Strap for Royal Oak Extra-Thin White Gold / Tuscan

The bracelet on the Royal Oak 16202BC.OO.1240BC.02 is integrated into the case with a proprietary attachment. A standard strap simply does not fit: there are no lugs in the traditional sense. The only viable route is to build a strap from scratch, directly on the watch, in the atelier.

I work through <a href="/pages/casati-booking">Casati Milano</a>, by appointment only, at Via XX Settembre 15 in Milan. I bring the watch to the bench, study the geometry of the case, and hand-shape every attachment element. There are no templates: each strap is made for that specific piece.

For a white gold Royal Oak I would choose aged Barenia: its natural texture works well with the sporting yet formal character of this watch. Over time it develops a patina that reflects real wear, without ever looking tired. It is the choice I would make for myself.

A strap built from quality leather and worn with care can last ten years or more. The key is to dry it when it gets wet, avoid folding it at the same point repeatedly, and let it rest. Good leather does not deteriorate: it ages, and with time it gains character.

Gérald Genta drew it in a single night in 1972, breaking every convention: an octagonal bezel, integrated bracelet, tapisserie dial — in a sports watch that carried the price of fine timepieces. No one had done it before. Over the years I have had several on the bench: the integration between case and bracelet is an engineering solution that very few have managed to replicate with the same coherence.