My recommendation for a small strap company

HDMI · 04-09-2014 3:40pm #1

I recently purchased a Glycine Chronograph and it came with an original rubber strap and a couple of nato's. I wanted to add a leather option but some strap makers charge an arm and a leg so I set about the web and found a company called Martu Leather.

I emailed Andrea at Martu straps and asked for suggestions and she replied with some pics of grey suede which I really liked. After being quoted just $29 for a custom strap I placed an order for a second.

It took approx 1 week for my straps to be made and about 2 weeks for them to arrive from Chile. The grey suede strap is nice and light and required no breaking in at all, feels lovely on the wrist.

It is nice to support small businesses so if you would like to order from her use the website for custom work orders http://www.martuleather.com/ and her eBay account for standard straps. http://stores.ebay.com/MartuStraps

The second strap is what she calls vintage gray and is normally sold as a straight strap on eBay but I asked to have it tapered from 22mm to 20mm which was no extra charge and also cost only $29 which includes registered shipping in the price.

emo72 · 04-09-2014 9:54pm

i certainly like that steinhart. damn.

Eoin · 05-09-2014 2:01am

emo72 wrote: »

i certainly like that steinhart. damn.

Me too, and I think they're finally back in stock. Trying to resist.

Anyhow - cool straps!

Wibbs · 05-09-2014 9:10am

Lovely straps. I've seen her stuff before and they're very nice and at a very reasonable price. Your watches are alright too like.

CarltonBrowne · 05-09-2014 5:14pm

I can see that this is going to cost me money - I really like that suede strap. There used to be a Danish chap on TZ-UK called Mnielse that did these for about £35 but he seems to have disappeared. I can also see a black stingray in the offing for my Revue 352 coming on (I've already ordered an alligator from Peter Watch Acc but who's counting).

Zagato · 06-09-2014 8:45am

Thanks, was looking for a strap like that for my Steinhart, and seems a good price

Zagato · 06-09-2014 12:07pm

I see she has your photos up already

HDMI · 06-09-2014 3:40pm

Zagato wrote: »

I see she has your photos up already

I'm famous

She can source other types of leather if you ask.

The brush on the suede sits down and looks smooth if you run your fingers on it which gives a different look. There is a seller from Italy who is selling suede straps on the watch forums for €50 euro and up so $29 shipped is pretty unbeatable.

art · 07-09-2014 4:55pm

Just ordered one now myself, a burned leather distressed one - bound to look well on one of my watches, though I'm particularly interested to see if it gives new life to the Tag Monaco I've been neglecting a long time. It's nice getting it all the way from Chile too, I feel all trans-global cosmopolitan, sitting here in my tiny corpo house in Dublin 8 ...

rwbug · 07-09-2014 7:31pm

It looks like she will have done quite nicely from your recommendation, sent a message about a strap for my Shanghai.

rwbug · 07-09-2014 7:34pm

Separate question - are there any restrictions on the import of some of these straps?

HDMI · 07-09-2014 7:53pm

rwbug wrote: »

Separate question - are there any restrictions on the import of some of these straps?

No hassles bringing her straps in at all. 3 weeks from order to delivery is quite good for a custom strap.

Wibbs · 07-09-2014 8:55pm

rwbug wrote: »

It looks like she will have done quite nicely from your recommendation, sent a message about a strap for my Shanghai.

Well there's quite a bit of a historical connection between Ireland and Chile so we're just continuing the tradition.

CarltonBrowne · 08-09-2014 7:39am

rwbug wrote: »

Separate question - are there any restrictions on the import of some of these straps?

It's an interesting question and would be unlikely to be a concern for the straps that HDMI has purchased. As the lady works with exotic skins there may well be CITES implications for some of them but, to a certain extent, it depends how far you want to go. I have read stories of Lange & Söhne watches having their straps confiscated by the septics when the watch was sent back to Glashütte for a service and I've also read that you're supposed to have a CITES certificate for your alligator watch strap if you are wearing it across some national borders. I've certainly no intention of taking things to that extreme but I know I'd be telling a customs official that it's "only alligator-patterned leather" if asked - it's useful to be able to anticipate the question.

Lex Luthor · 17-09-2014 3:55pm

I'm considering this one for my Steinhart Ocean Black

Thoughts?

http://www.martuleather.com/store/p8/Oiled_Vintage_Leather_Watch_Strap.html

Think its lighter in colour than the pics show which concerns me...would prefer it a bit darker or maybe if I asked for the stitching in dark brown it might help?

or maybe I just go OEM for this http://www.steinhartwatches.de/en/Nato-Strap-Leather-brown,798.html

art · 22-09-2014 7:20pm

Mine arrived this morning, so two weeks basically was the time from the order to receipt. Very undecided if it suits my Monaco but lovely lovely strap, incredibly soft and flexible, would definitely order here again.

rwbug · 06-10-2014 10:11pm

My black stingray strap arrived today, no idea if is exotic enough for CITES, but anyway it arrived unmolested from its travel from Chile or from customs. Ordered it on the 15 Sep, was shipped on the 24th and it arrived today. Beautiful strap. Have already ordered again from this seller.

Wibbs · 06-10-2014 11:40pm

rwbug wrote: »

It looks like she will have done quite nicely from your recommendation,

Good call I say. I like to support the smaller guy or gal or company doing quality stuff with good value and customer interaction and she most certainly fills that role. Lovely straps and great customer interaction.

Plus I have to admit

I love getting post/parcels from all over the globe. I even keep the envelopes and stamps, so double

We do live in a really cool time where we can talk to the world and the world can talk back. The watch I'm wearing at the mo? The head came from France and the bracelet came from Argentina, the battery came from Italy and I feckled it with tools I got from a lad in Wales. The watch I wore yesterday came from Italy, the strap from the US and was serviced by a lad from England. All brought to me by my good mate the postie.* I bloody love that kinda thing.

I once got a very old Longines part from Chile, so I've got previous there.

Over the years on the Bay and other sites, I have noted that the various South American nations are, or appear to be real heavy duty watch nutters and with damn good taste with it. Always worth a trawl on their various local Bay sites for some real beauties. Plus I've never had a seller from south of Panama ever refuse to post to Ireland. After an email/PM their go to response is always "eh, of course, ya dope" and that's after me insulting them with my godawful Spanish/Portuguese. Clearly a very forgiving set of cultures going on.

*who does wonder about my sanity and possible legality when he looks at the different countries that end up on my doorstep.

art · 19-10-2014 7:40pm

Been wearing mine on a little used Orient watch for the last few weeks, off and on. Have to say, it's the softest leather strap I've ever felt against my wrist, ever! It's like having a marshmallow encasing my wrist... I'm now, genuinely, looking for a new watch to match the strap, just so I can wear it more!

rwbug · 20-10-2014 6:09pm

I bought her green canvas/brown leather strap for my Seagull 1963 reissue and it is incredibly comfortable.

I will also be the first here to register a little disappointment in one of her straps. I have since fitted the stingray strap and one side measures closer to 17mm than 18mm leaving a noticable gap. When I say noticable, only watch freaks (people reading this

) would even notice.

rwbug · 29-10-2014 11:46am

I have three of her straps now and I am happy with them - except for the fit of the black stingray strap.
The Boccia Bund I bought from Mredsnapper here on boards - very good seller.

Space added after http as I have too few posts to post links

My recommendation for a small strap company

Comments