Theo and Harris Flatiron Watch Strap
December 17, 2020
When I started this website one of my goals was to bring attention to the artisan or craftsperson that toils away crazy hours pouring their eternal wellspring of talent and love they have a for a product into something you can I can purchase and enjoy. The skill of creation is not trivial. The act of bringing something that started life as raw materials into something higher up the evolutionary product line is divine but perhaps on a smaller scale. If I may humbly bend a quote from the great Yogi Berra, Craftsmanship is 90% imagination and the other half is hard work.
Jean Rousseau Paris started making watch straps in 1954. This was a time of storefront windows and shaking a persons hand was still the best way to make deal. These straps were not for large mass market appeal, but rather for connoisseurs of people who appreciate the delicate beauty that can only come from the hands of people who care about the finished product. True leatherworkers get to know each hide in much the same way a priest may get to know his parishioners. They take the time to understand their strengths and weakness and yearn to work with them to highlight the former, and alleviate the latter. They do all of this out of love and respect for the material. This was a time when the availability of a material determined the product created that day, rather than what can be produced by the metric ton and bought on amazon.
Jean Rousseau straps make up a large part of the watch straps sold through the Theo and Harris Shop. The amount of online YouTube entrepreneurs selling straps is growing and I have found they are all a bit different with products that seem to match the personality of the channel. I have had very good luck with Teddy Baldassare straps and found Bark and Jacks leather goods (and NATOs) to be exceptional as well. Theo and Harris joins this group offering artisanal goods made by a craftsperson who deeply loves his or her craft. Looking at the straps listed for sale on the T&H website I feel they are particularly well chosen (or curated if you will). I see these straps as the perfect choice, not for the person who wants 25 straps in their drawer, but rather for the clientele who would call up looking for a vintage Datejust and wants one really good strap to go with it.
Here are a few words from the Theo and Harris shop about their straps.
The Flatiron captures the industrial aesthetic of the Manhattan landmark it’s named after. Like the downtown icon, our Flatiron strap is finished in a gray that warms and cools with the light. Perfect beside any case and dial, its versatility keeps it a staple in our collection.
Let us move on to the full Strapsense review.
DIMENSION
I ordered the 19mm lug width version of this strap so all my dimensions are based on that particular strap. However, these straps are available in many sizes and configurations from 14mm to 20mm in both regular and long lengths, so any size and shape should available to the interested shopper. Also it should be noted that an option to customize the color of the thread used is available so practically any watch dial can be accommodated if you wish.
My strap came in at exactly 19mm at the lugs and tapers nicely to 16mm at the buckle and free end. Along the entirety of the length the strap’s thickness is uniform at 2mm which is effortlessly wearable. I ordered the regular length strap (again a large size is available). My free end came in at 112mm and the buckle end was 67mm which is about spot on with the 180mm length listed on the website. On my hair under 7″ wrist I am on the second to last adjustment hole when attached to my First Omega In Space Speedy which has a 47mm lug to lug length.
DESIGN
This strap is a showcase in unobtrusive luxury. It checks a lot of boxes by not being too daring in any one particular category. Rather it is exemplary in doing the basics right. Starting with the leather, both the outside and inside is calf leather. Calf leather is always a good choice for its unblemished surfaces, and soft feel. The inside is matte black with lightly embossed JR and T&H logos applied to the buckle side. The feel of the underside is generally smooth and should be durable and long wearing but otherwise is unremarkable save for the brilliant addition of a quick release spring bar with I always applaud.
The outside of the strap is a warm grey tone calf with unmistakable hints of brown evenly mixed. The semi gloss pebbled surface visually adds a lot of interest without being repetitious or inorganic. The texture is pleasant to the touch and seems almost impervious to the occasional scratch or nick caused by laptops and an occasional fingernail as the whole strap seems to have been made with durability in mind. The outside surface is firm but not hard and does not give much to the touch like it would with a soft Peccary leather or a padded strap. But is more of an indication of longevity than any measure of comfort.
The stitching like the rest of the strap is executed to a very high level with just enough contrast to work with the light reflecting off the leather. The side sealant applied is a hint more matte grey than the top leather and acts as a nice frame if you will to bolster the look of the strap as a whole. The application is without flaw which is a theme I noticed for every part of this strap. The 3 mm taper from lugs to the straps ends adds an elegant styling cue without taking it over the top into a vintage aesthetic.
