Shell Cordovan strap...

[taxico]

i just received my first horween shell cordovan strap from the US today by speedpost. i have a pair of shell cordovan shoes but this is my first strap made from horse "shell."

there's very little information on the internet forums about shell cordovan straps - most posts say it's good and comparable to kodiak straps but no reviews/long term opinions, so i thought i would add my 2c here.

more details on shell cordovan here.

this strap is... quite strong smelling. when new and on my feet i think i don't smell them much, but at close range on my wrist, it's noticeable. they smell... for lack of a better word, like moths (and i mean this in the nicest way possible).

the smell comes from the vegetable oils used to tan the strap, so nothing "buggy" about that smell... : )

the lug width is 20mm but i had a difficult time fitting it between lugs on both ends - it probably measures about 21mm and the leather is very tough and doesn't flex/give much when mounting.

however when i was fitting the buckle on it (it came without buckle), it was easier... hmmm... weird. the strap tapers from 20mm to 18mm at the buckle end.

at the moment it's mounted on a 36mm rolex dress watch (it replaced a croc strap which tapers from 20mm to 16mm) but the stitching on this strap is too close to the edge of the strap (IMO) and it's not giving me the look i want - an optical illusion that the strap is thinner than it really is.

the stitch work and general visual quality of the strap is good. i do wish the strap keepers were a little bit tighter as i expect they will stretch some over time - but as it is at the moment, the give is perfect.

i'm unsure if they're available locally, but based on first impressions alone, i am unsure if i am recommending it just yet. but if my shoes are any indication, they will win me over in time.

it's quite a stiff strap but not uncomfortably - i expect it will break in and soften over time. i bought this strap (about US$150+ including int'l express courier charge) in the hopes that it will be very long lasting even in our hot climate and my sweaty wrist because i don't like changing straps.

only time will tell whether this strap will stay permanently on this watch. i'll update it with pics and thoughts periodically.

[taxico]

here's another link that has videos to the strap tanning process and some other historical facts about Horween...

http://devotism.com/horween-shell-cordovan-wallets/

[louie]

very informative post! thank you taxico!!

[feilong108]

Thanks for sharing Taxico....waiting to see the pics of the Strap!

[Humble]

pic leh!

[psee]

Interesting info! Thks for sharing

[taxico]

after 24 hours use:




scratches from use.




original color on the right, used color on the left.





because the strap is now curved so in some pictures it looks "bulgy!"

[taxico]

to preface this update: i really dislike wearing leather straps in singapore. ever since i was a kid i perspire a lot; especially in singapore. i usually only wear straps when i am living overseas (esp winter time) but i remedied this by having custom made CF straps with water resistant lining. unfortunately, like all straps, they degrade with time and the harsh environment in singapore... hence my decision to buy my first shell strap last year.

after less than 2 months of wear, i gave the strap to my sister who wanted a tough strap for her watch. the patina it took on was wonderful - i am of course partial to shell cordovan but i didn't mind giving it up as i can then buy another one!

earlier this year i had a conversation with a strap seller (different from the one i bought my first shell strap from) and his opinion is that shell straps should not be lined. i further concluded that they should not have stitches running the length of the straps.

the reason for being unlined is that it takes away the purpose of using shell cordovan - the lining will deteriorate before the shell does and there is really no good reason to have a lining for shell cordovan.

as for why it should not be stitched... i think shell should be as "whole" as possible, and stitches introduces holes into the leather, resulting in liquids that can reach untreated (i'm using the term "untreated" to mean the colour applied on the sides/edges and the outer) portions of the leather.

so i purchased another shell cordovan strap (using horween stock) in the middle of the year from tonez (who is now located in Australia but still ships some stock from UK), and have used it almost every weekend for a few months, and then everyday this entire month as the weather is now cooler.

a note on the applied colouring... after the straps have been cut from a big sheet of treated shell, they have layer(s?) applied on them to give the appropriate colour. in my previous strap, the pin holes were also applied. in this strap, they are not. the back of this strap is also bare.

shell cordovan is very soft. the ones used for my strap is also thin (comparatively). i can understand why some strap companies choose to line their strap to give it a more robust feel. however without the lining, the strap "dries up" from rain/perspiration/water much quicker and the "discolouration" from meeting liquids is especially even (as it is without stitching).

here are my opinions...

the strap has been attached to a day-date since it arrived in singapore. the strap when paired with a heavy watch, will some times seem top heavy. it is made a little worse as i like my watches loose - i remedy the flopping by wearing my watch a little tighter, which unfortunately on a strap is sometimes uncomfortable when it is hot, or pushing the watch further up my wrist... or simply adjusting the watch regularly - a good excuse to look at it when i'm bored.

i have grown accustomed to the top heavy feeling and it doesn't bug me anymore.

the stitching that creates the opening for spring bars are unsightly yet befitting a strap that is meant to take patina in its stride. when i first saw the stitch work, i didn't like it. i don't notice it now, and when i do, i don't see a problem with it.

what i don't like are the punched holes for the pin - they are not perfectly centered and thus the pin does not sit straight on the buckle.

and the movable keeper is too loose... the result of the strap being too short (i have 6.75" wrists) - i'm on the second last hole.

verdict: if the strap had a longer length option and/or a thicker option, i would take it. having said that, if the strap was paired with a thin/utra-thin watch, i think it would be perfect. but on a thick/heavy watch, it does not seem so despite looking very good.

i think it would be suitable for most people with a steel datejust - especially the lighter acrylic models.

i've not found kodiak leather in a suitable cut and size, but if that is available i would not shy away from getting a set to try for comparison. so for now, in tropical weather, a shell cordovan strap makes a lot of sense to me as they are so hardwearing and meant to outlast (almost?) all other leathers.

but i will keep looking for a thicker shell strap that is slightly longer... the quest for the perfect strap continues...

(pics to come soon - i'll try to take some of both straps when i next see my sister)