Alligator & Crocodile Watch Straps

They are not the same leather, although many confuse them. Alligator mississippiensis = regular, symmetrical scales. Crocodylus niloticus or porosus = more varied scales, with different porosity markings.

Exotic Leather Selection

Alligator or crocodile: two animals, two scale patterns

The most immediate difference is visual: the American alligator (mississippiensis) has regular, symmetrical ventral scales with nearly invisible perforations — it is the most “orderly” exotic leather. The Nile crocodile (niloticus) and the Asian porosus have more varied scales, with evident follicle perforations that are part of their aesthetic identity.

All my exotic leathers are CITES certified — I never trade hides without documentation of legal provenance. I work primarily with belly cut (the ventral section, with more regular scales) and flank cut (the lateral section, with more undulating scales and more visible personality). For a dress watch, belly cut. For a watch with an already strong character, flank.

A young exotic hide has more vivid colours, while a mature hide tends to lighten under light. The tannery matters: Italian and French tanneries produce stable tones, while Asian ones are often more saturated but shift with use. For a long-term investment, I always choose Italian tanning — Sicilian crocodile with mineral-vegetable tanning remains true to itself for fifteen to twenty years.

Cinturini Orologio Alligatore & Coccodrillo — Milano Straps
Skip to results list
Compatibilità Verifica il tuo orologio

Digita marca o referenza per confermare la misura.

The next step

The right strap isn’t chosen. It is built, together.

From the atelier appointment to delivery, every step is made for those who know that things done well take time. Rare leathers, one piece at a time, eighteen months of warranty.

Request an appointment →

What we offer

  • We guide you through every step — with exclusive images directly from our atelier
  • Over 50 artisanal steps for each strap — from leather selection to final stitching
  • The time it takes to do extraordinary things — four, five weeks. Not a day less.
  • An object designed to last a lifetime — cared for by us for eighteen months
  • The right leather for your watch — chosen together, in the atelier, only for you

By appointment only · Milan