Strap for Royal Oak Self-Winding Flying Tourbillon Stainless Steel / Blue

The Royal Oak's bracelet is integrated directly into the case: there is no standard lug to attach an off-the-shelf strap. The attachment is proprietary, designed by Audemars Piguet with a precise and unique geometry. This is work I only carry out in the atelier, building the strap on the actual watch rather than from a theoretical measurement.

I work exclusively by appointment through <a href="/pages/casati-booking">Casati Milano</a>, at Via XX Settembre 15 in Milan. I bring the watch to the bench, study the geometry of the attachments, and shape every terminal by hand until the transition with the case is exact. There are no shortcuts: every strap is a project that begins with that specific watch.

For a Royal Oak in steel I almost always choose a matte black alligator or a naturally tanned bull hide that develops character over time. The watch has a direct, sporting soul: an overly formal leather creates a contrast that simply does not work. I prefer hides that gain personality with wear rather than ones that look pristine forever.

A strap built from full leather with hand-sewn stitching and wax-finished edges will comfortably last five to seven years of daily wear. The key is care: a little silicone-free nourishing cream every few months, and keeping it away from prolonged contact with water. Good leather does not deteriorate — it transforms, becoming softer, more personal, more yours.

Yes, and that is the detail I still find fascinating today. Gérald Genta sketched it in a single night in 1972, drawing inspiration from a submarine porthole. The octagonal case with exposed screws was a sharp break from the watchmaking language of the time. I have held examples from the Seventies in my hands: that formal coherence between case, bracelet and dial has remained intact over fifty years.