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Introduction
As we mentioned in our earlier strap review of Mr. TipTop Leather, we have a series of reviews for his collection. This dark brown double croupon leather with minimal stitching is the second of this series. We hope you enjoy the review as much as we love the strap.
Looks
This dark brown strap uses croupon leather, which is untanned, whole cattle hide with belly and shoulder cut off; comparable to a butt bend in tanned leather. Mr. TipTop prides himself in using only the best leather from top tanneries in France and Italy. Unlike many other strap makers that purchase standard leathers, they go above and beyond to find the top pieces to create a strap that is fitting for a luxury watch such as Panerai. For a comparison, one of the best leathers that many strap makers use, the chromexcel has about .4mm – .6mm of quality leather showing. The double croupon leather that is being use in these straps has about .8mm of hide. Being an even higher level of hide, the cost of the croupon leather can be as much as 3 times the price of other leather out there.
The strap is a very nice dark chocolate brown with some slight variations in color in certain areas. The tail end of the strap runs about 4mm and the buckle end is closer to 5mm giving the strap a nice solid feel to it.
This particular strap uses a very minimal stitch design which works very nicely. There is a single horizontal stitch on both ends near the lugs and a “V” shaped stitched at the end of the tail. The stitching is done in a ecru natural color that gives the strap a beautiful contrast against the dark supple leather.
The underside of the strap features the same color leather to give it a completely uniformed look from top to bottom. You will also notice two stamps on the strap, one on each end. One is “Mr. TipTop Since 1954” and the other is “Master Crafstman”, which you will find consistently on all his leather goods.
The edges of the strap are left unfinished and are a lighter color than the rest of the strap as well. This works beautifully when the strap is worn. From the side you can see a nice transition of color from lighter brown to the dark brown of the actual strap.
The buckle end of the strap features a very classic sewn in GPF-Mod Dep buckle that is hand made out of brushed stainless steel. There is one fixed keeper and one floating to house the tail.
Comfort
I can tell right away that this strap is going to be comfortable on the wrist. The first test that gave me this indication was I went ahead and curved the tail end of the strap and I noticed that the leather is super malleable. It quickly kept it’s curved shape as if I was molding clay. Usually when a leather is stiff and hard it takes a while to break in and it rubs against the wrist a lot creating some discomfort. This strap is completely the opposite, quickly forming a great feel around your wrist. The natural oils used to bring this leather to this level of flexibility makes this strap head and shoulders above a lot of other straps in my collection.
Overall Impressions
As I mentioned in my previous review, the straps made by TipTop Leather are just that, Tip Top. I could go on and on and say how much I love them but the true test is getting one of these in your hands. If you have other straps to compare this particular hand made strap to then you will quickly realize the quality, craftsmanship, and dedication that it took to make this strap come to life.
Mr. TipTop knows his craft and has been doing it since the age of 12 and it shows. After 38 years of leatherwork, he creates a product that is deserving of the premium price tag. No shortcuts or corners are taken when creating these straps and that is how it should be. From purchasing the leather, dying it, creating, and finishing the strap, Mr. TipTop takes great pride in his work. Take a moment to shoot him an email and you will see for yourself the passion and joy he brings to making straps for us.
Good
- Amazing premium leather quality
- 100% hand made using no machine tools
- Super soft leather even though it is 4mm thick
- Very comfortable on the wrist.
No So Good
- There is a waiting period because of the high demand and time it takes to create each piece.
Availability
Mr. TipTop strap are custom made to order and can take a couple weeks to be made. A single craftsman mans this shop, so attention to detail is very important. You can look through his current collection to get ideas or give him a special request and they can make it. Pick from numerous colors, hides, buckles, and stitching styles to make a strap that suits your unique style.
Please contact him via email through his website to create any custom look you would like.
Contact Information
Website: http://mrtiptopleather.com/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/tiptopleather
Just a big fan of your all watch but bad luck i cant afford this watch. 🙁