Disappointed...

[Mosco]

I always had a 'draw' toward handmade items - be it statuettes, watches, straps... I have been looking at having a strap made for my next watch (most likely a 312 or a 320). The small shop which I am entrusting it to are fairly well known, they do amazing leather work, mostly for custom Harleys. They have a large presence at the Cavalcade of Customs as well. One of the 'masterminds' stopped by my shop yesterday and I started showing him the straps I liked - Kaktus, Big Ammo, Micah Mauser.... Next words out of his mouth were: "these ain't handmade!" He went on to point out some of the signs of machining, ranging from stitching to holes, to the actual strap itself. Turns out, most of these straps are machine-cut and stitched, which, IMO, takes away from the uniqueness. Sure, the leather is hand-picked, but that's about the extent of it.

What do you guys suggest - the custom-made one is going to cost me a pretty penny, so I am not sure if I can keep having these guys make them (unless we make a business out of it, which may be likely). What maker do you suggest for the 'raw, utilitarian, rough' look and feel? I also like the strap to be robust and thick.

Thanks in advance!