Strap Almanac — History · Chapter II

Industrial Era:
From Battlefield to Wrist

How the industrial revolution created modern watchmaking · 1800–1950

If the 18th century laid the groundwork, the 19th century revolutionized everything. In 150 years, the watch strap went from a handcrafted accessory to a standardized industrial product. A story of Swiss precision, American efficiency, Italian creativity, and German engineering.

Contents

• Industrial Revolution
• The Big Brands
• The Great War
• Roaring Twenties
• Crisis and WWII
• Post-War Period
• FAQ

1805First specialized factory −90%Price drop in 50 years 1944Birth of NATO strap 75MStraps produced in 1950 1800 — 1850

The Industrial Revolution

Crown Leather Works — Manchester 1805

First true strap factory in history. 500 straps a day compared to 5-10 handcrafted ones. 120 specialized workers in different phases, first automatic cutting machines.

The market opens to the colonies of the British Empire. In 50 years, European production will go from 30,000 to 1,200,000 pieces per year.

Chemical Tanning (1825)

Discovery of chromium sulfate: processing time drops from 18 months to 3 weeks. Softer and more resistant leather, wider color palette, 70% cost reduction.

Zimmermann's mechanical cutting (1835) brings precision to ±0.1mm, speed 100 straps/hour. Adopted throughout Europe by 1845.

Year	Annual Production	Average Price	Market
1800	~30,000 pieces	2.5g gold	Aristocracy
1820	~150,000 pieces	1.2g gold	Merchants
1840	~600,000 pieces	0.5g gold	Skilled workers
1850	~1,200,000 pieces	0.3g gold	Anyone who owns a watch

1850 — 1900

The Era of Big Brands

Patek Philippe (1851)

First "bespoke" straps for each model. Exotic leathers: crocodile, ostrich. Each strap numbered and guaranteed. The first comprehensive technical manual for luxury watch straps dates back to 1855.

Waltham Watch Co. (1865)

The American revolution of mass production. 5 standard sizes for the entire catalog. 10,000 straps a month. Quality at popular prices — the model that changes the market.

Quick-Release (1885)

Patented by Auguste Zimmermann in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Snap lever for instant removal. The concept of an interchangeable strap "collection" is born.

1914 — 1920

The Great War and the Wristwatch

"Every officer must be equipped with a wristwatch with a water and mud resistant strap. The strap must allow use with combat gloves and withstand sudden jerks." — Italian Army, 1916

20mmBritish Army standard width 3mmTrench leather thickness 500KStraps produced USA 1918 +1250%Production growth in 6 years The Strap Becomes Strategic

In the trenches of Verdun and the Piave, the pocket watch becomes useless — impossible to pull out with gloves. Time is vital for coordinating attacks and bombardments.

The Crown Leather Works factory goes from 120 to 800 workers, from 500 to 5,000 straps a day, with 24-hour shifts.

Permanent Consequences

Forced standardization — all nations adopt compatible sizes, end of regional variations.

Democratization — millions of soldiers return with wristwatches. The civilian market explodes after the war.

Mass production — military technologies adapted to civilian use, drastically reduced costs.

1920 — 1930

The Roaring Twenties

Art Deco and Design

Bold geometries, vibrant colors, precious materials. Collaborations with Cartier and Van Cleef. Python, crocodile, stingray leather. The strap emerges as a style statement.

Chromexcel (1928)

Horween Leather process: leather that improves with age, 10+ years durability, immediate comfort without break-in. Adopted by all premium American brands. A revolution still in use today.

Deployant (1929)

Invented by Louis-Elisée Piguet. Butterfly clasp with security, no holes in the leather, reduced wear. Stainless steel buckles — material invented in 1924.

1930 — 1945

The Crisis and the Second War

MIL-S-12020 (1942)

The world's first comprehensive military standard. 18mm standard width, 200kg tensile strength, 500-hour UV test, operational from −40°C to +60°C.

30-day immersion in salt water, resistance to fuels and oils. A standard that defines modern straps.

The NATO Strap (1944)

Developed by the British Ministry of Defence. Passes under the watch case: even if a spring bar breaks, the watch remains on the wrist.

Reinforced nylon, 20mm wide, 260mm long. Minimum resistance 150kg. A design that is still alive today — unchanged.

"Single-pass nylon webbing, olive drab colour 7, width 20mm ±0.5mm, minimum tensile strength 150kg, salt water resistant, non-reflective finish." — Original NATO technical drawing, declassified 1970

1945 — 1950

Towards the Modern Boom

10MStraps produced in 1945 75MStraps produced in 1950 +650%Growth in 5 years 316LStainless steel — still standard today Materials of the Future

Commercial Nylon (1947) — DuPont releases civilian production. Resistant, washable, dyeable. 50% less than equivalent leather.

316L Steel (1948) — developed for military submarines. Anti-corrosive, hypoallergenic, polishable. Still the absolute reference for buckles and components today.

Italian Design (1948)

The Manifattura Milanese was founded with a clear philosophy: combining artisan tradition with modern technology. Clean lines, functionality, elegance without ostentation.

"Form and function" — every element has a precise purpose. "Honest materials" — quality that can be seen and felt. The philosophy of Milano Straps is born here.

Frequently Asked Questions

What collectors ask

Modern standard sizes originated with the introduction of the French decimal metric system (1820-1840). Previously, each region had different measurements. Standardization was completed after the First World War due to military necessity. The NATO strap was developed in 1944 by the British Ministry of Defence. The name "NATO" is later (1970s), but the original design dates back to World War II to ensure the watch would not be lost even if a spring bar broke. The Great War transformed the watch from a luxury accessory into a survival tool. In the trenches, pocket watches were useless, and wristwatches became vital for coordinating attacks. This created the first mass market for durable and functional straps. The 1800-1950 era established all modern fundamentals: standardized measurements, technical materials like nylon and stainless steel, quality control processes, mass production, and the concept that a quality strap should last years, not months.

Milano Straps Heritage

150 years of industrial revolution are not distant history. They are the foundation of every strap we produce today. The hand-stitching of 1875, the quality control of 1920, the Italian design philosophy of 1948 — everything lives on in our Milanese atelier.

Last revised: January 2025 · Chapter II of IV · Reading time: 18 minutes
© 2025 Milano Straps — Strap History Encyclopedia

CHAPTER I ← The Origins 1500–1800 CHAPTER III Contemporary Revolution →