Custom alligator leather watch straps

As part of the Equilibrium project, realized in collaboration with jeweler Sergey Sofronov, custom alligator watch straps were developed as an integral part of the watch’s overall architecture.

For this project, two interchangeable alligator leather straps were created. From the outset, both straps were designed specifically for use with a solid gold folding clasp, which is an integral component of the watch. Their geometry, thickness, and overall fit were carefully defined to maintain visual and structural balance between the case, the movement, and the strap, while also ensuring wearing comfort based on the client’s wrist dimensions.

The first strap is executed in a golden tone that echoes the 750 gold case. It is stitched with deep blue thread, with edges finished in the same color—an intentional detail that visually links the strap to the blued hands and screws of the movement without creating direct color dominance. For this strap, leather from the belly section was selected, with a transverse cut used instead of the more common longitudinal layout. The pronounced transverse crease is deliberately positioned along the centerline of both strap sections and treated as a conscious compositional element rather than a random surface feature.

The second strap is made from deep blue alligator leather and supports the graphic clarity and depth of the movement through its color, stitching, and edges in the same tone. This version reads as more restrained and structured, shifting the emphasis from material presence to contrast and precision of detail.

Both custom alligator watch straps feature an ergonomic shape, formed with consideration for the anatomy of the wrist and the proportions of the 45 mm case. The construction incorporates reinforcement materials by Jaeger, ensuring shape stability and consistent performance over time—particularly important when paired with a substantial case and a folding clasp.

In this project, the straps are not intended to draw attention to themselves. Their role is to maintain equilibrium between all elements and function as part of a single, coherent object.

Within this context, the straps become not accessories, but a fully integrated component of the Equilibrium project.