Strap for Royal Oak Chronograph 41 Yellow Gold / Blue / Bracelet

Not in the conventional sense. The bracelet is integrated into the case with a proprietary attachment: a standard strap simply does not connect. What I do in the atelier is build the strap directly on the watch, made to measure, so that every millimetre of the attachment is properly respected.

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 and take measurements directly from the case — no shortcuts. There is no template: every strap is built from scratch on that specific piece.

On a yellow gold with such a strong character, I choose Mississippi Alligator: the natural grain holds its own against the octagonal bezel without disappearing. I have it finished in dark honey or tobacco — tones that converse with the metal without mimicking it. It is a firm choice, but on this watch it works.

With quality leather and proper craftsmanship, I count on at least five to seven years of regular wear. Leather ages: it develops patina, marks, character. What it must not do is give way at the stitching or dry out from neglect. A pass of neutral cream every few months is all it needs.

In 1972, Gérald Genta took stainless steel — then considered a humble material for fine watchmaking — and built around it an object that cost as much as gold. The octagonal bezel with its eight visible screws was not decoration: it was an act of rupture. When I work on a Royal Oak at the bench, I still feel the weight of that decision.