Caring for Leather Watch Straps in the Hot Summer Season

Basic Characteristics of Leather Belts

Leather watch straps have a shorter lifespan compared to metal bands, typically lasting around 2-3 years and are considered consumables. While leather straps are a great way to add style to your watch, proper maintenance is crucial. Neglecting this can result in the strap getting dirty, greasy, and developing odors.

Therefore, it is very important to understand the basic characteristics of leather watch straps and learn the appropriate care methods. JLC Handmade leather straps are made of high-quality materials, but proper care is necessary for any luxury leather. Let's take a look at how to care for leather watch straps together.

Caring for Leather Watch Straps in the Hot Summer Season

Keep in a dry state

If the leather watch strap gets wet, promptly wipe off the moisture with absorbent paper, place it in a well-ventilated dry area or under a desk lamp to dry, and then gently wipe it with a soft cloth. JLC Handmade leather watch straps are of high quality, but care must be taken with moisture.

Wipe regularly

You can wipe the leather watch strap with a small amount of leather protector available at supermarkets every 1-2 months. This helps remove dirt from the leather watch strap and protect the surface of the leather.

Avoid wearing constantly

If possible, it is recommended to alternate between using two or more watches. This not only extends the life of the leather watch strap but also provides different visual effects.

Wear the belt loosely

A belt worn tightly puts stress on the wrist every time it moves. This can lead to premature deterioration of the belt. Wearing the belt loosely can prevent such damage and has the additional benefit of not restricting blood flow to the wrist (unlike a tightly worn belt).

Avoid placing cosmetics and chemicals near the belt

When applying sunscreen, perfume, skincare creams, or other cosmetics around the leather watch strap, please be careful. These cosmetics may cause stains or discoloration on the leather if they come into contact with the band. Avoid exposing the leather watch strap to solvents, mercury, cosmetic sprays, cleaners, adhesives, paints, or camphor chemicals. These chemicals can cause discoloration and deterioration of the watch case and strap.

Limit exposure to sunlight and heat

Exposure to sunlight can darken leather, while exposure to heat can dry it out and potentially cause cracks. If your watch strap leather gets damp and needs to dry, make sure to do so in a shaded area. When not wearing it, store the watch strap leather in a cool, well-ventilated place to avoid moisture.

Use leather conditioner

To give flexibility to leather watch straps and prevent cracking, you can apply leather conditioner. Over time, leather may lose its natural oils and dry out. The best time to condition a leather watch band is after cleaning, as the leather needs to be clean before conditioning. At JLC Handmade, we also offer conditioners suitable for your leather watch straps.

How to Prevent Cracking of Leather Watch Straps

When leather cracks, it is the result of microscopic changes in the material: leather is made up of countless small fibers tightly woven together, with the fibers more tightly connected closer to the surface and becoming looser as you go deeper into the material.

Ultimately, these fibers may dry out, leading to a worn and frayed appearance. Throughout an animal's life, its skin is nourished by natural oils constantly replenishing it. When an animal's skin is transformed into leather, the water in the skin's proteins is replaced by tannins.

Depending on the type of leather, flexibility can be maintained by replenishing with lubricating oil or wax. Vegetable tanned leather, especially those made in Italy, is one of the most well-lubricated types of leather. Proper care will also help maintain the beauty of JLC Handmade watch straps.

If you have dry skin, a lack of moisture and oil on the surface of the skin can cause rough, dry patches. Leather is similar in this regard. Similarly, if you neglect moisturizing your skin for an extended period, your skin will begin to suffer further damage.

When moisture is lost, densely packed fibers will continuously rub against each other with the bending and movement of the leather. Eventually, these fibers will harden and cause cracking at stress points.

Leather watch straps can be restored in appearance, but remember that damage from years of use may compromise the strength of the band. If the cracks in the watch strap are surface scratches, the leather can be refinished.

Clean the leather watch strap with leather cleaner and a soft cloth, following the product instructions. Apply pressure and rub on heavily soiled areas. Let the watch band dry overnight.

Mix the compound for leather repair to match the color of the watch band or desired shade. Spread it as smoothly as possible over and into the cracks. Follow the instructions of the repair kit to match the grain and texture.

Dry the repair completely. Apply leather dye or shoe polish as needed to blend the repair with the rest of the strap. Follow the product instructions. Apply leather conditioner. Polish the strap with a soft cloth to bring out the shine.

How to Prevent Leather Watch Straps from Unpleasant Odors

Avoid moisture and sweat

Leather is very sensitive to liquids, and water is the enemy of leather watch straps. Like other leather products, exposure to water can have a very negative impact on leather watch straps. Prolonged exposure to water, sweat, or high humidity can cause the strap to deform, become stiff, and even lead to damage, mold growth, and odors. Therefore, during hot summers, it is recommended that individuals who work outdoors for long periods or enjoy outdoor sports and physical activities avoid wearing leather straps to prevent them from being eroded by sweat. Additionally, activities such as bathing, swimming, and dishwashing, which involve prolonged exposure to water, should be avoided at all costs. If the strap gets wet, gently wipe it with a dry cloth or dry it before wearing it to prevent odors and mold. JLC Handmade straps are no exception.

Take off your watch at night

Leather watch straps need to be aired out and allowed to breathe regularly. Therefore, a good way to prevent the band from emitting odors is to give the band more frequent breaks. The best way to give a leather watch strap a break is to take off the watch at night. Overnight, the watch strap should have enough time to breathe and air out. Alternatively, if the leather strap has been exposed to a lot of moisture or sweat, it's a good idea to give it a day or two off. This way, the strap will have a chance to properly dry before wearing it again. By making these practices a habit, you can significantly extend the lifespan of the strap.

Frequency of cleaning leather watch straps

A good rule of thumb is to clean your watch strap every two weeks to keep the leather in good condition.

Leather watch straps that are not worn frequently do not require frequent cleaning. This is because they are exposed to less sweat and dirt, so they do not get dirty quickly. On the other hand, watch bands worn in hot or humid climates require more frequent cleaning.

Similarly, during the summer months, leather bands need to be cleaned more frequently than during the winter months.

Generally, when there is a lot of sweat or humidity, it is necessary to clean leather more frequently to prevent sweat stains and odors from appearing at any time.

Alligator leather care

Alligator leather is particularly sensitive to humidity and heat, which may damage the scale structure of the leather.

If the leather gets damp, carefully wipe it with a dry cloth. It is recommended to avoid using cleansing creams or dubbin that may cause stains on the product. The same care is required for JLC Handmade alligator leather straps.

Caring for your waterproof leather strap for Apple Watch

Apple Watch straps are similar to the above. Please avoid water. They are water-resistant but not completely waterproof. All leather watch straps are water-resistant but not waterproof. Keeping moisture away from leather watch straps will make them last longer. JLC Handmade's custom leather straps are no exception.