Condor Straps' Complete Guide to Leather Watch Bands

Nothing exudes confidence and class quite like a leather watch band. They are timeless - a good quality leather watch strap is sure to make your watch stand out. That being said, there are several things that you should know before you make a purchase.

Our high-quality leathers paired with the level of knowledge and expertise our team possesses makes Condor Straps a top choice for leather strap enthusiasts around the UK and beyond.

We pride ourselves on selling top quality men’s and women’s watch straps, to elevate your timepiece and create a sense of class. Choosing the right watch for your wrist isn’t easy, as explained by GQ, but choosing the right kind of watch strap is just as important. We love leather - as we’re sure you can tell - but if you still can’t decide on the material, we have a handy guide to choosing the right watch strap material to help you make a more informed decision.

Benefits of a leather watch strap

As a material, leather is perhaps the most versatile when it comes to watch straps. It can be dyed any colour you can think of, it’s comfortable on the wrist and the material ages incredibly well. It also lends itself well to different textures and, what’s more, all the benefits that come with straps created using man-made materials can also now be easily bonded with leather watch straps to create the best of both worlds. The timeless look of genuine leather with a waterproof silicone backing? That’s no problem at all! Just because you’re working up a sweat at the gym doesn’t mean you need to let your style slip.

Explore all of our leather watch straps.

Watch straps are produced from a wide range of animal skins. Leathers used in watchmaking often include those from cows, pigs, goats, horses (shell cordovan), deer, alligators, ostriches, lizards and crocodiles.

Leather types can be split into the cross-section of the hide that is used to produce the leather. Our leather watch straps are produced using full grain, top grain and genuine leathers. 

• Full grain leather is regarded as the highest quality and is produced from the outer layer of the hide. The leather is not buffed to remove any imperfections and is durable. Many of our vegetable tanned watch straps are produced using full grain leather.
• Top grain leather is similar to full grain leather but imperfections in the top layer are buffed out which results in leather that is softer and more flexible.
• Genuine leather (corrected leather) can come from any layer of the hide and is corrected to give a more uniform aesthetic. Genuine leather is often used for leather that is print embossed.
• Split grain leather is produced from the lower layers of hides and the surface has usually been altered significantly.
• Bonded leather (reconstituted leather) is made from leather scraps which are bonded with PU and the amount of leather used varies.

Leather can be finished in different ways to give the leather differences in properties such as texture, colour, durability and finish. Examples of finishes that we use include aniline, degrained, embossed, nubuck, pull-up, patent and suede.

There are several things you must be aware of when buying a leather watch band, including how to choose it and how it differs from other materials.

How should you choose a new leather watch band?

While this will primarily come down to personal preference and the timepiece that you most commonly wear, it is always helpful to keep in mind a couple of things when deciding on a new leather watch band:

- Will it comfortably fit your wrist?

- Does it match your personal style?

- Do you like the material?

- Does it match your favourite timepiece?

- How often will you wear it?

How can you tell a good leather watch strap from a bad one?

Good leather watch straps are not made from split grain or bonded leathers. The best leather watch straps are made from full grain and top grain leathers. Leather from well-known tanneries such as Horween, Badalassi Carlo and Conceria Walpier are known for their quality and artisanal craftsmanship.

Metal vs leather watch strap

Although metal watch straps are an excellent choice, there is nothing that compares to a classic leather watch band. Leather watch bands are much easier to customise than their metal counterparts, with hole punching being a more straightforward fix than adding or removing links.

Leather watch straps are available in a variety of styles and colours, and age well to fit the wrist. They look incredible no matter the occasion and are quite durable when looked after properly.

Metal watch straps, on the other hand, have their benefits too. For example, they are easy to clean, comfortable in hot weather, can get wet and don’t need to be replaced often.

Browse our metal watch straps.

We stock many different types of leather watch bands that are suited to a variety of occasions and styles. If you want to find the perfect watch strap, you have certainly come to the right place.

Changing a leather watch strap is very easy and can be done yourself using a spring bar tool, which we provide at no extra charge with all orders. If you will be adding additional holes yourself, it could be worth investing in some professional equipment.

How to make another hole in a leather watch strap

You can either do this yourself or enlist the help of a professional - whichever you feel most comfortable with.

If you choose the former, begin by measuring the length between the existing holes and then using a leather hole puncher to add an additional hole.

We have a full guide you can read here if you want to learn more about how to fit, adjust or shorten a leather watch strap.

Cleaning a leather watch strap at home is a lot easier than you might think. With the right knowledge and techniques under your belt, you can confidently clean your leather strap without worrying about damaging it.

Please note that leathers such as vegatable tanned, aniline, suede and nubuck have to be treated with care. They cannot be cleaned as they’re more delicate.

The first step in cleaning your strap is, of course, removing it from your watch case. You can then wipe your leather watch band using a dry, non-abrasive cloth before using a damp cloth to remove any debris that may remain. When wiping your watch strap, you should use circular motions and only use a small amount of gentle soap (like dish soap), as some leather products may be more delicate than others — this is why doing a patch test is important. Wipe off any soap with a damp cloth and leave the strap to dry naturally (don’t try to speed the process up by using a hairdryer or placing it in direct sunlight, as this can damage the leather).

You can also use a leather cleaning cream which will condition your leather watch strap but this should be tested on a small area first.

What are the different types of leather cleaning techniques?

Different types of leather will require special care and being aware of what you can and can’t do will ensure that you don’t make any costly mistakes. Watch straps may have different upper and lining leathers, so it’s important to ensure that both the inside and the outside can be cleaned without ruining the strap - for example, some of our straps feature nubuck linings, which should not be cleaned with water.

You should also make sure that you use a gentle dish soap when cleaning your leather strap as harsher products can have a negative effect on the leather. Cleaning your leather watch band is an important habit to get into — just make sure you’re taking special care when you do so.

As a leather watch strap is often worn on a daily basis, it will wear over time. To slow down this process, we recommend not wearing your leather watch strap to bed and switching them out regularly — not wearing the same strap continuously helps them last longer.

Some leathers can be gently cleaned with minimal amounts of water but vegetable tanned, aniline, suede and nubuck leathers are more delicate so cannot be.

Here are some other things that you can do to ensure that leather straps last longer.

Clean leather products with gentle soap - like dish soap

Treated leather can be cleaned using the tips that we have shared earlier, but you should always take extra care when choosing the right product. As a rule of thumb, we would recommend using a gentle dish soap and doing a patch test first.

Do not use baking soda or any other abrasive or aggressive cleaning products to remove dirt from your leather watch strap.

Don’t get your leather watch band wet 

Leather straps can be cleaned with water - but only a small amount, such as using a damp cloth. Never soak it and consider using a waterproof strap if you are exercising or showering.

If you’re looking for a watch band you can get completely wet, explore our favourite waterproof watch straps.

Let your leather watch band dry naturally 

If your watch strap does get wet, you should always make sure that it dries naturally — never use a hairdryer or direct sunlight, as this can damage the leather.

We understand that leather watch straps may not be for everyone but, fortunately, we have some great alternatives you can choose from. Our vegan leather watch straps are an excellent choice for those who love the look of leather but are looking for a more animal-friendly option. Silicone watch straps are also a popular alternative, especially for those who love durable, waterproof straps.