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Basic Bands Watch Strap Fashion

SMALL BRAND SPOTLIGHT – DANGEROUS9 STRAPS

February 9, 2018 by Basic Bands

Chopard Mille Miglia on Ebony Alligator Rally Watch strap Stitched with Butterscotch Linen.

Watch strap making isn’t just limited to major brands and big shops; across the world there are small strapmakers making a living designing unique and custom straps. Our small brand spotlight series interviews these strapmakers to see what makes them tick.

Today the spotlight is on John Glance and his shop, Dangerous9straps.

Name: Dangerous9straps
Website: www.Dangerous9straps.blogspot.com
Location: Munich, Germany
What: I specialize in making custom watchstraps for my clients around the world.

Rolex Submariner on 1967 Swiss Ammo watch strap with Padding at the lugs and our Thick Curved Lug System TCLS
Rolex Submariner on 1967 Swiss Ammo watch strap with Padding at the lugs and our Thick Curved Lug System TCLS

How did you get into watch strap making?

Strap making sprung out of my watch collecting. I had been a hobby leather worker in my 20’s (and selling items as a side business in the The Society for Creative Anachronism – SCA) and when I discovered watch collecting in my 40’s, it wasn’t long before I also discovered the thriving cottage industry of custom/handmade watch straps and decided I would try my hand. So I pulled the old leather working tools out of the garage and went to work.

PAM422 on 1965 Swiss Ammo Watch strap with Vintage Ecru Linen stitching
PAM422 on 1965 Swiss Ammo Watch strap with Vintage Ecru Linen stitching

What materials do you use in your bands?

I currently offer a myriad of standard leathers and exotic leathers such as Alligator, Ostrich Leg, Teju Lizard, Sharkskin, Nile Crocodile, Stingray, etc. as well as leather salvaged from Swiss Ammunition pouches to make the much sought after Swiss Ammo straps.

Bell & Ross BR01 on 1952 Swiss Ammo watch strap with custom bullet cartridge rivets
Bell & Ross BR01 on 1952 Swiss Ammo watch strap with custom bullet cartridge rivets

What is your favorite material to work with?

While I love all of our materials we stock, I would have to say my personal favorites are Alligator, Ostrich Leg and Teju Lizard. Especially with the addition of an exotic leather lining such as out SuperMatte Teju Lizard or Sharkskin. What I most enjoy with my custom strap making is to collaborate with my client to design a strap that fits both the watch and my customer’s unique style and that will bring an extra surge of joy every time they wear their watch.

Omega Planet Ocean on an exclusive Grey SuperMatte Teju Lizard Watch Strap
Omega Planet Ocean on an exclusive Grey SuperMatte Teju Lizard Watch Strap

What style band is your favorite to make or wear?

Of course, that depends entirely on the watch, but my current favorite is Teju Lizard. I just really love the small-scale patters and since we have most of our colors custom made for use, these are among the most exclusive materials we offer.

Cartier Tank Divan Diamonds on Baby Blue Pearlescent Alligator Watch strap with padding at the lugs and Silver Metallic stitching
Cartier Tank Divan Diamonds on Baby Blue Pearlescent Alligator Watch strap with padding at the lugs and Silver Metallic stitching

Do you have a favorite watch?

This is a tough one. I have over twenty watches in my collection and I tend to rotate them based upon what I’m wearing and my mood. I would say that my PAM288, my Blancpain Fifty Fathoms and my Kaventsmann Bathyal are the ones I find that I’m wearing most often these days.

IWC le Petit Prince on Alligator Watch strap with Hand Antiqued finish
IWC le Petit Prince on Alligator Watch strap with Hand Antiqued finish

What do you like to do outside of watch strap making?

Spending time with my family is what I most enjoy, and traveling with them. I have the great fortune of living just outside Munich Germany, so travel by car to Italy is quite easy and we take advantage of that a couple of times per year. Also, since many of my leather suppliers are based in Northern Italy, I can often combine business with pleasure. I have also recently taken a keen interest in men’s style in general, so have been turning my sartorial interest into more of a hobby of late.

