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Steeped
in the tradition of fine Italian leather, Sirtoli goes the extra
mile to deliver a product which is nothing short of a miniature
work of art. Some of the features that give Sirtoli hand-finished
straps their durable elegance are outlined for you here.
SKIN ACQUISITION
- All of the alligator and crocodile skins we use are carefully
hand selected from among the best (grade A) available in the world.
This fact alone sets Sirtoli apart from most other brands. Only
skins certified according to the Washington Convention (CITES)
for protected species are used.
AGATE POLISHING
- After the delicate procedure of tanning the skins is complete,
the actual production can begin. The first step is agate polishing,
a very reliableprocess which lets the scales be polished and pressed
naturally with only an agate sphere. (Varnish, because of its
toxicity, cracks the skin and ruins the grain of the leather.)
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CUT-
After the skins are polished, they are cut. This phase is only
carried out by highly skilled experts. When dealing with crocodilian
skin, it is very important to choose the position carefully,
as the area with homogeneous scales is so small that it may
not be possible to use the skin if anything goes wrong with
the first cut!
STRIPPING-
During the stripping phase, the thickness of the skin is reduced
significantly. This is done to create a well-balanced structure
of varying components. This is an extremely delicate operation
(tolerance up to 1/10dm) and must be carried out with consummate
skill.
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EDGE
DYEING - Operators skilled exclusively in coloring edges
carry out this task entirely by hand using nontoxic dyes. This procedure
allows the surfaces and lining to to be joined correctly so the edge
of the strap becomes more compact, which adds to longevity.
MATCHING
- Another painstaking procedure where the long and short ends
of the straps are matched. Every skin takes color a bit differently,
and scale size and type vary considerably, even within an inch or
two on any given skin. To deliver a consistent product, every piece
that bears the Sirtoli name is sorted and matched by hand for scale
continuity and color.
FINAL INSPECTION
- Not a single strap is sent to market before the final quality
inspection to ensure that every watch strap is consistent with the
original design using incredibly strict tolerances.
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