Comments:
This message has been edited by CR on 2022-12-03 21:38:00
Anyone familiar with Camille Fournet for an OEM strap for Lange?
I am told CF makes the straps for Lange, I am trying to get a navy/royal blue gator commissioned to 125yr anniversary specs. The boutique wouldn’t sell to me.
I tried one email contacting CF directly but was unsuccessful, will try again but checking here if anyone has tried to have CF make a Lange OEM style strap for them.
I tried one email contacting CF directly but was unsuccessful, will try again but checking here if anyone has tried to have CF make a Lange OEM style strap for them.
I have had good luck with Jean Rousseau for Lange straps. You might try them. 54th Street, NYC.
Agree
I just had them make a custom strap for my Lange 1 - looked identical to an OEM (just different color) and great customer service
Concur + additional info
If you visit Jean Rousseau, ask to look at the actual skins (not the swatches of skins), and do not look at them in the showroom lighting. Bring them to the window and look at them there, in natural lighting. There's a huge difference. Also, I prefer to get them with a single fixed keeper (no need for a floating keeper) and not more than 3 holes (usually 2 holes).
Here is a Jean Rousseau strap:
And another:
I also used to order Hadley Roma custom straps ("Alligator 2005" style). Lots of online dealers in the US used to sell them, since they're made here (Florida). They were relatively inexpensive and great quality, but I haven't done that in years. Here's an old pic of some of those:
Not heard CF do Lange straps.
CF do some Patek straps for sure. The Lange boutiques seem to have a tie in with Jean Rousseau as do VC boutiques.
Definitely Jean Rousseau
The NY Lange boutique used to offer customization for straps through JR if they didn’t have a color a customer wanted. I haven’t been there in a while so maybe things have changed as the brand has become ‘popular’. JR can also give you the Lange strap boxed-end finish (not sure what else to call it!).
Its always best to see the colors in person but there is a beautiful darkish blue that JR carry that is pretty close (to my eyes) to the 25th anniversary straps. The strap no. Is 7652 - full credit goes to our mod CR who mentioned it in one of his posts and its stunning in person. If you do that with a grey or silver stitching you are pretty close. Of course, nothing beats sifting through the leather swatches in person and the JR store in New York is extremely helpful and are willing to spend a lot of time with you if you call ahead (or walk in at the right time).
The other alternative that I usually go for is Kaufmann. Wempe in NY carries their catalog and can order from a variety of options. The downside is that they don’t have swatches on hand so you will have to go with the pictures but the end product to my eyes is also really close to the picture. For what its worth, Kaufmann used to make Lange’s straps in the past and can make the Lange boxed-end finish if asked. I personally find their quality to be as good as JR and CF and pricing is around the same or a little less depending on configuration.
Hope this helps and happy Thanksgiving!
All the best,
Walid
Very glad you posted this, Walid!
I really liked the Lange straps that were made by Kaufmann. I think Perrin also made Lange straps years ago, and those were nice too.
Thanks Gents! I actually thought it was JR as well
But a big collector (not on this forum said CF)…. But maybe they misspoke.
It’s no problem at CF
I did earlier this past summer with them. It was super easy and they were very helpful. It’s not instantaneous but they will get back to you. I couldn’t be happier with their product. Let me know if you have questions. Literally just did all custom design and was about 2 mo back.
Thanks immerschnell… to be clear
You got your custom strap on Lange OEM specs by CF… not JR?
Hi again. Yes I had it designed to be the proper length for me. The tip or end can be made to look curved like the Lange end or other ways as you can see on the configuration. Yes all with CF. I have it on my 1815 u/d and swapped another oem Lange strap in blue that I had beyond the original black one. Unfortunately Lange appears to only endorse or make or have commissioned blacks, browns and maybe a few blues. Maybe even fewer now it appears. No problem! Get what you want with the exact specs. And yes all through CF. I looked at JR also but found better satisfaction with the CF. Let me know if you have other questions. I had asked the boutique for options but they said they basically don’t do much of that anymore but for the absolute basics at best. Which is fine if you only want those limited colors.
Most definitely!! I enjoyed the experience and was great to make a bespoke one as desired and not just off the shelf.
Update Here… I am conversing with CF
While they admit Lange has access to their leathers they neither confirm or deny they are OEM manufacturers for them and they would not state which leather if any is the 25th anniversary blue.
In fact they suggest two other colors and said those are closer in color.
Hopefully I can resolve soon and get the strap!
In fact they suggest two other colors and said those are closer in color.
Hopefully I can resolve soon and get the strap!
Yes! And they have said they will help
Me with all the the appropriate strap characteristics thickness at lug vs tip, square padding, etc… but they won’t out right tell me the color 🤣
OMG… my update post is actually for JR… not CF 🤣
This message has been edited by CR on 2022-12-03 21:38:00
Are you saying you meant to say "JR" rather than "CF"?
If so, these may be helpful, below.
This is an old JR order form. Where it says "~1/4 of length should be round scales" refers to the smaller scales towards the tip of the long end of the strap. I like that gradation to smaller scales at the end. Also, as I mentioned earlier in the thread, I like just one (fixed) keeper and no loose keepers. No need for a second keeper if the strap is the proper length for me. And I don't order it with any holes pre-punched because I like to do that later, after the strap is made and installed on the watch.
I got JR's quick-release springbars, too, which you can see in pic of the different (blue) JR strap that I posted earlier in this thread. The quick-release springbars require a little rectangular cut-out in the back of the strap. You can always ditch those springbars and keep the original Lange springbars even with the cut-out, but you can't use the quick release springbars unless you have the cut-out to pull the little quick-release handle.
Thanks Craig! While I initially contacted CF
I am currently only working with JR at the moment. So in my last update it was JR (not CF) that neither confirmed nor denied that they make OEM straps for Lange, but would help me with every spec of Lange except the color confirmation for the 25th
You might just have to go there and pick a nice blue! :)
That's what I did, specifically for the perfect shade of blue. It was fun! They have so many different blue skins!
And personally, I prefer the slightly rounded padding that Lange used in its older OEM straps versus the more rectangular-shaped padding (with the nearly straight vertical rise along the inside of either side of the stitching) that Lange has used in more recent years. I like the gentler curve.
