We’ve reached a milestone here at Ateliér D. James – this month we celebrate two years of making bespoke straps for our wonderful clientele. And what a journey it’s been. We’ve sent watch straps to all continents of the world (barring Antarctica, but maybe that will find its way onto the list at some point too). A few of our clients have picked up their straps in person and we’ve truly enjoyed the meeting and greeting over luncheons, dinners and drinks. Getting to know fellow watch enthusiasts is always a pleasure, so if you’re passing through Prague at some point in the future, do give us a shout.
Alongside offering artisan Tuscan leathers, we added the option of straps made from ostrich leg about a year ago and these have proven very popular with our clients. Recently, we had the honour of making one for a 90th birthday celebration and we were humbled to be trusted with such a significant gift. Several clients have also trusted us with making straps for their wedding outfits which we much appreciate and we hope they ended up looking stunning on the big day.
While we’ve had a lot of fun in the workshop taking on various projects it has also been challenging at times. Like when our 3D printer exploded and work came to a standstill for weeks while we waited for spare parts to arrive. Some straps have also been easier to make than others, one especially tricky one springs to mind that had to be remade four times (!) before it finally hit the mark. The reality of making bespoke pieces is that sometimes everything that can go wrong will go wrong. It’s the nature of the beast.
What does the next year hold in store for us? Based on positive feedback from clients who’ve received our ostrich leg straps, we’re looking to introduce ostrich quill, a beautiful material that can be sourced from sustainable farms in the Dutch countryside where they’ve become a destination point for agrotourism. We’re also looking to branch into other exotic leathers, such as alligator and lizard, and add these as additional leather options on our site. Due to CITES regulations, these straps will be shipping only within the European Union.
We’ve done some custom commissions for aquatic leathers, among them wolffish and trout, which have come out looking really nice and make for a bit of a talking point as the straps stand out from traditional leathers. What we’re hoping is to do a lot more of these.
For now, we wish to thank you all so much for being part of our journey, and for those of you who have been kept waiting at times, an extra big thank you for being so patient with us! Our motto remains “Faster than Cartier, Better than Patek” (they have some real wonky stitching on their straps).