Hello, this is Mr. Linen.
How do you choose leather straps for your wristwatches?
In the article below, I discussed matching watch straps with shoe colors. This time, I’d like to focus on materials instead.
There are many types of leather used for watch straps—crocodile, lizard, calfskin, and more—but the one I’d especially like to recommend today is suede.
Suede refers to the rough, brushed underside of leather. Even within suede, there are differences depending on whether it comes from cow, pig, or goat leather, but for this article, I won’t focus too much on the animal source itself.
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The Impression Suede Gives
Suede naturally gives off a casual impression.
Unlike smooth leather with its glossy surface, suede has no shine and instead features a soft, brushed texture.
In the past, suede was often associated with autumn and winter because of its fuzzy texture. Nowadays, though, that image has mostly disappeared. Just look at footwear—suede shoes remain popular year-round.
The same applies to watch straps. If you want to give a watch a more casual atmosphere, suede works beautifully regardless of the season.
It feels casual, but not as casual as a NATO strap. I think suede sits somewhere between dressy and casual.
Personally, I think suede straps are about as dressy as a metal bracelet.
If I were to rank common watch strap materials from dressy to casual, it would look something like this:
Crocodile or lizard leather
Calfskin and other smooth leathers
Suede or metal bracelets
NATO straps or rubber straps
Suede Strap Colors
Although suede straps sit between dressy and casual, the color also changes the impression significantly.
Just like smooth leather, darker colors lean dressier, while lighter colors feel more casual.
I currently own two suede straps—light brown and gray—and both give off a fairly casual vibe.
Mine feel especially casual because the white stitching stands out clearly. If the stitching matches the suede color, the casual feel becomes a bit more restrained.
If you go with black or dark brown suede and matching stitching, I think the result becomes understated enough to pair comfortably with tailoring or a suit.
The Length of the Nap
One unique aspect of suede that smooth leather doesn’t have is the length of the nap.
The longer the nap, the more casual the impression becomes. That’s true for almost any material—fluffy textures feel casual, while smooth surfaces feel dressier.
Even among commercially available suede watch straps, nap length varies quite a bit.
The straps I showed earlier probably have an average nap length, but there are also very short-nap suede straps that barely feel casual at all.
For example, this Audemars Piguet featured on the Eguchi Watch Store website uses a black suede strap with a very short nap. Combined with the thin leather itself, the overall impression feels quite dressy.
On the other hand, the strap shown below—as well as the ones I own—has a relatively long nap and thicker leather, giving it a much more casual appearance.
I think the ideal nap length depends on the watch itself. Sportier watches tend to work better with longer-nap suede, while dressier watches pair better with shorter-nap suede.
Actually, it may be more accurate to say that short-nap suede is versatile and works with a wider range of watches, while long-nap suede really only suits sporty watches.
That said, while you can usually choose the color of a suede strap, finding one with your preferred nap length is much harder.
What Kind of Watches Work Best?
Since suede straps naturally feel casual and sporty, I think they work best with sporty watches.
Divers and chronographs are probably the best examples.
This isn’t my watch, but this is probably my favorite suede strap pairing I’ve ever seen.
Isn’t this incredible? I’ll probably never be able to afford this watch, but I absolutely love it…
Speaking about watches I personally own, I think suede straps pair especially well with my Seiko one-push chronograph and a chronograph from an obscure brand called MERVOS.
On the other hand, watches like the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso, Cartier Must Tank, or classic round-case LIP watches lean much dressier, so I generally think smooth leather suits them better. If using suede, a very short-nap type would probably work best.
Where to Buy Suede Watch Straps
So where can you buy good suede watch straps?
The brand I most highly recommend is Accurate Form.
They apparently use high-quality suede made by Charles F. Stead, a historic tannery founded in 1904 in Leeds, England. And the price is just ¥8,800 tax included—roughly $60 USD.
I’ll leave the link below as well.
https://accurate-form.jp/collections/charles-f-stead
At this price-to-quality ratio, it’s no surprise they’re popular. Unfortunately, as of November 2024, every color was sold out.
I wanted one too, but couldn’t get one in time.
So for now, I’ll just wait for a restock.
I’m sure there are other places selling suede straps, but I honestly doubt there’s anything better at this price point, so I’d rather wait.
Well… that’s what I thought, but I couldn’t wait any longer and ended up buying a handmade suede strap from a private seller on Mercari for around ¥1,000 (about $7 USD).
To be honest, there are a few details where the craftsmanship feels a little rough—but at that price, I really can’t complain.
The biggest issue is that the underside touching the wrist is also suede. Unlike smooth leather, suede can’t really be wiped clean with water, so I sometimes worry about sweat and skin oils building up over time.
But again—it was cheap, so I can’t complain.
Conclusion
So, those are the reasons why I recommend suede watch straps.
Honestly, suede just looks cool no matter what it’s used for.
It feels rugged and masculine, but because it lacks shine, it never feels overly polished or too formal. That balance makes it incredibly versatile.
I even prefer suede for leather jackets.
This entire article was probably just the biased opinion of someone who really loves suede, but if even one person came away thinking, “Maybe suede straps are pretty great,” then I’d be happy.
That’s all for today.
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