Product Highlight: American-made Watch Accessories

In 2012, when we first started discussing making our own watch accessories, one concept was at the core of what we were trying to do: manufacture our soft goods in America and not just order from catalogs and put our name on it. Now, that’s a concept that is easier said than done, but luckily being in NYC, we had a wealth of manufacturers at our disposal to talk to in the Garment District (west 30s for those who aren’t familiar). It was once one of the biggest clothing and textile manufacturing centers in the world, and it still remains one of the biggest in the US. We were able to find high-end bag and belt makers with decades of experience to help us develop watch straps and cases.

We found some great shops, and over the last few years have worked with them to make and evolve our products. And, we’re very proud of what we have achieved. Our products are stylish, durable and most importantly, different. While in some ways a watch strap is a watch strap, we continue to craft ours with unique details, from the signature metal keeper of our Model 2’s to the sculpted cross-section of our High Craft – Vintages and Model 1’s. We’ve also continued to give our straps a genuinely crafty feel through emphasizing hand-made details resulting in a bit of wabi-sabi that adds character that can be lacking in more mass-produced straps.

Design alone isn’t the only story, we’ve also focused on sourcing great leather from American tanneries for everything except our Shell Cordovan straps (which use Italian Cordovan). Our two primary tanneries are Horween of Chicago and Wickett & Craig of Pennsylvania. From Horween we source our more colorful and aesthetic leathers, such as the golden Rye Chromexcel on our High Craft – Model 1 straps, the striking Navy of our Model 2 Premium and the vibrant Saffron Suede on our High Craft – Vintages. From Wickett & Craig, we source our extra rugged and low-stretch vegetable-tanned lining leathers as well as the core colors we use on our unlined Model 2 and Single Pass Classics, as well as our Belts. These are leathers that were developed to be used in saddle making, harnesses and holsters so they’re tough as nails.

Combining these leathers with our signature designs and our talented local manufacturers has allowed us to create products that fulfilled our original vision of what we wanted to bring to the market. Naturally, we keep working on new products, evolving ones and have a lot on the horizon.
For our full catalog, visit shop.wornandwound.com