Watch Gecko’s CHEDWORTH SUEDE HANDMADE strap
March 4, 2018
I was very impressed with the last WatchGecko strap I purchased called the Simple Handmade Italian Leather Strap. My review is here(Click for Review). The amount of varying designs to choose from at WatchGecko assures their is something for every watch available. Eager to see if they has something different from my usual brown leather strap, I was looking for something completely different and I found it. The Chedworth Suede Handmade Strap. It is offered 3 sizes (18mm, 20mm, 22mm) and 6 colors. For this review I purchased the Shark Grey/Red strap in 18mm to give me another option for my little Seiko 5. I was a bit hesitant to order a strap that costs as much as my watch at first. The Chedworth is not a cheap strap (mid 50 dollar price range at time of writing) falling right in that ultra competitive middle price range where the market is crowded with options from some very respected strap manufacturers. I am always willing to take a chance to learn more so with fingers crossed I placed my order.
What does WatchGecko say about the Chedworth, have a look for yourself:
(The Chedworth is a) Beautiful handmade Genuine Leather watch strap in fashionable genuine suede leather. The top side is made from a suede leather that has a wonderful vintage look to it, the bottom side is an Italian calf leather. The straps are stitched with a contrasting durable nylon thread. A perfect choice for a vintage Rolex and many other vintage watches. The strap’s width reduces by 2mm at the buckle.
DIMENSIONS
As mentioned earlier, this strap was for my Seiko 5, which has an 18mm lug width. So keep that in mind when I give dimensions. The Lug with is as advertised 18.2mm, and while the width is reported to reduce to 2mm I found the free end to be very close to 15mm and the buckle end is 16.3mm. The free end that is tucked into the keepers is designed with a very sharp pointed end, so depending where you measure it your results may vary. The strap is a constant thickness along it length on both sides of the strap. My measurements put it at sub 3mm. This is a fairly thin strap, with my three measurements indicating 2.6mm, 2.7mm, 2.8mm. What that means to you is a step that will conform with little fuss. The free end length is 120mm and the buckle end is 80mm. With the ways the holes are drilled and spaced, I am on the second to tightest hole in the strap on my 6.75″ wrist for a comfortable and breathable fit.
DESIGN
Before I get too much into design, I want to talk just a bit about suede and what it is. The term is used exhaustively and I think we all just take it for granted, so hang in their with me for a brief lesson on suede. In a nutshell, suede is the underside of a piece of leather. While the side we commonly see is smooth an can be buffed to a satin or glossy shine, the underside is rough. The amount of roughness is referred to as the ‘nap’. Suede can come form sheep, pigs, cows, deer, goats, etc. Just about any animal that can give leather hides, can produce a form of suede. Advantages of suede are soft texture and luxurious feel that can last a long time if it is taken care of. Some disadvantages are how easily it attracts dirt, and it is not particularly fond of water or getting wet. Many of these disadvantages can be remedied or completely eliminated through the use of synthetic suede.
Watchgecko to the best of my knowledge uses real genuine suede in the manufacture of its watch straps. The consistency of the nap and depth of the color treatment is supremely even on both cases. The color of the strap changes in the light as you swipe your finger in one direction or another. I genuinely enjoy that in a material and rest assured at no time does it act like microfiber who has an artificial sheen to it. This strap absorbs all light that touches it. The sides are sealed to increase longevity and keep the ends from fraying. The contrast stitching on my strap was bright nylon red. The stitches are even and tight against the suede to the point that they still hint at the handmade nature of the strap. With the suede being soft to the touch and and still very organic feeling, I was very satisfied with this strap. They could have stopped their and it would have been worth the money. However, when you turn the strap over, the meticulous design and attention to material selection elevates this in terms of luxury and value.
The underside of the strap could have been any cheap nylon or leather, but instead they used a nice quality piece of calf leather here. It has a very glove like finish and the leather appears free from any dyes. It is proudly stamped Geckota on one side and Italian Leather Handmade on the other. Their is a nice sheen over the inner leather which suggests some level of extra finishing and I think it really elevates the whole strap. Sometimes just knowing the quality is not just surface deep adds to the enjoyment of a strap.
KEEPER and BUCKLE
The keeper and buckle are standard fare on this model. Polished Stainless Steel buckle without any markings or stampings with the 2 keeper system is employed (one fixed and one free). The keepers are produced from the same suede material as the strap with similar texture and color penetration in equal amounts.
HOW DOES IT WEAR
The Chedworth is less than 3mm thick and made from high quality leather. As you may expect it flexes quite easily around your wrist. I found the long thin free end’s pointy nature odd at first, but it does help with finding the keepers and the reduced amount of leather bends even easier. I have been wearing the Chedworth for 3 days straight now. It has been wet as I used it rather haphazardly without so much as a hint of permanent damage. I mowed the yard, washed the car and dishes with it on. The strap is very light and often helps a watch vanish on your wrist. The red stitching help the second hand pop on my Seiko 5, and the strap color (which looks very grey on the screen and on the WatchGecko site, but in reality it is a fair bit darker) help bring out the dial. When I see this strap it makes me smile as it does not take itself too seriously. More strap and stitching color would make this an even more fun choice. The suede to me just screams casual, but the quality is so high it feels special to have on.
WHAT IS THIS STRAP GOOD FOR
Jeans and a T shirt, or a nice polo and slacks, this watch is the definition o f causal or laid back to me. The suede reminds me of Alcantara seats in modern sports cars and the contrast stitching reinforces that vibe. This strap would look amazing on just about any automotive themed watch. While it could be on any casual watch, I think its sporty nature and material choice just lend itself so perfectly to a nice chronograph. A vintage Heuer or any Omega Speedmaster would benefit greatly from this strap and add a lot of enjoyment to it. The only warning I would give is that at less than 3mm thick. It may look small next to 15mm thick watches. I think it would be more at home on 12.5mm or thinner watches. If it were 4mm thick, I would say pick any watch and go!
WHERE CAN I GET IT
As far as I know the place to get this particular strap is:
https://www.watchgecko.com/chedworth-suede-handmade-watch-strap.php#product-tabs=0
Also you can get some of the Geckota line at amazon as well: This strap is found here:
