Swiss watch manufacture, IWC Schaffhausen
and Italian shoe maker, Santoni, celebrated their successful partnership in the
Gulf region recently.
Since 2011, the high-end shoe manufacturer has been
producing exclusive leather straps for some of IWC’s most iconic timepieces.
The hand-painted straps feature a special patina (aged look) and grades of
colour.
To celebrate the five-year collaboration,
the two brands recently invited a select group of VIP guests to an exclusive
dinner at The Artisan restaurant in Dubai.
IWC Regional Brand Director, Luc Rochereau,
said: “We are honoured to have Santoni, a pioneer and perfectionist in the
industry, as a partner. Their straps perfectly complement some of our most
iconic timepieces.”
Master craftsmen use original dye recipes
to apply up to 15 different colours to the leather in a process that can
require many hours of work. Today, some of the most iconic timepieces from the
Portuguese and Portofino collections are firmly held on their owners’ wrists by
straps from Santoni.
The Portuguese Perpetual Calendar, for
example, is available with a dark brown or a black alligator leather strap, and
the Portofino Automatic Moon Phase 37 is offered with a dark blue, black, dark
brown or green alligator leather strap.