Horological Meandering

Hi All,

 

I changed the rubber strap that comes as standard with the St. Gallen PPro ABR to galuchat leather, and thought you might be interested in the appearance.

 

And just a little background:

 

Shagreen (Fr. chagrin , “sorrow” and Turkish sağrı "the back of a horse”) leather is made from cartilaginous fish skin. Stingray leather, or Galuchat, was named after King Louis XV’s master leather artisan, Jean-Claude Galluchat (note the different spelling), who introduced this material into France during the 18th century. It was apparently a particular favourite of Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson (Madame de Pompadour).

 

Sharkskin and stingray skins were used in 8th century Japan for breastplates, sheaths, and the handles of swords, due to its non-slip texture. Galuchat is covered with round calcified papillae called “placoid scales”, whose size are proportionate to the size of the animal. During manufacture these scales are polished down to give a roughened surface of rounded pearl-like protrusions.

 

Andrew

. . . with a close (but not so close as to be cute) match between the symmetrical carbon fiber weave of the dial and the scale pattern of the leather. Graham has pulled off this experiment with his Railmaster to good effect, too . . . cordially, Art

i thank Art for his appreciation of my Railmaster/stingray combo, however, although this might be singing my own praises i do think i've pulled off the perfect PPro combo with the black steel mesh.

 

i personally think the carbon weave and the steel mesh work together in perfect synergie.

if they had made a PVD strap attachment available i probably would have goe for the stingray straight away.

best

Graham

 

I thought the same at first, Graham, but the contrast is not as jarring as you might think. It gives the watch a more industrial look, and the locking screws match the signed steel buckle.

 

Your black mesh is a very good look and St. Gallen should consider fitting one to the exact size of the Rescue watch.

 

Thanks for showing us again.

 

Andrew

Hi Graham,

 

From a disinfection point of view it is really only the original, quickly removable, silicon straps that work. The mesh, due to the crevices, is hard to clean and removal, I imagine, is not simple? Still, the galuchat strap falls into the same category.

 

It does, however, show the versatility of the watch, and after seeing Anthony’s ‘watch versus table’ video I tend to be less conscious of wearing it, which is a good thing.

 

Andrew

Thanks Art,

 

I think the strap works very well with the PPro ABR and I have been wearing it more frequently since the change.

 

I have been trying to come up with a list of watch characteristic that would suit a galuchat strap. It is not only the black and white colour scheme, but the ‘sparkle’ of the polished pearls that would suit an evening dress watch very well. Geo carries it off perfectly with his gold AP Millenary Starwheel, and galuchat on dive watches seems to work as well. More because of the implied functionality (what better than fish skin) than any practical application on such a watch.

 

It’s my first stingray strap and I like it.

 

Andrew