Cobalt Barenia Signature Strap
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The quintessential leather strap. Barenia leather from Haas tannery in France is widely used by Hermes, and Hermes doesn't just choose any leather to use. It only uses the best. This is the same Barenia that Apple uses for its Apple Watch strap, and Hermes for its Birkin bag.
Barenia leather is soft and supple, with just the right firmness. It has a very smooth surface, with just a tiny bit of gloss. Closer inspection can reveal the beautiful grain on this leather. It has moderate scratch resistance which means you don't need to baby the strap. Small scratches can be buffed out with just some slight rubbing. This also means that Barenia is able to develop a beautiful patina that results in a slight darkening of the leather with use.
Excerpt from Strap Guide by Sam: "This is my first Barenia strap. It’s a very soft calfskin, that feels surprisingly durable given how supple it is. I chose “Cobalt” because I dig the fun light blue shade, as well as the matching stitching. The result is a sleek, modern, and summer-ready strap, that works year-round in beautiful Southern California."
Specifications
What's Included
Related Strap Guides
Strap Length Guide
There are two sides per strap, which we refer to as the long end and the short end, which are represented by C and D respectively in the diagram below.
Our handcrafted leather straps come in 3 different lengths.
- Small (C: 105mm, D: 65mm)
- Medium (C: 115mm, D: 70mm)
- Large (C: 125mm, D: 75mm)
A quick way to decide on the length to get is based on your wrist size. Here is the general recommendation (if you are between sizes, we recommend to size up):
- Wrist size of 14.5cm - 17.0cm: Small
- Wrist size of 16.5cm - 19.0cm : Medium
- Wrist size of 18.5cm - 21.0cm: Large
If you need a strap that is shorter than Small (105/65), or longer than Large (125/75), you can always have the strap custom made.
| Measurements | Description | S | M | L |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Lug width | Varies by lug width (see product listing) |
||
| B | Buckle width | |||
| C | Long strap length | 105mm | 115mm | 125mm |
| D | Short strap length | 65mm | 70mm | 75mm |
| E | Distance to middle hole | 63mm | 71mm | 81mm |
| F | Distance between holes | 6mm | ||
| G | Size of holes | 1.8mm | ||
| Number of Strap Holes | 7 | 7 | 7 | |
Hope this quick guide helps! Finding the perfect length to get can be a little bit more complicated, as it also depends on the lug-to-lug distance of your watch, and even the shape of your wrist. For a more detailed guide on sizing, please check out this page.
Find Your Lug Width
If you're looking to purchase a strap for your watch, you will need to know the lug width of your watch. Lug width refers to "A" in this schematic below.
There are two ways to find out the lug width of your watch.
- Firstly, you can Google "<watch brand and model> lug width" and see if there is an answer from the brand's website, or some other websites.
- Alternatively, you can simply take a ruler and measure the lug width directly on your watch.
Lug widths are typically in whole numbers, and while the most common lug widths are between 18-22mm, they can go down to 8mm or up to 32mm even. Our ready stock straps are available in 16mm, 17mm, 18mm, 19mm, 20mm, 21mm, 22mm, 24mm and 26mm. If you need other lug widths, you can have it custom made.
You will then need to purchase a strap of the same lug width. For example, if your watch has a lug width of 20mm, you will need to purchase strap with a width of 20-16.
Note: Our Widths typically have two numbers, for example 20-16. The first number (20) refers to the lug width ("A" in the schematic above). The second number (16) refers to the buckle width ("B" in the schematic above). You just need to ensure that the first number matches the lug width of your watch.
Patina Potential
This strap will patina over time, and hence the surface texture and colour of the strap will change with use. Patina is a soft glow on the leather that develops through friction and wear. Patina is often said to enhance a product (it gets better with age) as the leather product develops a character that is an amalgamation of all the conditions that it's exposed to.
Combination Tanned
Combination tanned is when the animal hides have been both chrome tanned and vegetable tanned, to achieve a combination of both tanning methods properties.
Good quality
I recently purchased a beautiful leather strap “soft blue” colour, and I have to say, the quality is very good.
The craftsmanship is top-notch, and the leather feels premium and durable. It adds a stylish touch to my IWC gueser and it’s very comfortable to wear for extended periods.
However, I’m giving it 4 stars instead of 5 because of a couple things:
1) The strap length (I ordered Medium Length) is a little short, I wish it was a little longer to fit properly my 6.5 inch wrist.
2) The unexpectedly high duty and brokerage fees. While I understand these charges can vary by region, they significantly increased the overall cost of the purchase, which was disappointing. That said, the product itself is excellent and well worth it if you’re willing to factor in the extra costs.
High quality, as always.
Cobalt Barenia Signature Strap
Excellent!
