The Watch Boys - Aligator Leather Straps

[dom9]

Guys, it's not often I start a praise thread (though this will be the second in a month, after my Dom H thread) but I have just received my second Alligator strap from Kurt over at TWB:

https://www.thewatchboys.com/

I ordered my first for my IWC (light tan for my Spitfire) a few months back and it took a while to come into stock but I waited for it and I was just blown away by quality for the price. I sold that watch to Dom H and even he seemed impressed.

So, I ordered a new, dark blue gator strap in 18mm for my Zenith Original 1969, last week, and it arrived a few days later and it really is stunning! Could not be more pleased! When OEM gator straps are around $1,000 and even the high end third party retailers are $100's (yes, I know they often supply to the manufacture, hence are identical) - to get a genuine gator strap of this quality at around $100, is fantastic!

I just can't ever see anyone else having my business when it comes to straps - This is great value for money, it really is!

[erics]

oem gator straps Rolex, Patek, IWC, JLC are £200 / £300 not $1000.

[Ev_]

I bought a Kelvar-style strap from The Watch Boys last year - again, very impressive for the money. Can't fault it.

[dom9]

erics said:

oem gator straps Rolex, Patek, IWC, JLC are £200 / £300 not $1000.

I'll take two then, please - Would have paid that to have an original one, then and there.

I couldn't get an OEM IWC from a dealer for less than $600 (the actual one I wanted was less than $1,000 but I was working from an order of magnitude).

So, a link to yours would be appreciated as I was selling the watch and an 'original' would have been, arguably, better.

Even the Hirsch ones dealers were offering me were at least 2x what TWB charged!

Again, amazing quality for the money and in MY experience, at least half the price of an equivalent and 5-10x cheaper than an 'original'.

[Spice_Weasel]

TWB do supply great straps. If only they would offer an IWC Big Pilot-style strap: the one with the slightly diagonal step in the width in the width.

As per their current range, I am currently drawn to blue and think a blue croc/gator would look good on my Spitfire Chrono.

[dom9]

Spice_Weasel said:

TWB do supply great straps. If only they would offer an IWC Big Pilot-style strap: the one with the slightly diagonal step in the width in the width.

As per their current range, I am currently drawn to blue and think a blue croc/gator would look good on my Spitfire Chrono.

I'll try and get a picture of the one I have for my Zenith - It really is very nice! Just need to get a tool to swap them as the original strap is pretty tight to the lugs and I don't want to scratch the case on a brand new watch!

I was tempted to keep the IWC Spitfire Chrono (but I wanted something with a smaller case) and put it on a blue strap as I think the Laureus special edition had one and looked great!

[Spice_Weasel]

I always thought the standard Spitfire Chrono strap looked a bit weedy so have been swapping between chunkier straps like the ones used on the 3718 doppelchrono and the Big Pilot. Currently it's on a black croc though I prefer brown with the white dial. Blue could be a good compromise.