Few leather straps come with so much history, love and passion for watches as the Vintager Straps handmade by Micah Dirksen. Micah is a very well known name in the Paneristi community. Who knows how many Panerais out there are fitted with his straps, but one thing we know, is that when you order one of his straps you fully understand why his reputation is so impeccable.
Micah started collecting Swatch watches when he was a teenager and at that time he was also very fascinated by Rolex; however, money wasn't there to buy one. When finances allowed, he purchased his first Rolex to coincide with the birth year of his son and after many years collecting Rolexes, he found out that Panerai and Rolex had an intertwined history and became quite interested in them. Ironically, he was a "bracelet only" kind of guy, today, he outfits most Paneristi with his straps.
Micah's vintage Mauser straps are made out of vintage —from the 1900s thru the 1950s but mainly from the 1940s— Mauser ammo pouches from Switzerland and the former Czech Republic. The rugged and vintage nature of these straps is present all the way from their look to the musky smell of their leather. All straps are hand cut, hand stitched and marked by Micah out of his workshop in Napa Valley. To make a Mauser vintage strap, he uses one whole Mauser ammo pouch. As he says: "one pouch, one strap".
Many straps out there are made by guys that make these as a hobby and others just put their names on them after having someone make them on their behalf. What makes these straps even more unique —other than the interesting provenance of the leather— is that Micah is a full-time custom strap maker; therefore, every order is personal, from the first email a customer receives to the postage label that was placed with Micah's hands. All straps are custom made to order and you can choose everything from the the Mauser pouch to be used for your strap to the length, the width, type of buckle, strap perforations and even the stitching. You could also just choose no buckle and use your own OEM buckle just like we did.
If you are looking to add a true vintage look to your PAM 388 Radiomir Black Seal 3-Day Automatic or to any other Panerai with strong historical influence, make sure you get one of these Vintager Straps from Micah. As you can see, the watch obtained more character and the fit of the strap is just perfect. On the wrist, the strap feels solid, comfortable and the desired vintage look is unparalleled. For those of you that want to darken your strap since day one, Micah will send you a small can of Dr. J's paste to get the patina and greasy look going.
Now, since we know that many of you are already wondering why Micah chose an octopus as his logo, here's the answer: because he felt that the octopus clearly represents what the original Panerai watches were all about, a rugged durable diver's watch.
Sticker Price Starting at $210 USD. For more info on Micah Vintager Straps click here.