Check out more of John’s work on his website at www.Dangerous9straps.blogspot.com

Classic Breguet 5207 on Black Row Stone Stingray Watch Strap
Classic Breguet 5207 on Black Row Stone Stingray Watch Strap
IWC Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph on SuperMatte Teju Lizard Watch Strap with Double Row Stitching and Red Sharkskin Lining
IWC Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph on SuperMatte Teju Lizard Watch Strap with Double Row Stitching and Red Sharkskin Lining
Grand Seiko Snowflake SBGA011 on SuperMatte Blue Teju Lizard Watch Strap
Grand Seiko Snowflake SBGA011 on SuperMatte Blue Teju Lizard Watch Strap
Tourbe Brune Alligator Watch strap for Vintage Patek Philippe
Tourbe Brune Alligator Watch strap for Vintage Patek Philippe

Looking for a new watch to go with your custom made strap? Support our blog by shopping through our affiliate partner, Jomashop.

Also check out our other guides:

  • How to Safely Purchase a Watch Online
  • List of reputable watch strap companies & brands
  • Tools for Replacing A Watch Strap Or Band
  • How to Pick Out The Right Watch Band For Your Watch
  • 5 Tips For Picking Out A New Watch Band Or Strap
  • The Complete Guide to the Orient Bambino Dress Watch
  • Seiko SNK Watch Guide
  • Seiko Presage Cocktail Time Guide
  • How to Fix A Broken Loop On Your Watch Strap

We are an Amazon & Jomashop Affiliate.

Filed Under: Spotlights Tagged With: Bell&Ross, bespoke, black dial, Breguet, bund, Cartier, custom watch strap companies, IWC, Omega Seamaster, Panerai, Patek Philippe, seiko, white dial

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Welcome to Basic Bands!

  • We hope you enjoy our blog on watch strap fashion. Here are some places to start:
  • List of Watch Strap Companies
    List of Custom Watch Strap Makers
  • Interviews with Watch Strap Makers & Brands
  • Primer on Watch Strap Style | Style Inspiration | Watch strap examples by color & type
  • Tools for changing a strap | Fixing a broken strap loop
  • Guide to safely purchasing a watch online.
  • Watch Guides: Orient Bambino | Seiko SNK | Seiko Presage.
  • Shop our Amazon recommendations | Inexpensive NATO straps on Amazon

 

See our watch guides

Brown suede rally tropic watch strap by Maverick Custom Handmade

HOW TO FIX A BROKEN LOOP ON YOUR WATCH STRAP

Most watch bands have one or two loops on the strap to keep the bracelet or band from flopping around on your wrist. Known by different names like hoop, retainer, loop, these loops are officially called “keepers,” and they can sometimes fall off and break. Leather or cloth keepers will disintegrate through wear and tear from moisture or sweat, while rubber ones can become brittle and snap.
The good news is that you can fix a broken watch hoop in several ways. The easiest way is to buy a replacement loop on Amazon and put it on the strap. Rubber loops can sometimes be stretched over the buckle, but for most replacement loops you must disconnect the strap or buckle to get the new loop on. Important: make sure you buy the correct width loop, measured in millimeters.

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HOW TO PICK OUT THE RIGHT BAND FOR YOUR WATCH – A PRIMER ON WATCH STRAP STYLE

If you’re new to watchbands or looking to buy a gift for that special someone, knowing how to pick out the right watch strap is difficult. We interviewed Thomas Lathrop, CEO of popular watchband company Crown & Buckle, for some tips on matching up the right band to your watch.

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THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE ORIENT BAMBINO DRESS WATCH

Simply put, the Orient Bambino is probably the best affordable dress watch out there. A fantastic option for your first watch, it takes a movement from a reliable watch company and puts it in an incredible looking package. Earlier generations can be bought for just over $100, while the most popular style from the new generation will be closer to $300 (although it frequently goes on sale).

