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.
Honestly, I think the Santoni straps excel in the brownish colored straps. The black may indeed exhibit the characteristics you outlined but it is not readily apparent in black to me. Whereas the brown straps are instantly recognizable. In other words, I think the other black straps you displayed would still look pretty good.
yeah - agreed that the browns are very easily distinguishable - I am not a big fan of brown though, so I don't have any unused or lightly-worn OEM browns for comparison, lol. My browns tend to be for the older, more classic vintage or vintage-esque pieces.
but I would disagree on the black Santonis - the reason why I have so many unused OEM black straps is because the black Santonis are in my opinion far superior to the OEM ones - both in look, as well as in texture & feel when they are worn (which would be common across all Santonis). To me, they have a lot of personality and are very distinctive - with their 'off black / bluish-hue' color shades being a important distinguishing factor. The brown would be beautiful, and perhaps a bit more conventional...
a) There is no light black reference because there are only three colors: black, brown, dark brown
b) as to the suitability of the black Santonis to the steel VC AT and Ing, hmmm.. tough choice for me. I only use my Santonis for white dials - my current one is for my ref 5001-04.
I personally find the light black with a bit of navy blue going very well with a white dial, and the platinum case and hands:
Given that the VC AT and Ing in steel both have darker dials, and the black Santonis are actually 'off-black', I may not pair them that way - but that's just my opinion. I subscribe to the (conventional?) view that straps should be darker in color than the dials - with some exceptions abounding.
(sorry no pic of the steel VC AT -- about time I got myself one though, I have been procrastinating)
I guess I did not make my point clear. Since I do not have any black straps I can only go by the pictures you posted. Given that and the varied responses by Forum members to your question, it is clear to me that the black Santoni straps are indistinguishable from other straps in the photograph. However, I am sure that they are readily identifiable in your hand or on wrist. Whereas the brown straps are readily distinguishable, even in photos.
First, let me say a big thank-you for the time and effort you put into answering my questions. That was not just a reply, but a "all out" review. If I had searched the net on this item, I could not have found that much material in total.
Well Done Mr. Shing !!
So, after taking in all the comparisons and your personal thoughts, a few final words from you Shing on these items:
When you say "Light-Black" , would you say it leans toward the grey tones or is it still 'no question' black in nature ?
A blue or navy hue in the grain, would this compliment the blue Laureus Inge dial with the understanding that you generally subscribe to darker straps than the dial color and would the gloss of the Santoni be to shiny ( vs. matt finish ) for the Laureus Inge ?
If I understand correctly, even though there is a darker black as well as a Light-Black, IWC only identifies 3 colors...Black, Brown and Dark Brown. Do you have a Reference number for "Black" ? Would you think that if one orders the black, it's luck of the draw which shade would arrive ? Any additional thoughts on this ?
My feelings at this moment are that I want to have 2 strap options for a new Laureus Inge I am considering this upcoming week. It comes OEM with the only blue croc IWC produces. But if the Light-Black or Dark-Black with blue hue grain is a better pairing, that would be my choice. Putting the Dark Brown Santoni as the other strap choice I think would make a nice " Overall Vintage" presentation.
Again....many thanks for the excellent show. For me, this was exactly what I needed to help organize my thoughts and assist in the decision making process. I think this was very helpful to all Forumers who now have a clearer vision of the Santoni Line and it's offerings.
more than welcome Andy. such exercises also help me appreciate what I have and come across more - so I learn to be more discerning hopefully, lol.
ok to answer you questions: * When you say "Light-Black" , would you say it leans toward the grey tones or is it still 'no question' black in nature ?
----> definitely grey/bluish tones. in strong light you will detect very easily the grey/bluish hue. with semi-lighting not so much.
a 'no question black' - well, possibly, say second from the right below may come close, but not exactly identical. a 'no question black' Santoni for me is a hard-find :) though I haven't had the inclination to find that yet.
* A blue or navy hue in the grain, would this compliment the blue Laureus Inge dial with the understanding that you generally subscribe to darker straps than the dial color and would the gloss of the Santoni be to shiny ( vs. matt finish ) for the Laureus Inge ?
----> that is an excellent question, and i was thinking about it when I wrote the earlier post. For my own personal proclivities and taste buds, my instinct tells me likely no. but the problem for me will not be the gloss - the black Santoni is less glossy than the brown ones, though shiner than the matte OEM ones. my issue with it will be that I will detect, and likely dislike, the hints of blue or navy hue, that will take away emphasis from the radiant blue dial.
