Delugs Horween Chromexcel Side-Stitched Leather Strap
August 23, 2019
I recall playing LEGO with my 4 year old on the floor very fondly. We had about 12 Duplo blocks and took turns making different things together. We built airplanes, boats, cars, and the usual things 4 year old boys love to play with. I recall that game lasted weeks and the one thing that dawned on me was given the same starting point, with a finite amount of blocks, how vastly different our final products were. The only limits were imagination and the acceptance that no matter what you made, the end results will resemble Atari 2600 graphics (Young readers may need to look that up).
This playtime revelation is duplicated on a far larger (if not just more expensive) scale in the strap world. Anybody who wants to make a watch strap can get in touch with Horween and place an order for Chromexcel leather and that, mixed with a little know how, and tooling, you can make your own watch strap. But like the LEGO tyrannosaurus which lacked feet and those tiny little arms (which DUPLO block are not conducive to reproduce) the end result can vary dramatically, depending on the talent of the craftsman or artist.
Another brief example takes me back to 7thgrade art class. We were all given the same colors and mangled brushes with which we were told to paint the same ubiquitous apple on a stool. Given the same starting position and same tools to accomplish the task the results, varied from entertaining, to scary, to downright impressive.
I was contacted by DeLugs a few weeks ago on my website and the owner thought I would enjoy one of his straps for a review. I picked one of least expensive straps he offers, a model called the Horween Side Stitch Chromexcel Leather Strap. I really feel you can test the mettle of any company by the quality of one of their less expensive products that bares their name. DeLugs produces fine leather products from tanneries all over the world. Barenia Leather from the Conceria Walpier Tannery from Italy. Buttero leather from the Haas Tannery in France, and of course Shell Cordovan, not from Horween, but from the Shinki Hikaku Tannery which hails from Japan. All of these tanneries do not just make ‘genuine leather’, but make a product so specialized that it carries its own trademarked name. Quite simply when you get a strap from De Lugs, you are getting some of the finest quality leather in the world. The question is, given that wonderful starting point, do they make the best use of it. Did they draw us a perfect apple, or some Jackson Pollock creation? We will find out. First a few words from DeLugs about the Side Stitched Horween Chromexcel strap.
Our side-stitch watch strap in Horween Natural Chromexcel is something that we are so excited to release. This leather is the stuff of legends – perfect feel, great character, yummy look. When people say leather, Chromexcel is the image that pops up in your head and Horween is the tannery that you think of. The Natural Chromexcel strap starts off in a beautiful medium brown colour. This leather has a pronounced pull-up effect. What this means is that as the leather stretches, the colour changes. This is due to the movement of the oil and wax inside the leather. What results is a leather strap that wears and ages beautifully, with a rustic and vintage vibe. Also, due to the high percentage of wax, any scratches can also be easily buffed out with just a simple brushing or friction from rubbing. The pull-up effect fades away over time and evens back out. All this contributes to a leather strap that you don’t ever want to take off from your watch.
DIMENSIONS
I requested the 20mm strap from DeLugs and per the strapsense calipers, it came in at 19.9m at the lugs and 17.4mm at the free end. All sizes of the Side Stitch straps taper about 2mm across the line and those are clearly indicated as such on the website. The thickness appears rather uniform, but at the lugs it just a fraction thicker due to the construction method used. Mine measured 2.9mm at the lugs and 2.6mm along the bulk of its length. Lenghts available were only listed as M for medium I suppose. Actual measurements are 120mm/75mm at the free and buckle end respectively. What this means to you is that on my 7” wrist, I am on the third to the last hole in the strap when I get it just right. This strap should appeal to a great many wrist sizes and as close as the adjustment holes are a good fit should be easy to find.
DESIGN
I cannot fathom how hard it must be to make a strap from scratch. A side stitch style (or I have seen it called a whip stitch) is sort of a watch strap staple. Sort of like every clothing line needs a pair of denim jeans, just about every single watch strap maker has a side stitched offering. So how to make it unique and stand out in such a crowded field. The design is well known. One-part leather, one part stitches near the lugs and buckle and maybe some at the free end for extra flair if you will and a side stitch watch strap is born, or is it? If you were to stop looking after that, many details would be missed.
The construction of this strap appears to be of the two-layer variety. The top leather is glued to the bottom leather (each leather chosen for particular qualities like aesthetics or wear resistance to suit its intended use). Then the top layer is skived (meaning it is gradually thinned) and wrapped around the bottom layer and stitched in place. This makes for a very thin strap that will be extremely flexible and easy to wear. Let us start with the back side or bottom of this strap for a change of pace. The underside of the strap that rests comfortably against the skin is a black glossy piece of deeply textured leather. This appears to be sealed to a degree to resist sweat and even though is very flexible appears to have a more durable finish which should make the strap last longer.
