For Andy & Others, some stuff on Santoni straps in case useful...

I thought I'd make it hopefully a bit more interesting by starting this with a quiz on the black Santoni straps, so here it goes:

Please name which of these straps are Santoni straps by indicating the number in red:

I would guess number 4. If I am wrong then what's the point if I can't tell the difference. LOL

Really can't tell. 4 and 5 should be the most comfortable, thanks to the smaller scales and finer thickness, on the edges of the segments.

Fun post :)

It's a guess 1 & 3. Is there a prize of a Santoni strap of winners choice?

For me 3 and 4.

When I look through the pin holes I see a little bit of orange that is distinctive of the inner surface.

Hi Shing,

my guess is No 5....

Thanks

Hi Shing,

Nice idea, this is fun!!!

I go with number 3.

My choice would be nr 3 as it seems to be a bit 'light-black'.

Kind regards,

Clemens

Hi Shing,

I knew you would address my request with entertainment. How fun !

I think it could be 3 and maybe 4 ( looks like it has a bit of blue in the grain )

Andy

At this point all but number 2 have been guessed so the contrarian in me wants to guess 2 but I think it's 3.

2 and 5?

regards,
thang

To be honest, none of them look like the Santonis I have seen. So I think it's a trick question and the correct answer is "none"

Morning gents, from the Far East, and thanks for playing :)

There are two Santoni straps in the pic and they are no 3 and 4, so Andrew got it right - although guessing through the orange underside isn't exactly fair, lol -- still, not easy to tell based on that pic because of the lighting.

These three pics below may make the distinctions clearer:

above pic shows again No 3 and 4 as Santonis.

above pic shows also too No 3 and 4, counting from the left, as Santonis.

above pic shows the two Santonis at the bottom with the top three IWC OEM matte black straps

I believe Santonis are distinctive in these ares: wider, more gloss, better padding evenness, possess sectional consistency in pattern & coloring, have deeper pattern grooves/cuts, and have more distinctive pattern grooves/cuts.

More soon, for now, and in answer to Andy's question here: www.iwc.com/forum/en/discussion/57724/?page=6, Santonis I am informed (albeit with a dose of marketing) are sold in this selection:
a) Santonis come in three colors only: black, brown, and dark brown
b) In each color, there are two shades: lighter, and darker
c) the pattern and cutting of each piece is different from any others

This pic below gives a basic overview:

My guess is 4 and 5. The scales are tighter towards the end allowing more flexibility and Santon straps are normally not padded as thick as the others. It would have been an easy guess if the colour of the straps is brown...lol

in strong light, the gloss of the Santonis comes across very strongly and clearly.

above pic are matte black IWC OEM straps

above pic shows the Santoni second from the right.
[b]

Santonis are slightly wider down through the tail. They taper slightly more sharply at the end bit, and the padding evenness sets them clear apart from normal straps - they have even padding, and the padding sides are tucked almost in a squarish/boxed fashion (as opposed to being curved), and the deeper grooves are clearly distinctive because of the color contrast - this differently and distinctively colored grooves seem to me the easiest way to tell from the strap surface whether it is a Santoni.

if you peer carefully at the stitching, in my opinion the stitching thread is thicker in a Santoni, and generally the stitching is more tightly packed. More importantly - the angle of the stitching can change - flatter when the strap thickness is less, and more angled at the thicker bits, as compared the more uniformed OEM cousin.
[/b]

Interesting! Thanks Shnig!

Rgds
Kee Siew

with some slight exceptions, each 'section' of a Santoni is more or less the same width:

above pic shows the 3 black IWC OEM strap set apart from the Santoni.

below is another attempt to show the same 'sectional consistency' of a Santoni. the two left most are Santonis - u can tell from the orange bit of underside:

the stitching is also tighter, and more angled.

when is a black, not a black ? well - in my opinion that is exactly the case with a Santoni: they are lighter, and with a bluish hue to them. I have yet to see a dark black Santoni of the same dark shade as its normal black OEM cousin.