Hodinkee Sedona Mustard Yellow Watch Strap
June 6, 2019
The world of watches is fraught with many details and pitfalls that can trip up any potential watch enthusiast. Watches come in all shapes, sizes, budgets, significance (both real and created), mechanical complexity, and styles. In every collection or subcategory of watch, lies further dissections into microcosms of never ending niches. This extreme diversity is both beautiful and baffling at the same time. I feel every hobby and passion is an onion of many layers which you may dive into as far as your time and budget allows. It would be wonderful to have a reference or horological lighthouse if you will to shed light into those dark areas of our knowledge. With that new knowledge we can learn more, opening up more codex which can be devoured and memorized should we be lucky enough to be on Jeopardy and say Horology for 1000 Alex.
We are fortunate to live in a day an age where you can simply type anything into the googleverse and get some kind of knowledge ranging from complete salacious opinionated garbage to peer reviewed papers on vertical gardening in urban areas. The greatest challenge now has morphed from obtaining knowledge, to obtaining accurate and meaningful knowledge that is presented in a way that can digested and used by the reader. I think in the watch world the name Hodinkee rightly carries a fair bit of weight as a source of great knowledge. They are the insiders giving us mere watch plebeians a window into those mega watch corporations and a comfortable seat at the table during a fascinating discussion about the objects of our desire. This could be done in a very ‘us’ and ‘them’ type of style given the Venn diagram of social circles Hodinkee editors run in, but somehow, through deft writing and wonderful photography Hodinkee manages to avoid this trap. Every article feels relaxed and informative without any trace of watch snobbery.
I have always looked at the Hodinkee watch strap selection in admiration as they are all beautiful and very well presented. But like everything I buy, I scrutinized it for value to see if the price tag was justified. That is not as cut and dry as you may think. Hodinkee is not just a strap vendor, but rather an entire online horological lifestyle ambassador of sorts. Having a part of that lifestyle on your wrist, actually being a part of the Hodinkee family does come with some amount of inherent cost to buy into. Where that fits in your own personal value equation varies with each individuals own metrics.
I purchased one of the Hodinkee Shell Cordovan leather straps early on for a strapsense review and found the material and color choices to more than justify the price even if I did have some small issues with the construction. As I reviewed more straps at more extreme price ranges the question of value is always in the back of my mind, as I believe it is in my readers mind. I have learned a great strap can be had for less money than you would expect, and a mediocre strap can be had for a great deal of money. It is not enough for a strap to just be well made, as many other vendors offer extremely well made straps. A strap must present that magical blend of quality, looks, design, construction, which if combined in the right ratios can give the buyer true value. Does the Sedona Mustard Leather strap deliver? We will find out.
Before I get into my review, this is what the writers at Hodinkee say about their Sedona Mustard Strap:
The newest addition to the HODINKEE strap lineup, the Sedona is made from a high-end French calfskin that sits precisely between an elegant, dressy finish and a more vintage, distressed look. The 10 dusty, almost pastel colors are coupled with matching stitching, and create an exceedingly versatile strap that can be paired with just about any watch. The Sedona is thin but durable, and over time, the leather takes on a subtle patina in the form of a light sheen over the initial matte finish.
DIMENSIONS
I had just picked up an El Primero so I wanted this strap in a 19mm width. All my measurements are based on that lug width. At the lugs the Sedona measures 18.9mm and tapes beautifully to 15.8mm at the free and buckled ends. The strap is a very uniform 2.48mm thick along its length which gives you a very fluid and flexible piece of leather on your wrist. The free and buckled ends measure 115/75 mm respectively which on my 7” wrist puts me on the 5thof seven adjustment holes. The size choices provide by Hodinkee for the Sedona Mustard strap are limited to lug width and not strap length at the present (also available in 18mm, 20mm, 22mm).
DESIGN
Some straps jump out at you with dynamic suede outer surfaces, or bold and striking color palettes, but with the Sedona Mustard watch strap, that is just not the case. At first glance you could dismiss it as just another strap with stitching with very little to draw attention to itself. And frankly that is kind of the point of this strap and in fact the whole Sedona Line up. These are straps that are impeccably made (better than a great many Swiss OEM straps) and like a fine suit do their job without fuss or fanfare.
However, to dismiss these straps because they are not Carrot Top Loud would be a shame, as like the aforementioned suit, the details are done very well, and that should matter to you. The leather chosen for the Sedona is described as ‘high end French calf leather’. Calf skin leather traditionally has a very fine grain and offers outstanding durability while being softer than older cow hide. The strap itself seems to embody those traits as the grain in the hide is especially small and almost impossibly even and blemish free. Calf skin leather is usually vegetable tanned and takes to different colors more readily than older cow hide. The color saturation in the Sedona completely even throughout its entire length. There is no appreciable pull up effect and the color stays true in all situations and at extreme deformation of the strap.
