Leather or Croco straps

unclebuck · **Posted:** Tue Nov 30, 2010 11:54 am

Wouldn't putting a black strap on a blue dial watch be considered a fashion faux pas? I thought you don't mix blue with black? Of course not knocking anyone's choices just saying in general.

sharkman · **Posted:** Tue Nov 30, 2010 12:08 pm

unclebuck wrote:

Wouldn't putting a black strap on a blue dial watch be considered a fashion faux pas? I thought you don't mix blue with black? Of course not knocking anyone's choices just saying in general.

No, only if you live in rural Neptune. :poke:

unclebuck · **Posted:** Tue Nov 30, 2010 12:25 pm

I just Goggled it and took this off one of the first websites. Again not looking to troll people who like this look.

The Mother of all Clashes - Navy Blue & Black

Both Navy Blue and Black are neutral colors and both go with a lot of different colors; what they don’t go with are each other. Mixing navy blue and black is a major fashion mistake. In some lights you may find it hard to differentiate the two but get out in the sun and the clash is noticeable, noticeable and very bad. Match black shirts with black shoes match navy with anything but black: try cream, white, beige or brown. If you notice you’re wearing any combination of navy and black, change immediately!

sharkman · **Posted:** Tue Nov 30, 2010 12:50 pm

unclebuck wrote:

I just Goggled it and took this off one of the first websites. Again not looking to troll people who like this look.

The Mother of all Clashes - Navy Blue & Black

Both Navy Blue and Black are neutral colors and both go with a lot of different colors; what they don’t go with are each other. Mixing navy blue and black is a major fashion mistake. In some lights you may find it hard to differentiate the two but get out in the sun and the clash is noticeable, noticeable and very bad. Match black shirts with black shoes match navy with anything but black: try cream, white, beige or brown. If you notice you’re wearing any combination of navy and black, change immediately!

Well duh, only a moron would wear black and TRUE navy. For the reason indicated in the quote - it looks like you are trying to match 2 colors that don't quite match. Like you jury rigged a suit at the Dollar Store. Heck, sometimes I have trouble deciding which suit is black and whcih suit is navy, but then I suffer from a horrible illness know as "morning eyes."

We are talking blue, not TRUE Navy. Breitling doesn't make a true navy dial. Dark blue, medium blue, light blue, french blue, even Blue Moon Odom - all are appropriate with with black. Navy blue is not.

Unless you are a Wise Guy, in which case whatever you wear is fine by me.

O2AFAC67 · **Posted:** Tue Nov 30, 2010 2:24 pm

sharkman wrote:

Well duh, only a moron would wear black and TRUE navy. For the reason indicated in the quote - it looks like you are trying to match 2 colors that don't quite match. Like you jury rigged a suit at the Dollar Store. Heck, sometimes I have trouble deciding which suit is black and whcih suit is navy, but then I suffer from a horrible illness know as "morning eyes."

We are talking blue, not TRUE Navy. Breitling doesn't make a true navy dial. Dark blue, medium blue, light blue, french blue, even Blue Moon Odom - all are appropriate with with black. Navy blue is not.

Unless you are a Wise Guy, in which case whatever you wear is fine by me.

+1 Sharky. :wink:

I think probably a dark brown OEM croco, aged just a bit, goes best with most Breitling blue dials. That said, even though I had a blue OEM croco for my blue dial two tone Crosswind, I sometimes wore it with black OEM calf strap and sometimes with black OEM croco. Looked great with any of them. After I located and acquired a UTC module on UTC specific Pilot bracelet for the piece I quit wearing straps on that watch but I received many compliments about it when I had it on black OEM straps...

Best,
Ron

Driver8 · **Posted:** Tue Nov 30, 2010 2:29 pm

I see we're back on the "this colour doesn't go with that colour" thing again. :lol:

Sorry guys, but apart from some truly hideous colour combos - green dial, camel strap for instance - I really don't get it. (And I especially don't get the "brown strap with black shoes is a no-no" thing!)

Personally I don't have a problem at all with a blue dial and black strap -

http://www.authenticwatches.com/breitli ... -c645.html

Back on the original OP - while I love Breitling croco straps (I had a few in the past and my 6.75 is on one now), I'm actually finding it harder and harder to justify the cost for what is essentially a disposable item. I think they're well over £400 GBP now.

In some cases that's not far off a bracelet, and a bracelet will last forever. Depending on how often you wear your watch on a strap, and the climate you're in, then you may get through a strap in 2 to 3 years. Keep a watch 20 years and you could spend upwards of £4000 GBP on straps! :shock:

The calf leather is a much more cost effective option and the quality is still great, BUT calf can never have the class of croco. Tough decision.

F14D_Tomcat · **Posted:** Tue Nov 30, 2010 3:35 pm

Croco strap of course. And Breitling croco strap are one of the best. Just ask your AD to show you some. Gold or dark brown are best suited IMO.

Alan M · **Posted:** Wed Dec 01, 2010 5:35 am

Driver8 wrote:

:lol: I see we're back on the "this colour doesn't go with that colour" thing again. :lol:

Sorry guys, but apart from some truly hideous colour combos - green dial, camel strap for instance - I really don't get it. (And I especially don't get the "brown strap with black shoes is a no-no" thing!)

Personally I don't have a problem at all with a blue dial and black strap -

http://www.authenticwatches.com/breitli ... -c645.html

Back on the original OP - while I love Breitling croco straps (I had a few in the past and my 6.75 is on one now), I'm actually finding it harder and harder to justify the cost for what is essentially a disposable item. I think they're well over £400 GBP now.

In some cases that's not far off a bracelet, and a bracelet will last forever. Depending on how often you wear your watch on a strap, and the climate you're in, then you may get through a strap in 2 to 3 years. Keep a watch 20 years and you could spend upwards of £4000 GBP on straps! :shock:

The calf leather is a much more cost effective option and the quality is still great, BUT calf can never have the class of croco. Tough decision.

Breitling straps are great, however (agreeing with Driver8) after getting my ABP custom (which wears more comfy than OEM) at a fraction I will not buy a Breitling one again. (go on ask how much a custom Ostrich UTC strap made to specifically fit my wrist cost..........£140!)

EOP

Micara · **Posted:** Wed Dec 01, 2010 7:53 am

So I just got off the phone with Authentic watches and croc strap w/deployment buckle $1095, holy moly and then called a local AD and same thing w/discount $576 what a difference!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sharkman · **Posted:** Wed Dec 01, 2010 8:02 am

Micara wrote:

So I just got off the phone with Authentic watches and croc strap w/deployment buckle $1095, holy moly and then called a local AD and same thing w/discount $576 what a difference!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Becasue the profit margin is quite low for accesories compared to watches, gray market places like authenticwatches usually charge full price. They don't have the luxury of getting watches from ADs at 40 percent off and reselling them at 25% off. The AD margin for bracelets and straps is about 20 - 25% (instead of about 40-45% for complete watches), so if they get them at AD cost they still have to charge full retail to make their profit margin.

wvynck · **Posted:** Wed Dec 01, 2010 8:07 am

Here are some pictures of a Blue B-1 with black strap:

Staffwolf · **Posted:** Wed Dec 01, 2010 8:13 am

Black Croc for me everytime, it just says quality........!

Driver8 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 01, 2010 8:18 am

wvynck wrote:

Here are some pictures of a Blue B-1 with black strap:

Looks great to me. :thumbsup:

roman4405 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 01, 2010 9:40 am

I like the look of the Croco straps, but like Driver said, I can't justify the price to myself. Personally I think a black calf strap can dress up a watch nicely without costing the same amount as a good beater watch, but then again I'm pretty cheap, oh and authenticwatches' strap prices are retarded. It may be because of the profit margin thing or whatever, but even their "MSRP" price they show is way off of the Breitling price list whereas their watch "MSRP"s are pretty spot on.

On to the navy/black thing, are you saying I can't wear black shoes with a navy suit? Or are you talking black pants and a navy jacket, because that would definitely look like crap.

sharkman · **Posted:** Wed Dec 01, 2010 9:50 am

roman4405 wrote:

I like the look of the Croco straps, but like Driver said, I can't justify the price to myself. Personally I think a black calf strap can dress up a watch nicely without costing the same amount as a good beater watch, but then again I'm pretty cheap, oh and authenticwatches' strap prices are retarded. It may be because of the profit margin thing or whatever, but even their "MSRP" price they show is way off of the Breitling price list whereas their watch "MSRP"s are pretty spot on.

On to the navy/black thing, are you saying I can't wear black shoes with a navy suit? Or are you talking black pants and a navy jacket, because that would definitely look like crap.

Shoes are an different matter entirely! slacks/coat/shirt - therein lies the problem. It would be pretty funny having to order navy blue wingtips. :lol:

Breitlings crocos are expensive, but they so compliment their watches with the thick padding, quality of the hides, and consistency of the tannning/dying. I will note that IWC, JLC, and Breguet alligator straps are substantially less- under $250 customer cost usually.

But you are right - the calf straps are extremely well done too! :lingsrock:

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