Hello everyone, and welcome to another of my reviews. In this article, I’ll be reviewing new handcrafted leather straps from local strap label Strapatelier.
I previously reviewed Strapatelier’s overstocked/value box leather straps last year. Since then, the brand has innovated with new offerings, and sent a few straps over for me to review. Let’s see if they are any good.
Strapatelier 2023 Handcrafted Leather Straps Review – Video Review
For those who wish to see some hands-on footage of Strapatelier’s latest handcrafted straps, do check out my Youtube review below:
Strapatelier – the Brand
I’m familiar with the brand, having reviewed some of its more affordable products here, and its premium handcrafted offerings here.
Strapatelier Crazy Horse Slim Leather Strap – Review
First up is the brand’s Crazy Horse slim leather strap.
In case you’re wondering, the strap is not made of actual horse leather – it was named as such because the same form of leather is traditionally used to make horse saddles. Crazy horse leather is produced by applying a specific kind of wax to a full-grain calf leather piece that has been buffed and smoothed out. Over time, the colour and texture of the strap will alter, giving the piece a unique, vintage look. It’s a leather that will patina beautifully over time and is thus best paired with a vintage-inspired watch like the Kurono Toki.
However, most Crazy Horse leather straps are thick and chunky (think Panerai straps). Strapatelier bucks that trend here by creating a Crazy Horse leather strap that not only has a slim profile, but also a rustic point-stitch design that makes it perfect for vintage/retro watches. The craftsmanship is top-notch here – one can tell the stitching is done by hand, while the sides are also burnished and creased.
The back of the strap is lined with cowhide from Chahin Tannery, and feels premium to the touch. There are also quick-release spring bars for easy interchangeability.
On the wrist, the Crazy Horse slim strap is immensely comfortable and required absolutely no break-in time at all. And although it comes in a myriad of different colourways, I absolutely love the grey variant. I think grey straps are severely underrated – they pair phenomenally with almost any watch, but especially with a salmon dial. At S$73.80 (after promo code below), Strapatelier’s Crazy Horse strap is a great way to “zhng” your watch without breaking the bank.
Strapatelier Chèvre Leather Strap – Review
If you’re looking for something a little dressier, then Chèvre leather would be right up your alley.
For those uninitiated about Chèvre, it’s a type of goat leather that is made famous by Hermes, and is prized for its luxurious look. It also has high scratch-resistance (making it popular in handbags, purses, etc), and is generally pretty robust and durable. Yet, the leather is soft, pliable and feels premium, making it the perfect companion for dressier watches.
Furthermore, Strapatelier gets its Chèvre leather from Alran S.A.S, which is arguably the best tannery in the world when it comes to Chèvre leather. The surface patterning is distinctive and striking, instantly making the strap recognisable as Chèvre leather. Like the brand’s Crazy Horse leather strap, the Chèvre leather strap is also 100% handmade, with burnishing, stitching and edge creasing all done by hand.
The Chèvre leather strap immediately elevates any watch, giving it a dressier spin (as seen above with the Omega Speedmaster MK40). Like its Crazy Horse counterpart, a variety of colourways are available, though my personal favourite is the dark green variant (another underrated choice). It’s also not as slim, making it a better choice for bulkier watches like chronographs. At S$82.80 (after the promo code below), it’s great value for money.
Strapatelier Curved-End Silicone Strap – Review
Last but not least, Strapatelier also sent me their curved-end silicone strap for my recently acquired MoonSwatch.
I’m pleased to report that the curved ends fit my MoonSwatch “Mission to the Sun” perfectly, with nary a gap to be seen.
As mentioned in my MoonSwatch article, I mainly wear the “Mission to the Sun” during tennis matches. And on those occasions, I was impressed by not only the comfort of the strap, but also how durable and robust it felt. There’s a reassuring thickness to Strapatelier’s curved-end silicone strap that gives me the confidence to attempt (and fail) Nadal-like buggy whip forehands on the court.
Most importantly, the curved-end silicone strap is comfortable on the wrist, largely due to the presence of thoughtful ridges on the underside of the strap that prevents it from shifting and sliding too much during high-intensity workouts.
I’ve seen tons of enthusiasts purchase Horus or RubberB curved-end silicone straps for their MoonSwatches. I’m sure they are great, but I can’t fathom forking out S$300+ on a rubber strap – one could literally buy another MoonSwatch for that money. At just S$36.90 (after promo code below), I believe Strapatelier’s curved-end silicone straps provide great quality (definitely a step up from those cheap Taobao straps) for the price.
Conclusion – so Strapatelier’s 2023 Handcrafted Leather Straps “shiok” or not?
Strapatelier has become my go-to for handmade leather straps, and it’s not hard to see why. Despite being 100% handmade and fashioned out of top-quality leather, Strapatelier’s handmade straps generally cost less than S$100. A variety of colourways are available for the myriad of leather options that Strapatelier offer, with lug widths ranging from 18mm to 22mm. Even the curved-end silicone strap was a nice surprise – it’s the perfect complement to my MoonSwatch. The quality-to-price ratio is simply phenomenal, making Strapatelier an easy recommendation.
For those interested in any of Strapatelier’s offerings, you can use the promo code “WAHSOSHIOK” to enjoy 10% off all products store-wide. After the discount, the Crazy Horse Slim leather strap can be had for S$73.80, the Chèvre Leather Strap would cost just S$82.80, while the curved-end silicone strap is a mere S$36.90. In other words, all three straps can be had for a steal – what’s not to like?
View the Crazy Horse Slim leather strap here.
View the Chèvre Leather Strap here.
View the full range of Strapatelier’s offerings here.
P.S: Check out The Shiok Store here – it serves as a curation of my favourite products from my favourite brands.
P.P.S: Do check out the new “Discounts!” page for exclusive discounts for Wah so Shiok readers! More brands will be added very soon – stay tuned!
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P.P.P.P.S Shiok is a common word Singaporeans use to express admiration or approval. As of 2016, you can find the definition of the word in the Oxford English Dictionary.
