I always had an interest in how mechanical things worked. As a kid, my mom bought me a fairly expensive Walkman, which I subsequently disassembled simply to see how it operated. Thankfully, I avoided punishment for destroying the Walkman because I successfully reassembled it without her knowing!

My interest in mechanical things eventually evolved into an interest in vintage watches, and as anyone who collects watches can tell you, once it gets into your blood, it's pretty much over. In late 2013, I was watching a video called Talking Watches on Hodinkee.com featuring John Mayer in which he said, "I get into things very deeply when I get into them. Yeah, it's excessive in some way, but there is an excessiveness to ambition as well." That statement resonated with me because it aptly described my interest in restoring and collecting watches, and eventually, how I started making leather straps.

Eager to try new leathers for my straps, I bought some scrap pieces from Saddleback Bags, from which I made a fully saddle stitched strap for my Seiko SKX007 watch. I posted a photo of the strap on Instagram, and to my amazement, Saddleback shared my strap on their own feed. Before that, I had never considered selling my handmade straps, but I was encouraged by the positive comments about my work.

I truly enjoy crafting watch straps for enthusiasts like myself, or even casual watch wearers who are looking for something unique to accompany the only watch they own and wear daily. I usually test fit the straps to one of my own watches to ensure proper sizing and it's exciting to try color combinations that I might not have chosen personally. Inevitably (especially with custom orders) I end up making one for myself!

Thanks for checking out my shop! I am happy to share my creations with you and I look forward to helping you choose the right custom strap!