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SAFE PLACES TO BUY WATCHES ONLINE – A GUIDE TO ONLINE WATCH PURCHASING

Watches make good gifts for birthdays, weddings and special occasions like graduations. But if you don’t purchase a watch often, it’s hard to know where to look first for the best deal, the best warranty & a guarantee of authenticity. Most people find that the online watch purchasing experience is fragmented and fraught with fakes and high prices. This article explains how to pick an online watch store.

Seiko Turtle Watch on Barton Bands Canvas Strap

BEST PLACES TO BUY WATCH STRAPS ONLINE

A common question we get is where to buy watch straps, who is reputable, and how to choose among the different options. On this page, we have listed the major strap companies and brands, divided by category. Most places ship internationally, but we have listed out companies that are outside the U.S. if you’re looking […]

Barton Bands Green Canvas Strap on a Seiko SNK 805

THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE SEIKO SNK WATCH LINE

The Seiko 5 line of SNK watches are highly recommended as an inexpensive way to get into automatics. The watches are great for kids as a first watch and an excellent casual watch for adults. It meets all the check boxes for a good looking watch from a great brand at a great price.

Kids (and parents) will love the sub-$100 price, the good design and the ability to mix and match watch straps. It can be a first watch for a kid or a nice watch for a teenager that can go with a lot of outfits.

Hybrid Sand Woven Fabric Tudor NATO strap on a Tudor Black Bay Dive Watch

Watch Strap Color Guide & Inspiration

We get a lot of questions here at the Basic Bands watch strap blog, and often that question is about which watch strap color goes with which color watch dial or type of watch. If you’re wondering about that too, we’re here to help.

It’s not possible to list every watch type and style and the colors and types of straps that go well with them, so we’ve started Pinterest boards to give you more inspiration. Other sources of watch strap ideas include Reddit’s r/Watchbands and Instagram.If you don’t use Pinterest, you can find images by clicking on tags in the sidebar or using the Inspiration category at the top of the page.

Seiko Cocktail Time Header

THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE SEIKO PRESAGE “COCKTAIL TIME” LINE OF WATCHES

Welcome to the Basic Bands guide to the Seiko Presage “Cocktail Time” line of watches. These watches, nicknamed after the elaborate cocktails fashioned by Shinobu Ishigaki, are an incredibly popular line of dress watches from Seiko. Combining the reliability and affordability of a Seiko with some amazingly gorgeous dials, these watches have become one of the most popular affordable dress watches in the market.

Tag Heuer Carrera Watch on Brown Hirsch Speed Alligator Strap

BASIC BANDS 2018 WATCH STRAP & ACCESSORIES GIFT GUIDE

Hello everyone, and welcome to the 2018 edition of the Basic Bands Watch Strap & Accessories Gift Guide! We’re here to help you find that perfect someone (or yourself) the perfect gift this holiday season. We’ve divided the guide up into sections, so skip ahead to the one that interests you most. First we have […]

Clockwork Synergy Two-Piece NATO Strap

BASIC BANDS 2017 WATCH STRAP AND BAND GIFT GUIDE

So you’re looking for a strap? Maybe the person you’re shopping for already has a nice watch and you’d love to match it with a nice strap. Or maybe you’re buying a watch and you’re looking for strap ideas to complement the stock band. Or maybe you just got a new watch and you’d like to spice it up with a new leather or NATO strap. Well, you’ve come to the right place. We’re Basic Bands, and we loooove watch straps.

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alligator apple watch bauhaus bespoke black black dial blue blue dial breitling brown brown leather canvas chronograph custom watch strap companies diver dress watch exotic Geckota green green dial grey guides hamilton horween IWC leather leather band nato omega Omega Speedmaster Panerai perlon rally strap rolex rubber seiko Seiko diver Seiko SNK shop skx speedmaster thick timex tudor white dial
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alligator apple watch bauhaus bespoke black black dial blue blue dial breitling brown brown leather canvas chronograph custom watch strap companies diver dress watch exotic Geckota green green dial grey guides hamilton horween IWC leather leather band nato omega Omega Speedmaster Panerai perlon rally strap rolex rubber seiko Seiko diver Seiko SNK shop skx speedmaster thick timex tudor white dial

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