How would the Jacob straps be different from Eric at hamiltonleatherworks (donerix)?
Eric makes awesome straps, I have quite a few of them, but I am not sure if he carries Alligator hides, I think he does mainly Croc hide.
Alligator is a much more finer strap, perfect for dress watches, croc straps are more rough looking. Also, Alligator hide is more expensive hence the difference in price between Jacob and Eric.
Eric is an awesome guy to deal with and I will continue to use him as he is a great economical option for straps that don't need precise cuts to fit complicated endlinks, like Pams or even Hublots, and also for watches that will look good on sporty croc, but for AP or Patek that have precise endlinks and are super dressy with leather straps I will only use Jacob.
I have a Eric croc strap for one of my 15400's, the quality and finish just doesn't compare to Jacob's, here you can compare:
Eric:
Jacob: