Why I made my own Watch Strap

As a main business I sell vintage watches, and oftentimes those watches are in need of a new strap. That demand has grown to about 30 straps a month, making retail purchases no longer a viable option.

So I searched for wholesale options and in October 2024 I met with a distributor for a watch strap brand. The first impression was great: high-quality straps, no minimum order requirements, fast delivery within the Netherlands, and a wide assortment.

But things didn’t turn out as expected. Instead of the promised straps, I received products from a completely different brand, with unreasonably high recommended retail prices that I wasn’t allowed to adjust. On top of that, the agreed-upon margins didn’t add up. Needless to say, I quickly stopped working with them 😅.

As a watch collector myself, I find it important that I'm getting a good price/quality product. Brands like Hirsch and Rios make beautiful, quality and comfortable straps, but I can’t justify a €50,00+ watch strap on a €100-€200 watch. 

So, I set out to find if we could source and produce our own straps. The search for a manufacturer began: I reached out to multiple strap brands & factories, discussed possibilities, had conversations, selected materials, ordered samples, sent designs, discussed prices, had molds made... placed an order and three months later:

Our first own production strap is here! The Nikko Suede Watch Strap 🚀

Why "Nikko"? Nikko is a small and famous place in Japan. I visited it in 2024 and it left an impression. It’s such a stunning place in Japan: Golden temples, breathtaking nature with waterfalls and marshes, and I had a face-to-face encounter with a black-collared bear there, a moment I’ll never forget.

Features of the Nikko Suede Strap:

  • Soft suede leather strap with genuine leather backing.
  • Versatile style perfect for vintage Seiko watches and other classics 
  • Available in Four colours, this is Bear Black, Oak Brown, Temple Sand & Zen Rock Grey
  • Comes in 18, 19, 20 & 22mm
  • Quick-release springbars - switch your watch strap in 10 seconds without the need of tools
  • Great price/quality ratio - way more affordable than most suede straps from established brands

All Nikko straps are in stock at my location in The Netherlands, Europe. In case a product is not in stock, delivery could take up to 2 weeks as we place an order with the strap factory.

This is Version 1 of the Nikko Watch Strap. Version 2 will include a customized WatchEra-branded buckle and the inside of the leather strap will be stamped with WatchEra.