Some luxury watches (such as Patek Philippe Nautilus, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, or Hublot) use inserts (metal or plastic parts) inside their straps. These inserts ensure a perfect integration of the strap with the watch case, both aesthetically and technically.
However, this makes replacing the strap complex: a standard strap cannot be properly fitted to these models.
Solutions offered by MisterChrono
To replace these specific straps while maintaining custom quality, the MisterChrono workshop offers three technical solutions depending on your watch model:
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Existing MisterChrono Inserts: For some very popular models (AP Royal Oak, Patek Nautilus, Cartier Santos Dumont), MisterChrono has already developed its own metal or brass inserts.
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Insert Transfer (The "Sacrifice"): For other models, MisterChrono needs to retrieve the inserts from one of your old straps.
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Process: Your old strap is dismantled to extract the insert, which is then hand-covered with new leather.
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Condition: The retrieved insert must be in good condition. This operation is impossible with a 100% metal strap.
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Advice: If you wish to keep your original strap intact, it is recommended to purchase a cheap used strap to serve as a "donor" for the inserts.
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Lead Times and Costs
Due to the technical complexity and meticulous manual work (covering around the insert), please allow for:
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An additional cost of €100 compared to the price of a classic custom strap.
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A manufacturing lead time of approximately 3-4 weeks.
Installation
Mounting these straps is more delicate than a classic strap.
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In-store: Installation is free.
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Remote: It is highly recommended to have the strap installed by a qualified watchmaker.
Examples of concerned brands
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
Breguet Marine
Bulgari Octo Finissimo
Cartier Santos
Corum
Dior
Ebel
Franck Muller
Girard-Perregaux
Hublot Big Bang
IWC
Jaeger-LeCoultre
Longines
Omega
Patek Nautilus
Piaget
Richard Mille
Roger Dubuis
Ulysse Nardin
Vacheron Constantin Overseas
Zenith
