Luxury watch buyers have four main categories of material to choose from when securing a timepiece to their wrist: metal, rubber, fabric or leather. “Leather” is a broad term for tanned animal skins that span countless price ranges, styles and species. Leather straps come on some of the cheapest watches in the world as well as some of the most expensive. And leather comes from more than just cows–horse leather, alligator leather, and even goat leather are all popular watch strap materials nowadays. In this article we’ll show you the pros and cons of the most common types of leather used for watch straps.
Calfskin Leather Watch Straps
Calfskin is the kind of leather most often used for luxury watch straps. It’s a solid all-around choice. Although there are some good full-grain cowhide leather straps out there, calfskin is certainly considered more high-end than split-grain or corrected-grain cowhide. The $15 leather straps you find at a mall watch kiosk will probably be split-grain cowhide, or bonded leather (which isn’t even real leather per se). Calfskin straps are typically over $50 and sometimes well over $100. Calfskin generally has a nicer texture and appearance than cheaper leathers. After all, it’s good enough for Rolex–their dress model, the 1908 Perpetual, comes on a calfskin strap.
Pros and Cons of Calfskin Watch Straps
Pros | Cons |
Available in a wide variety of price points | Not water resistant (unless vegetable-tanned) |
Available in a wide variety of colors | Mediocre durability |
Comfortable | |
Looks good on thick/sporty applications |
Shell Cordovan Watch Straps
Shell cordovan is a type of equine leather specifically made from a membrane (the “shell”) found in a horse’s hindquarters underneath the hide. The leather doesn’t come from the actual hide itself. The process of making proper shell cordovan, which involves a long tanning process, has roots dating back over 1,400 years to Cordoba, Spain.
Nowadays it’s impossible to mention shell cordovan without mentioning Horween. Based in Chicago, Illinois, Horween Leather Co. is the world’s preeminent producer of shell cordovan leather. Many artisan watch strap makers use shell cordovan, and most of them use Horween.
It takes us at least six months to make a cordovan shell. Our cordovan could probably be made faster, and people might not even be able to tell the difference… but I can.
Arnold Horween, President of Horween Leather Co. 1949 – 1983
Shell cordovan is, in my opinion, the best type of leather for watch straps overall. It’s amazingly comfortable, it looks excellent, and it’s pretty durable. It has a pleasant sheen, and thin shell cordovan straps look particularly good on smaller, under-the-radar watches. But if you have a dive watch with a 22mm lug width in need of a thick strap, shell cordovan wouldn’t be my top pick. Thick cordovan seems to lose some of its tactile magic, and some people prefer less “shiny” straps for their sports watches. Most of the time, though, when I order a custom watch strap, I choose shell cordovan.
Pros and Cons of Shell Cordovan Watch Straps
Pros | Cons |
More durable than calf leather | More expensive than calf leather |
Extremely comfortable (often considered the finest leather in the world) | Not particularly suitable for thick/sporty applications |
Some slight natural water resistance | Relatively few colors available |
Looks great in thin/dressy applications |
Alligator Leather Watch Straps
Alligator leather is a luxurious choice for a watch strap–expensive and shiny. Gator isn’t incredibly comfy per se, but it’s certainly not uncomfortable either. It’s not like wearing a pair of slippers on your wrist; it’s more like wearing a pair of well-worn high-quality cowboy boots. Somewhat stiff, yet also pleasant. It feels good, but you’ll still feel it–it won’t “disappear” on your wrist the way a suede or cordovan strap might. Many watch collectors love gator straps, but it’s not very breathable so it’s not well-suited to athletic activity.
Pros and Cons of Alligator Leather Watch Straps
Pros | Cons |
Very durable | Expensive (over $200) |
Shiny and luxurious-looking | Not suitable for exercise |
Some natural water resistance | |
Cool texture |
What’s the Difference Between a Crocodile and Alligator Watch Strap?
Crocodile leather is slightly rougher, and has a more irregular scale pattern than gator leather. Gator is also slightly shinier and is sometimes regarded as “more luxurious” than croc (at least freshwater croc), but in reality, they are extremely similar. It’s not like croc straps are some sort of inferior, cheap product–even world-class brands like Patek Philippe have used crocodile leather extensively. Both are attractive, durable, high-quality leathers.
