Sometimes it's not the hardware - a strap evolution short tale

Simeao

1 week ago

So here I am again with a post on a new watch part, this time a strap - and very unoriginally the actual factory one!

Short tale starts in October 2023, when I pulled the trigger on this second hand ( oh sorry, pre owned) Hamilton Jazzmaster from a Japanese retailer. What came "naked" with a resized factory bracelet that (thanks to my relatively slender wrists) ends up barely fitting. Then, while bidding my time for this beauty to travel across the full Eurasian continent - I made my first ever WC post, asking you all for possible strap suggestions in case bracelet didn't fit.

https://www.watchcrunch.com/Simeao/posts/strap-suggestions-hamilton-jazzmaster-open-heart-254564

They came already and all quite useful, leading to eventual proper pairing of the piece with a suede-like Ali strap, that fit it quite well.

https://www.watchcrunch.com/Simeao/posts/just-off-the-customs-office-hamilton-jazzmaster-open-heart-264048

As you may guess "quite well" is not perfect, and took only one glance at the watch in its original strap at an AD and all made sense. Why mess with the formula someone proficient at it created?

Have often seen original straps as only a way to get branded hardware, but this time it was also the look of the leather in the strap, that distressed feel to it, that could not find elsewhere with generic offerings.

Then it's the hunt, the looking around for the right reference and the possible source (as Hamilton does not offer B2C straps in Portugal via their site) and found an alternative - out of stock. Ok put my mail up for a notification when available and back to life and reality for a month or so when the mail comes stating availability. Trigger pulled, postman rang and inception combo of this watch is attained. Strapped as it should be and looking like its better self (in my humble opinion).

Open heartedly thank this group for a place I can vent my happiness with this type of thing without being called weird and where great opinions and suggestions are only a post away.

Thank you all!

#hamilton #newstrap #openheart #greendial