sewn by hand, which can be seen from the seams drawn at a special angle. The seam is compacted on both sides by hammering. The subcutaneous layer is then glued, sanded and provided with sealing, paraffin and polishing paper.
Just sewing a regular strap takes almost two hours, but everyone can see the quality of the result.
See how a Hermès strap is made: Hermès watch straps: quality without compromise, suppleness guaranteed.
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