But while it is technically possible to legally import some types of crocodile skins into the United States if you fill out the correct mountains of paperwork and get all the proper certifications, in practice, croc strap importation has mostly become a thing of the past in the US due to CITES regulations. The answer to the question “gator or croc” often has more to do with the import laws where you live than anything else. Some would say alligator products are less “problematic,” as gators are widely farmed in places like Louisiana and Texas, while crocodiles face increasing endangerment.
Sharkskin Watch Straps
Sharkskin is another durable, exotic material sometimes used for watch straps. Although it’s not particularly comfortable on its own (which is why it’s often lined with Alcantara or calfskin), it’s very durable and stands up to water better than other leathers. Unfortunately, though, it’s quite expensive–and some people avoid shark products due to ongoing concerns about the endangerment of many shark species. It does look very cool, although some might not regard it as an “everyday” look.
Pros and Cons of Sharkskin Watch Straps
Pros | Cons |
Extremely durable | Expensive (over $200) |
Strong natural water resistance | Ethical concerns |
Unique look | Stiff |
Suitable for large watches |
Goat Leather Watch Straps
Goat leather wasn’t a particularly common material for watch straps until recently. I had never even heard of goat leather until 2018, when I was searching for a new strap for an old Solar Aqua. But it’s quickly gaining popularity in the watch industry because of its durability and pleasant appearance. Brands like Kurono have begun offering some models on goat leather from the factory. Goat leather tends to feel “cool to the touch,” which is nice in hot weather. It’s not quite as pliable as calf leather, but aside from that, goat leather doesn’t have many downsides.
Pros and Cons of Goat Leather Watch Straps
Pros | Cons |
Relatively affordable (Even high-quality examples are typically under $120) | Somewhat stiff |
Durable | |
Feels “cool” (great for summer) |
Suede Watch Straps
Suede is the only type of leather that can compete with shell cordovan in terms of comfort, as far as I’m concerned. It’s the closest thing to sweatpants on your wrist. Warm and fuzzy. I would recommend avoiding cheap suede, but quality suede is worthwhile. The only obvious downside of suede is its durability (or lack thereof). Some suede straps are even lined with calf leather to reduce the inevitable sweat absorption, but I prefer to feel the suede and accept its existentially transitory nature. Expect to replace a suede strap every time the watch is serviced.
Pros and Cons of Suede Watch Straps
Pros | Cons |
Relatively affordable (Even high-quality examples are typically under $120) | Not very durable |
Extremely comfortable | No water resistance whatsoever |
Feels “warm” (great for winter) |
Synthetic Alternative: Alcantara Watch Straps
Alcantara isn’t truly leather; it’s really a different type of watch strap altogether, but I feel like it’s worth mentioning in this list. Alcantara is a brand name for a synthetic suede alternative used in various industries, including automotive, fashion, and interior design. Manufactured by the company Alcantara S.p.A., it is becoming an increasingly popular material for watch straps. Alcantara is known for its softness, versatility, and relative durability (compared to organic suede). The company has developed a proprietary process to produce this material, which consists of a blend of polyester and polyurethane fibers.
In most cases I would be hard-pressed to tell the difference between suede and Alcantara. And although I haven’t personally tried on the lightest mechanical watch in the world–the 8.8-gram MING LW.01–it comes on an Alcantara strap that owners consistently rave about. It’s tough to think of many downsides to this material, and I expect it to only become more popular in the watch world.
Pros and Cons of Alcantara Watch Straps
Pros | Cons | |
Affordable (Even high-quality examples are typically under $100) | Not as durable as real leather | |
Comfortable | ||
Some moisture resistance | ||
Lightweight |
I certainly haven’t covered every type of leather–stingray, ostrich belly, lizard, python and elephant leather watch straps all exist, to name a few–but hopefully this list has provided a useful overview of the most common kinds. One of the best things about leather straps is their ability to be swapped out, so if you don’t like one, you can always change it up. And luxury watch enthusiasts today have a staggering amount of strap options to choose from.
More Guides to Watch Collecting
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The Best Three-Watch Collection
The Ultimate Watch Collection Under $25K for Your Style
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