* If I understand correctly, even though there is a darker black as well as a Light-Black, IWC only identifies 3 colors...Black, Brown and Dark Brown. Do you have a Reference number for "Black" ? Would you think that if one orders the black, it's luck of the draw which shade would arrive ? Any additional thoughts on this ? ---> let me try to get the black Santoni reference for u. If u are living in the States, does the online Concierge service provide those information? That would be an incredible resource if it did.
In my opinion, you are precisely right in that it may be the 'luck of the draw' Andy. The one on my 5001-04 is the lightest black Santoni the boutique had and continues to has. I wanted a similar one for my ref 502303 PPC, but it ended up being a tad bit too dark - so I went with a straight blue, leaving a spare light black Santoni which is the one of the two u see in the pictures.
You won't know until your dealer receives it. Even the boutiques do not keep ample supply: for HK FLagship boutique it is something like 2 to 3 pieces per shade, per type (pin buckle or deployant), and a new one gets sent in a few weeks only when one is sold. They won't know until they receive it. Color shades aside, the patterns are also very interesting, and can differ greatly.
My feelings at this moment are that I want to have 2 strap options for a new Laureus Inge I am considering this upcoming week. It comes OEM with the only blue croc IWC produces. But if the Light-Black or Dark-Black with blue hue grain is a better pairing, that would be my choice. Putting the Dark Brown Santoni as the other strap choice I think would make a nice " Overall Vintage" presentation.
---> is your dealer insisting on a commitment to purchase when u order ? frankly, if a boutique is not nearby, I don't think any authorized dealer will go wrong with ordering a few Santoni straps if he has access to it.
Yes.. you are correct Shing. A Forumer did post a Laureus Inge with a " Dark Brown " Santoni. That is what I had the opportunity to see a few days ago at my AD's. But most interesting was that from the pic shown as Dark Brown, it turned out to be more the lighter brown of the two Santoni browns offered. Both the lighter and darker brown Santoni's were on Portofinos in stock, so comparing them was easy. Which goes to show that because Santoni's are pretty much each unique in final color, no two are alike and without a decent amount to choose from, picking the "feel good" shade is a tough one. I will assume that the 3 examples shown to the left would be considered "Brown" and the 4th is the Dark Brown. That said, the Dark brown really paired IMHO nicely with the Laureus Inge.
Your comments regarding Gloss on the black Santoni being not as shiny as the browns but not as matt as the OEM's works to be OK with me. My AD is wonderful to work with. He allows me to choose and will order any strap/s to achieve the exact look I will be happy with before pulling the trigger. The problem with the Santoni black is that it is not in stock at his location and we could not find a reference number or a picture of it in his current workbook. Only the 2 brown Santoni's were pictured and referenced. Have not contacted IWC concierge services here in the States yet but great suggestion. Not even sure what IWC model offers Black Santoni as OEM ?
I can't tell you how much all the input and pic's has helped with my idea of Santoni being the strap of choice for the VC Laureus Inge. However, if the OEM Matt Blue croc turns out as one of the final strap choices, I will not be disappointed. It is such a dark blue and the contrast blue stitching pairs well with the Laureus dial. Like you Shing, I just want to consider all options b/4 making that final commitment. Besides, it makes the whole buying experience that much more enjoyable and I know you know exactly what that's like !!
I took Shing's earlier suggestions (previous posts) on the Santoni's and ordered the brown and light brown straps (for Deployant Clasp). I also purchased the new style Deployant. These will fit my FA Jones and VC Portofino! Or maybe my Port Auto? I was happy with my OEM Black straps that came with the VC Portofino and Port Auto. But the brown Santoni's look fantastic.
Excuse the small unfocused photo - I'll upload a better one later.
Tried finding the post of all reference numbers for Santoni straps, someone snapped a photo of the dealers book and it showed the three lengths the three colours and the two buckles.
Thank You Shing....perfect! The reference numbers will now allow my AD and I to move forward. I'm quite sure he will be happy to get a couple for stock regardless of my decision.
Your assistance is invaluable and much appreciated. One day I would like to visit your Homeland and meet you ( at the Boutique ) personally. Should your journeys ever bring you to SoCal ( Southern California ) Beverly Hills Boutique is a good starting location for a GTG.