KEEPER AND BUCKLE
This strap utilized the classic keeper setup with one being fixed and the other allowed to move down the length of the buckle side to secure the extra length of strap. The keepers are sized smartly in a masterclass of restraint as they are just barely big enough to do the job. This small size adds immensely to the elegance of the strap as a whole in quite the same way a small strap on a woman high heel adds a lot of impact to the whole outfit. It is a subtle touch, but definitely noticeable.
The keepers have a lovely light roll mark along both edges which are made from the same pebbled calf and have been sealed on the edges with equal skill.
The buckle is also fairly minimalist, but with some flair. The tang rests on a recessed portion of the buckle with sides constructed in the most slight manner. Lacking any signature or other embellishments the buckle does its job with quiet aplomb.
HOW DOES IT WEAR
There are many straps that come out of the box softer and more pliable than this. I was initially taken aback by the constantly linear form this strap seemed to persistently hold on to. However, knowing the pedigree of the leather and the workmanship put into it I figured it could go one of two ways. Either it would degrade quickly as straps of questionable pedigree often do or it would evolve into something absolutely spectacular. After two weeks wearing it, I am confident the latter holds true.
The straps thin construction allows it to easily conform to an individuals wrist shape with little to no wait for any break in period. The leather was a bit structural at first like a nice pair of boots or shoes, but gently working it with your hands prior to installing on the watch will allow the strap to be comfortable from day one with improvements every day henceforth. This is the kind of leather that will look as good on day 200 as it does on day one while getting more and more supple with each days wear.
I pulled this strap through the buckle 50 times as I always do to new straps with no signs of color loss or degradation to the pebbled finish. The sealed sides are still as new looking as they were when new. The strap has an inner strength about it that is reassuring with movement and flex kept under tight control.
All day comfort begins to be a thing on about day three of the strap. It was never uncomfortable but as your body heat works into the leather it yields more willingly with each passing day. On day thirteen it feeds through the keepers like a knife through butter. On the wrist the strap takes on more brownish tones into the grey outer surface and the off white stitches pull out the white details of the dial on the FOIS.
I especially love how the grain of the leather, rather the pebbled surface, is carried all the way around the spring bar near the lugs. It is a small detail, but gives the strap a very polished yet organic look further reinforcing the feeling of quality. At this price point, details matter, they are akin to the spice in a good Curry.
WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR
This is another one of those straps that do not attempt to steal the show from the watch it was added. Rather it’s another powerful soundtrack in the back ground that reinforces the scene on the screen. I tried this watch strap on half a dozen watches. I had it on my Speedy, my Heuer Silver Anniversary, my Grand Seiko Soko, my Glashuette Sixties, and my Railmaster Trilogy for example. In all cases my eyes still went to the watch as the neutral hues do not compete for attention with the watch.
This strong quiet personality demonstrates this strap could be used for practically any non sea going watch regardless of color or design intent. The only concession I would suggest is that to note the pebbled texture and how it will react with your dial. When using any highly textured strap take heed of the pattern. A small tightly spaced pattern usually blends together from any distance and is not noticed until you take the time to deliberately focus on the leather grain. These kinds of straps are not as sensitive to dial texture and can be used with creative abandon. This pebbled texture is noticeable at any distance and will work with dials that do not have a competing pattern which is also vying for attention. This strap did not work as well with my Glashutte Original Sixties which has a blue glacier dial with a very pronounced sunburst finish. The two patterns were not in harmony and tended to clash. However, on my speedy with a matte black dial it worked stupendously.
As long as you keep the patterns on the dial simple I think this strap will be a winner.
WHERE CAN I GET IT
There is but one place to get a Theo and Harris Strap. That is from the You Tube Personalities shop listed below. I found the packaging to be very well done and the shipping was efficient and informative.
https://theoandharris.com/shop/watch-straps/jean-rousseau-strap-the-flatiron/
SUMMARY
The Flatiron comes with a learning curve so to speak. It requires you to put in some effort and let the strap get to know your wrist. The quality of the strap is not questionable. The solid feel and impervious nature of the strap would lead one to believe it will wear like a toolbelt, but the truth could not be more different. The Craftsman at Jean Rousseau have worked years of skill into this strap and while you can feel the strength in the construction it still offers a delicate wrist presence which still grows better each day. This is a strap you develop a relationship with as you know it will be around for years to come. Theo and Harris has curated a great collection straps worthy to be installed on your time piece and begin an adventure with you.
Thank you for the review. I have looked at their straps but held back because of the price. I’ve slowly moved upmarket from your reviews and haven’t been disappointed in doing so. I’ll be checking these out as well. Have a great holiday and Happy New Year 🥳