The sides of the strap appear to have been burnished and then sealed with an appropriate color that is a shade darker than the Mustard dye on the hide. It is a nice mild contrast again embracing subtle embellishments that elevate the whole strap while never standing out. The stitching on the strap is extremely fine and thin, and adds to the refined nature strap. It is nearly identical in color as the leather and gives structural integrity while remaining precisely placed and with purposeful stitching width and placement.
On the back side of the strap is a darker brown hue of leather that rests against the skin. This looks like it will have great wear capabilities and is a smooth and durable leather that lacks the velvety feel of the outer surface. As it rests against the skin, it provides a pleasant feel and slides without any irritation. The smoother surface also allows the strap to ease right into the keepers without a hint of resistance. On the underside of the buckle end the strap has Hodinkee embossed into the leather which is always a nice touch and something that makes me happy to see.
KEEPER AND BUCKLE
The Sedona Mustard strap uses a two keeper system like most straps. One is floating and one is fixed next to the buckle. They are perfectly sized to allow for the strap to slide through without any fuss or friction. The color saturation in the keepers is spot on to the rest of the strap but surprisingly they lack the sealed edges the strap has.
If I have a knock on this strap it is the buckle. It is perfectly sized and functionally it absolutely does the job it was intended for. However, I do feel at this price the buckle should be brushed or machined to add some level of character. Even if the ethos of this strap is to fly support to the watch it is attached, a bit more attention to elevate this humble piece of stainless steel would be greatly appreciated. If this strap were a new house, I would call the buckle ‘contractor grade’. I feel it could be found on brandless straps that cost 1/10ththe price. I do not feel this detracts from the strap so much as it is more of a missed opportunity. I feel if I am willing to shop at a Hodinkee shop, I am more than ready to accept some manner of branding or styling on the buckle they are selling.
HOW DOES IT WEAR
This strap is a real nominee for the best supporting actor role. This is the Christopher Walken in Deer Hunter of Straps. While other straps beg for attention and will not be ignored, this strap allows the watch to look fantastic as it quietly and assuredly elevates the watch at every angle. The conservative styling blends into the watch and wrist while the quality can be felt to the wearer on a daily basis.
The moment you take it out of the handsome Hodinkee presentation box you feel the strap surrender to your touch and your movement. It melts around the wrist aided greatly by its 2.5mm thickness and gentle calf leather. It threads easily through the buckle and holds its shape in the keepers all day long. Whether you wear it snug or lose, this strap is always comfortable and moves with you.
WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR
I feel this watch strap is perfect for darn near any daily wear watch that is not destined for extreme environments. Its thin construction is especially suited for thinner watches and vintage watches. The matte soft outer leather does have a feeling of worn in leather while still being a modern looking strap.
I think Hodinkee set out to design straps that could darn near do it all. Often times a do everything strap does nothing well. I feel this strap, and really this whole line up excels at a wide variety of roles from dress, to business casual, to weekend parties, to family reunions. The Sedona will elevate a great many watches. I had this particular strap on my First Omega In Space, my 38mm El Primero, and finally finished with it on the Grand Seiko GMT. In each example it transformed its look and elevated the watch in subtle but noticeable ways. It gave my Grand Seiko some sporty flair. It added some elegance to the speedy, and it made the dressy El Primero more casual. All looked amazing.
The Sedona lineup in all its colors provides strap shoppers a veritable treasure box of class for most watches in their collection.
WHERE CAN I GET IT
The one and only place to get a Sedona Leather strap is from the fine folks at Hodinkee.
SUMMARY
It is always a gamble buying something you have not had a chance to see with your own eyes and touch with your hands. The world of online straps is especially sensitive to this. While taking chances on bold styles at bargain prices can lead to some true gems in the strap world, often times, you just want some assurance that what you are ordering will meet a certain standard of quality and style you have established for yourself.
I think this assured quality of fitment and material and construction is part of what you are buying when you decide to spend money at the Hodinkee strap shop. You will assuredly not find straps made of old ammo pouches, or strap made from retired NBA basketballs or the like, but you will find an enduring level of quality, sophistication and style that is really indicative of Hodinkee. I feel they have represented themselves well in the products they have chosen to adorn with their name.
I cannot tell you how much to spend on a strap. But I can speak to value as it pertains to my set of personal metrics. I honestly believe that even at 165 dollars the Sedona line is a masterful blend of leather and style assembled with quality and longevity in mind that will elevate a great many timepieces in ways maybe other straps cannot.