Why are straps so outrageously expensive?

[MrYesterday]

+1 orloff there's a difference between what a lot of sellers call croc, and what is GENUINELY croc. Most are just cheap reconstituted leather (glued together bits from scrap leather, kind of like plywood) with a faux overlay.

 

[DikkePoppe]

Thats not a hand made strap...
The stitching is too small to be hand made, plus is a really thin strap to fit that buckle..
Is that real croc or just leather.?..
Croc is really hard to find, and one skin may work 110usd or more, and you only get one or maybe two straps..
So price always depends on what you want.... but all my prices are around the same if we are talking about caw leather

Oh, my mistake, I found it here:
http://forum.replica-watch.info/vb/showthread.php/leather-colors-55296
So I assumed you made it but in fact someone else posted it.

 

[jesseharmon81]

You don't have to pay $150 to get a good strap. I'm having Crocodile from the boards make me a custom cobra leather strap for $80(Check out his section, Primestraps). Yes, that is still quite a bit of money to pay for a strap, but there is a LOT that goes in to that process, and I know I'm paying a fellow board member for a high-quality, hand-made product that will last many years. Think of it more as a long-term investment. A high-quality leather piece of any kind can last a very long time.

+1 croc makes great straps, have a black leather w/ red stitching for my Avenger Blacksteel! JH


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RobbDizzle]

I agree a good handmade can be had for $40-80, if one does enough digging. There's Croc here, and a few sellers I like over on WuS as well.

 

[guanaco]

hello
I do not think that $ 50 you can get a genuine crocodile strap, and I'll explain why
a crocodile skin of good quality, at a cost that can range from 6 to 9 € x cm. width, the price varies by type of tanning
usually for the wide leather straps are used from 24 to 28 cm, the cost is easy to calculate and can range from 200 to more than 300 €
with a skin of this size, if you're a good cutter, and do not make a mistake you can get 6 / 8 straps.
add sewing everything by hand, finish the edges, making passers-by about three hours
try to make some accounts (if you do not have underpaid Chinese workers) with the risk of making mistakes and ruining a strap
Mario

http://www.panatime.com/24dkbrgecrsk

BTW you're thinking of normal prices in Europe, think wholesale prices also, a strap maker will usually buy a vast amount of skins instead of individual ones.

 

[The Dude]

Why is it we can buy leather belts, shoes, even jackets for less than the price of a watch strap? There's certainly a lot more material in those products. I understand that handmade straps are a different story because they're, well, handmade . But the prices of mass produced straps are not justified.

I recently contacted a trusted dealer about a rubber replacement strap for an IWC Aquatimer originally purchased from him. The price you ask? $45 plus shipping! It probably costs 45 cents to manufacture these in China. The reason I need a replacement is because this strap was junk in the first place, and now I have to pay $45 for another of the same? Outrageous I say! I bought my wife a whole latex French Maid outfit for less than that...

 

[JC7]

... I bought my wife a whole latex French Maid outfit for less than that...

:ttiwwop:

 

[Wiz]

Very funny, I'm merely making a point. And looking for alternative quality straps at reasonable prices. Apparently they don't exist, and you can afford the $150 ones...

congrats

Sorry mate, but you can find more than decent straps for $40-60. The $150 straps you're talking about are luxury straps, made out of fine leathers, by hands, ...

No suprise they are pricey.

 

[The Dude]

:ttiwwop:

 

[JC7]

best forum ever

 

[lzlaxhacker]

^ word

 

[RobbDizzle]

Holy crap, that just happened! I love this place.

 

[DikkePoppe]

Money well spent...

 

[DenfromNM]

International watchman also sells some good quality straps at very, and I mean very reasonable prices.
http://internationalwatchman.com/
Panatime has some good deals also.

 

[RobbDizzle]

International watchman also sells some good quality straps at very, and I mean very reasonable prices.
http://internationalwatchman.com/
Panatime has some good deals also.

They do have one or two good looking deals there. How thick are their straps, do you know?

 

[MrYesterday]

I get all of my beater straps from panatime. But I'm having Croc make me a custom cobra strap, and his prices are great. 8a is also starting a sale for RWI members, selling $85 straps for like $35... you can't beat that.

 

[DikkePoppe]

I get all of my beater straps from panatime. But I'm having Croc make me a custom cobra strap, and his prices are great. 8a is also starting a sale for RWI members, selling $85 straps for like $35... you can't beat that.

Where can we find that sale?

 

[MrYesterday]

David showed us some pics of the straps this morning. He said he would be updating his site with them in the next couple of days. Here's his site. But, since it's a special for RWI members the sale will probably end up here.

 

[Fortey]

:ttiwwop:

Man thanks to you and the dude.. very nice.

Back on topic, I'm also a little shocked by a lot of the strap prices I see, it just doesn't seem to add up.

I haven't seen any of these in person, but Stowa has some great prices on their straps: http://www.german-watches.com/cgi-b...-26738&rubnum=ab&artnum=&file=&gesamt_zeilen=

 

[RobbDizzle]

I was planning on a Kain Sub strap for the 111, but I'm gonna hold out for that sale!