Alligator

Alligator and crocodile are not the same thing, even though shops often treat them as synonyms. Alligator leather — Alligator mississippiensis, farmed mainly in Louisiana — has symmetrical scales and a regular texture that makes it immediately recognisable. It is the material I use when a client wants the utmost distinction without ostentation. The fibrous structure of alligator is more compact than that of niloticus crocodile: it withstands moisture better, bends without giving way, and ages with a sheen that intensifies rather than dulling. A handmade alligator strap, with a good calfskin lining and saddle stitching, can last twenty years with minimal care. Tanning is the variable that separates a mediocre alligator from an extraordinary one. I only work with CITES-certified hides, vegetable-tanned when possible — the result is a leather that responds to use instead of wearing out. The colour penetrates deeply, it does not stay on the surface as it does in industrial alligators. As for pairing: on a Patek Philippe Nautilus I prefer midnight blue alligator at 20mm with contrast stitching. On a Royal Oak, glossy black works well. On a Datejust, cognac with a steel buckle. These are pairings I have made hundreds of times — not theoretical combinations.