Strap for Royal Oak Self-Winding 41 Tourmaline

No. The bracelet is integrated directly into the case: there is no conventional lug to attach a ready-made strap. The attachment is proprietary and requires a completely different approach. In the atelier I build each piece on the watch itself, not from a generic measurement.

I work by appointment only at <a href="/pages/casati-booking">Casati Milano</a>, at Via XX Settembre 15 in Milan. I bring the watch to the bench, take measurements directly from the case, and shape the leather piece by piece. There are no templates: every strap is built from scratch on that specific watch.

For a Royal Oak in white gold and tourmaline I prefer a matte alligator, brushed finish, in a slate grey or midnight blue tone. This watch has a sporting soul but a precious material: leather that is too glossy competes with the case, something too rustic diminishes it. A satin finish strikes the right balance.

With quality leather and minimal care, I count on five to eight years of regular wear. The rule is simple: no direct water, air it out after each wear, natural cream twice a year. Good leather does not deteriorate — it transforms, takes the shape of the wrist and becomes more personal over time.

Gérald Genta drew the Royal Oak in 1972 in a single night, on an urgent commission. He brought steel — a material then considered base — into High Watchmaking, with a bolted octagonal case that had no precedent. I have seen many watches pass through the bench over thirty years: few have such rigorous design coherence across every single detail.