Vinacreations Alligator Watch Straps Review

Modding the Bambino with a rose gold case may have elevated its formal appeal and elegance when paired with a tuxedo. But now I find myself in a quandary, it’s that much more difficult to dress down for more day-to-day activities. Although the main goal for this watch was to have the perfect black-tie companion, it saddens me to think I can’t show it off more casually. It’s a great watch for the price.

The watch was bought used, and unfortunately the previous owner wasn’t shy about their use of cologne. I’ve done everything to get rid of the smell, with no success. The original strap has sat outside for weeks, been covered in baking soda for a month, and been cleaned with saddle soap, yet the smell persists. (Pro tip, don’t attempt to clean an Orient Bambino strap with saddle soap and a horse hair brush, the embossed alligator finish will bubble and peel).

Thus, the search was on for a decent budget replacement leather strap to wear on less formal occasions. Something in a lighter color to help dress down this most excellent watch. Enter this review of Vinacreations Handmade Alligator Leather Watch Bands.

Currently sitting at over 1000 ratings with a 4.5 star rating on Amazon, I purchased 4 different versions of this strap (Green, Burgundy, Brown, and Navy). Each costs ~$22 at the time of purchase with free Prime shipping. It might sound a little strange to “dress down” with an alligator strap, but bear with me. The lighter colors and texture definitely take it down a notch from black tie to suit and tie.

Quality

I am by no means an expert at leather types and cannot in any way verify the authenticity of the leather. But each of the straps I bought and each of the photo reviews online show a different texture on the upper. This leads me to believe that Vinacreations is using real alligator leather.

On the underside, the leather looks a little plasticky and hard. Vinacreations says that the backside leather is treated for waterproofing, so I don’t know if this is good or bad or high quality or low quality leather. But it is what it is. It doesn’t feel bad on wrist, and looks fine, so no major complaints here.

The edges of each of the straps all have a matching color painted finish. I have since found out that this type of finish is typically required for exotic leathers that don’t burnish well like alligator. In general, the edge finish looks good if maybe a little thick and rough at some areas. Especially around the fixed loop and the lug holes.

These straps come with 3 buckle finish options: black, stainless, and gold. It would be nice if there was a rose or maybe some brushed options, but those three are probably the most popular. The buckle itself is plain and similar to other budget strap hardware. I will note that one buckle did pop off when trying to strap the watch to my wrist, but otherwise I have no complaints.

The padding on these straps is nice but does somewhat abruptly end. This makes the tail of each strap feel a little flimsy. It would be nice if the padding had slightly more of a tapered transition. But not something you will notice when it is being worn.

Final Thoughts

The Vinacreations is an excellent and slightly cheaper alternative to the original Bambino alligator strap. It appears to be actual alligator leather and not a finish/embossing that will eventually peel off. The finish is fairly high quality especially considering the price. I would definitely recommend these straps for anyone trying to find a budget alternative.