How did the first leather straps for watches

How the first leather watch straps appeared

Leather is a natural material that has found wide application in everyday life. One of the most popular areas of its application was the manufacture of straps for watches. They are mainly the classic models. Watch with leather straps are comfortable to wear, aesthetic, give a twist to the appearance of its owner. They are chosen by solid business people and those who prefer the eternal, ageless classics. Let's plunge into history and learn how the first leather straps appeared.

A little from the history of leather goods

For the first time people began to use the skin many centuries ago, in parallel with the development of bone, wood, stone. In particular, during excavations in Egypt, clothing made of this material was found more than 33 centuries ago. But historians say that the skin was used much earlier, just material evidence to the present day has not been preserved.

It is commonly used in Ancient Greece during the time of Homer for sewing clothes and shoes. In the middle ages, leather things were considered an indicator of wealth and good taste. In these times the widespread straps. They were used to drape and support clothes, shoes, to wear harness. Many nationalities since ancient times richly decorated leather straps, passing them as a relic from generation to generation.

Gradually, from year to year the technology of processing of raw materials expanded. Experts have learned to reach different degrees of fretting, which significantly expanded the scope of the material. Masters were United in manufactories, processing a large number of raw materials for different needs.

But, despite the antiquity of the skin-like material, for the manufacture of straps of watches that it was used relatively recently.

When the first wrist watches and straps to them

Wristwatches have been used by mankind for several centuries. The first models were pocket, supplemented by a long chain. Most of its existence, the watch belonged to the status and expensive accessories, which could afford not everyone. They could be seen in the breast pockets of the coats of aristocrats, representatives of the highest merchant class.

After a while, there were ladies ' models, but they were mainly used as an elegant and expensive accessory. Their bracelets and dial were encrusted with precious stones, and the external solution itself was unique. But all this was achieved at the expense of functionality. Over the glow stones and different delicate gadgets dial with hands almost nowhere to be seen.

Gradually watches have become an indispensable element of the everyday military. They were used to coordinate actions on the battlefield. But the convenience of using them was questionable. Often the military has to simultaneously hold in their hands a lot of items: weapons, maps, binoculars, reins, and here also need hours. To simplify the use of the latter, small cases were invented in the second half of the 19th century, leaving the dial open. On the hand they were fastened with small leather straps.

Such an invention did not become popular among the General public, because men still wore pocket models, while wrist ones were considered to be a female accessory. But at the end of the First world war, many soldiers returned home, who brought with them not only awards, but also the so-called "trench" watches, that is, the ones in cases and on leather straps. And no one even thought to say that men who have gone through the war are women's models.

Why skin?

Since about the beginning of the 20th century, watch manufacturers have been gradually offering the public more and more models of wrist chronometers on leather straps. The pioneer and trendsetter in this direction was the company Wilsdorf&Davis, which after a few years of existence in the market was renamed Rolex.

Today leather is the most popular material for making straps. With her popularity can not be compared neither metal nor rubber. Among its main advantages are:

Ø  attractive and presentable appearance;

Ø  practicality and convenience in daily use;

Ø  high strength and reliability: the skin is not stretched, not torn.

Models on leather straps are perceived by the public as an indicator of excellent taste of the owner. On sale you can find a fairly simple, concise products and exclusive solutions, in particular crocodile leather, Stingray, perch, shark. It is a material that is widely used for the manufacture of accessories for the mass market and premium products.

In a variety of models of watches on leather straps can make anyone who looks into the catalog of the online store "best Time". You can easily pick up an accessory that will exactly match the individual requests for an external solution, ease of wearing, cost.