Horological Meandering

While I was looking at another strap for my Linde Werdelin I stumbled upon prices of €600 incl. VAT for an alligator strap?! What makes these straps so expensive? The straps for my Audemars Piguet ROO's are quite a lot cheaper. Compared to other brands like JLC, VC and IWC their prices are somewhat "overpriced". Or am I the only one with that thought?

They are almost in the league of Patek Philippe when it comes to strap prices.

Howcome, because of the small production?!

something to do with how the strap attaches to the watch via the two square posts.

That said, my thought only makes sense for leather straps as I can see how hard it may be to work around those posts-- as to why the Linde rubber straps are also super expensive I can only conclude that its a money grab.))  But they do smell like vanilla!

the straps from Audemars Piguet, they also have metal inserts but there still is quite a price difference.

AP is somewhat restrained because they have a large enough production that aftermarket strapmakers make straps that fit APs. I doubt that aftermarket strapmakers will be concentrating on Werdelin any time soon, so they are effectively monopolists.

On principle I refuse to buy any watch that cannot use normal straps.

after trying to get a strap (at any price) for my old Gerald Genta, 

Notice straps fit on brass posts and must be strengthened by little brass bushings (bad) and wear off at the ends (bad)

Notice new and slightly hacked Seiko lizard strap employed as a substitute (original was too short to endure wearing)

so we can see how the construction is

+1 to what mkvc said above re: pricing. 

Cheers,
Anthony

Linde site states:

Quote
BROWN ALLIGATOR STRAP
CHF630.00 (excluding VAT)
This brown alligator strap is made of premium leather. This top-of-the-range option oozes the quality and sophistication that compliments a stylish or classy look.

Linde Werdelin carefully handpicks only the best materials for the haute couture strap collection to guarantee comfort in wear as well as elegance and durability.

This strap can fit wrist sizes between 14cm and 23cm.

Alligator straps are offered for delivery in the EU countries only.
Unquote

The quoted price is around € 502.59.

This price is similar, IMHO, to several other watch vendors.

Of course, the non standard strap adaptor is a "no go" to me, independent of how great is the watch.

Cheers,

Nilo

as when you add on most European countries VAT it comes to around EUR600... but it is the biggest and best alligator which has only been fed organic food during its lifetime and has  been caught by hand using only a Swiss army knife and a piece of string ;-)

Cheers
Andrew

That the alligator is left handed and, this is a must, virgin.

Cheers,

Nilo

... in water that has been oxygen-treated by workers who have themselves been fed organic only and have been caressing the alligator for at least five years (which is how the alligator gets its organic food, btw).

Marcus

... Custom strap makers? That would be the apparently blindingly obvious choice.

I took one to a custom strap maker I used a couple of years ago and he could make one... but he had to take the posts out of the one I already was using. If it is to replace a worn strap then not a problem, but I just wanted a different colour for a change.

Cheers
Andrew

That's the main reason why there are no aftermarket straps yet, the metal plots...

Allthough I cannot imagine it's that hard. Cut open an OEM strap and bring the parts to a CNC milling company... On WUS people replied that there are aftermarket straps in the make...

Stijn