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Vintager Straps by Micah 100% hand made in the Napa Valley USA Passion ~ Quality ~ Pride In a hurry? Click on a link below to jump to that answer:
- Strap length suggestions
Not in a hurry? Browse the whole FAQ, there's tons of info! Who makes your straps? I do. Strap making is my full time profession, your straps are my living. I also designed and maintain this website, including picture taking. Do you really personally make every strap by hand?
Yes I do. Every strap is hand made to order by me. I am a one-man operation, no employees. Well, my wife sometimes takes stuff to the post office, but other than that it's just me :-)
What's the turnaround time for straps? Turnaround time is currently 3 to 4 weeks. Is there any way to get my strap sooner? I'm a one-man operation so to make your strap sooner I'd have to make someone else's strap later, the only fair option is for everyone to wait their turn. Absolutely! Simply order two or more straps at one time and you will automatically receive a discount on all items in your shopping cart. For more information click here. What if I want a strap for a non-Panerai watch?
No problem, I can make straps for most non-Panerai watches. For 18 and 20mm straps I offer polished or brushed spring bar thumbnail buckles. I can also "notch" straps so they are one width between the lugs but 22, 24, 26mm etc. for the rest of the strap. You can do this by choosing 24/24, 24/22 etc. for your width and then email me with notch dimensions after you order. To discuss your non-Panerai strap needs in more detail . Can you send me pictures of my strap being made? Due to time constraints and other concerns I do not take pictures of straps "in progress". I do, however, send a picture of your completed strap via email the day it's done. Where do you ship to, what shipping method do you use and how much does it cost?
- I ship anywhere in the world for FREE via USPS First Class mail.
Can I get a tracking number? Sort of....
What about FedEx, UPS, DHL etc.? Within the US: Buyer pays actual shipping costs + $10 handling fee. International: Buyer pays $125 flat fee. FYI I've found that these services rarely shorten delivery time. What about taxes and duties on international orders? I have no control over your country's tax rates. All I can offer is that if upon receipt of your order you are charged an unusually high duty or tax I will reimburse you for it. Straps are measured in millimeters. You need to know two dimensions: Width and length. -----> Width:
Width is expressed like this: 24/22 (24mm wide by 22mm wide). The first number is the width of the strap between the lugs of the watch. The second number is the width of the strap at the buckle.
-----> Length:
Length is expressed like this: 125/75. The first number (125) is the length in millimeters of the tongue side of the strap. The second number (75) is the length in millimeters of the buckle side.
-----> What length should I get? First you need to know your wrist size. To figure it out wrap a piece of string around your wrist, mark the string where it crosses itself, lay it flat on a table and measure the distance between the marks.
6.0" - 6.24" (15cm - 15.9cm)....= 120/75
The preceding suggestions are just that: Suggestions. My straps are generally thicker than factory straps so they wear a bit shorter. If your factory 115/75 strap is "just right" one of my straps in that same size will be a little too short.
I want my strap 137/88... "To-the-MM" lengths are not practical; leather is a "living" medium, as I work with it and as you wear it it changes. Because of this it's impossible for me to guarantee precise lengths. Even if I could it would change the first time you put it on. I will strive to match your lengths, but I urge you to order rounded lengths such as 140/90, which is what a length like 137/88 will end up being anyways. How thick are your straps? My straps are mostly around 4mm thick. The average thickness of each strap is listed at the bottom of it's description page. Can you "box stitch" any of your straps? I can box stitch (with stitching across the strap at the lugs in addition to around the perimeter of the strap) any strap, just after your order is placed and let me know. For information on buckles click here, when you're done click the "back" button on your browser to return to this FAQ. If you're looking for a strap to fit a deployant buckle I don't make straps specifically for deployant buckles. Do I need tubes in my strap?
If your watch is a Luminor or 1950 style Panerai (with solid lugs that use a screw or the newer pin system) yes, your strap needs tubes. To have these included with your strap simply select "Yes tubes" from the dropdown menu when you get to that section of placing your order.
"Please place the holes on my strap..." Rather than moving the holes around the proper way to fit a strap is to order the correct length buckle side, which will put the buckle in the hole you want. I always start the holes at 50mm from the lug edge of the strap unless you provide specific instructions otherwise. Why didn't you use my instructions from a previous order? Because people's tastes change I make every strap exactly as it's ordered: If no special instructions are provided with an order I don't apply any. I do have records of every order, if you need help remembering previous details and ask. What if my strap gets wet? Leather is resiliant and can handle getting wet, but soaking straps in water is not recommended as it can cause the strap to shrink and/or dry out over time. If you plan on getting your strap wet regularly use a good quality leather lotion or oil to maintain the oils of the leather. Be sure to spot test on the BACK of the strap to see how the lotion will effect the color of the strap, it usually darkens it. What about dress straps? I strive to make straps that are rugged and historic in style. Even my more "modern" straps are made in a vintage style; a bit thicker, with thick thread and oozing hand-made style. I'm not saying you can't wear my straps in dressy situations, but if you're looking for a replacement for your OEM croc strap this isn't the spot. Do you make straps for "replica" watches? 99% of people who order a strap never mention what kind of watch it's for, which is fine with me. As a watch collector it's my opinion that fakes mock and injure the industry and hobby I so deeply love and that, in fact, puts food on my familie's table. If you email me asking for suggestions about which strap will look best on your "replica" my answer is "Sorry, I don't make straps for fakes."
From the Home page click on the picture of any strap you'd like to order then click "Buy Now". You will be walked through each simple ordering step. Each step will have a blue ? beside it, click it for help on that particular step. You are not committed to buying a strap until you have actually entered your payment information.
Yes, I accept credit cards, Paypal and Google Checkout. To pay via credit card simply click the "Pay with Credit Card" button on the bottom right of your shopping cart. I have a "Free Strap" card I won at a GTG. It says "..regular strap...", can I get a Mauser with it if I pay the difference? Free strap cards are good for regular straps only and can't be used in whole or in part for any strap made from vintage ammo pouches. Ammo pouches are a limited resource, which means I can't give them away even if the 'difference' is paid. Can you send me a picture of (lighter, darker, different thread, different buckle) As much as I'd like to offer pictures of every conceivable combination I can't do it. If there's not a picture of it on my website then I don't have a picture of it. Are you a watch collector yourself? I was a watch nut long before I started making straps and to this day watches are the central hobby and passion in my life. I regularly attend get together's all over the country and have met many watch collectors and generally great people thanks to my passion for fine watches. How did you get started making straps? As a watch collector I spent several years buying straps myself. Several of the straps I'd paid hundreds of dollars for fell far short of my expectations, and I thought "Well I bet I could make a better strap than this." Turns out I was right :-) Why are your straps any better than the dozens of others out there?
Many strap makers are "weekenders", people doing this as a fun hobby or a way to make a few extra bucks, and many others are "retailers", people who put their names on straps they didn't personally make and often didn't even see prior to mailing them.
What's the difference between a strap maker and a strap retailer? A strap maker personally hand makes your strap and puts his own name on the line with every order. A strap retailer is a middle man who relays your order to the actual strap maker(s), or more often simply pre-orders thousands of straps from an overseas factory, putting their names on straps they didn't make and in some cases might never even see or inspect. I want to make straps, can you help me?
I've spent a long time and many thousands of dollars getting this all together and figuring out the literally hundreds of little details that go into making a truly quality strap. I appreciate your desire to make straps and I encourage you to DO IT.
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