The outside layer is made of that luxurious leather from Horween called Chromexcel. This leather is well known for its amazing supple nature and smooth texture. It is also a leather known for its amazing pull up effect. This effect is seen when the watch strap is bent or stretched in one direction or another and changes color with the deformation. I have never seen a strap with this much pull up. From that deep brown finish to almost white when bent and back to brown. With each cycle oils and waxes move around the strap and the patina of the strap starts to come to the surface. This means that this strap will age and change with every adventure the watch it is attached to undergoes. What is left on the strap is endless shades of brown that smoothly blend into each other with a nostalgic and warm feeling. This strap does take you back in time.
The stitching by the lugs and buckle are done very well. Two stitches per side, that appear very symmetrical and with parity in size and tightness. The color choice is vintage white bordering on taupe or khaki if you will. They add that old world construction geometry that is fitting with the rest of the straps aura. The sides of the strap are burnished but not sealed with paint. This gives the owner two bonuses as I see it. The first, is that the two tone construction is plainly visible giving two colors to pull details out from the dial of the watch. The second is that it keeps the watch firmly in the vintage casual category. I love it when the sides of the straps are sealed, but sealing always adds a dressy connotation that cannot be avoided. A certain level of finishing school if you will. A raw but burnished edge gives longevity and that adventurous spirit that so blends with the appeal of this strap.
KEEPER AND BUCKLE
The DeLug Horween Chromexcel Side Stitch strap uses the two keeper system in the standard fixed / floating arrangement. The keepers are in that sweet spot as far as size as they are just wide enough to be durable but thin enough to not overpower the strap. They are made of the same beautiful leather, and like the strap, they exhibit that same delicious pull up. The sides of the keepers are in line with the strap being burnished but not sealed with paint.
The buckle on the strap is fairly plain and polished. It is thin and unobtrusive but at the end of the day rather forgettable. It does its job as intended and while it does not elevate the strap, it also is not done poorly to take away from the wearing experience. I will say that the pin is appropriately sized to the holes in the strap. Often buckle pins are overly wide or flat when the adjustment holes in the strap are round. I find this off-putting usually and I am glad DeLugs avoided this.
HOW DOES IT WEAR
When I receive any strap that is less than 3mm thick I look forward to a pleasurable experience. Add in a superior quality leather and the review practically writes itself (actually it does not, I left the strap on the keyboard and it did nothing). DeLugs has crafted a very well made strap. I say crafted as that is how it feels. It has that sparkle of a handmade product. It came immediately ready to wear out of the box. I gathered up the first 20mm lug watch I saw and it worked immediately. The strap molded to my wrist without any need to break it in. The free end effortlessly slides through the buckle and the pin/buckle did its job admirably. The keepers keep the strap held in place while allowing the leather to slide through them without any distress or difficulty.
While on the wrist, the strap becomes part of you. It vanishes to an extend and allows the watch to shine. The strap is quite thin on the wrist, as all sub 3mm straps tend to be. The 2mm taper is very much welcome and I think adds more comfort as the day goes on. On the wrist the pull up is on full display as all the micro grains in the hide become more pronounced and more than once I caught myself appreciating how the shades of brown melt into each other. The flexibility and give in the leather mean this strap will never exhibit any signs of stiff leg syndrome (that annoying malady when the strap does not bend and holds the watch off the wrist).
WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR
This watch strap is a great blend of vintage and casual in a very thin package. With that being said, its sub 3mm construction may be overpowered by thicker watches. While it looks the business on my 10.8mm thick Hamilton Khaki I would recommend keeping this to a watch under 14mm thick to keep the strap in proportion to the watch case. This is not a hard fixed rule, but more of a guideline which will vary depending on the watch and where the lug holes are placed on the lugs.
I would recommend this strap for a pilots watch or casual watch. For now it only comes in this natural brown color so any black watch or white watch will look great. The khaki colored thread would be a great match on something like an Omega Railmaster or Oris Divers 65. The taper and clean lines means it really has no limits as to what it could work with. But avoid getting it wet and keep that watch thickness in check and you will be fine.
WHERE CAN I GET IT
The only place I found this strap was from the Delugs website:
SUMMARY
In the process of adding another entry into the vintage side stitched watch strap market, Delugs has given us a very welcome blend of material selection, quality construction, and timeless aesthetics that do not tip the scales dramatically in any one direction until you consider the price. At 60 dollars you are getting at a minimum exactly what you are paying for and quite possibly a big extra. Delugs has succeeded in bringing a strap to the market that is worth your money and that is a huge compliment. Anybody can make a great 175 dollar watch strap. That is easy, but to attain 95% of the essence of that expensive strap and a mere 60 bucks takes a craftsman. I think DeLugs has done just that.