I'm glad you like it. The splash of color, pebbly texture, and the stitching definitely dress it down compared to the typical strap you see paired with this reference (as you well know). While I like beautiful croc straps, I also like to dress my formal watches down to make them more wearable with my current work attire. It's actually dressed up from the last strap, which was a casual tan leather strap that you would typically expect on a Panerai or pilot watch, not a Patek.
Have you tried casual straps on your 3970G?