After
five years I have finally produced more of these superb replicas
of the original gold and black Hamilton Ventura strap. As
conceived by renowned designer Richard Arbib and first marketed
by Hamilton in early 1957, the "Ventura" Electric
was offered with a unique strap with a stripe of gold alongside
a stripe of black, complementing the stunning design of the
case and dial. However within only about four months Hamilton
discontinued this custom strap and replaced it with a conventional
black strap to reduce manufacturing costs. The few straps
that were sold in 1957 have almost all worn out and today
these original straps are incredibly rare and valuable. Those
few that do exist are usually so brittle from age that they
are not wearable.
Ever since
I began specializing in Hamilton Electrics (back in 1986)
I dreamed of making reproductions of the unique Ventura strap.
It was a much more complex manufacturing challenge that it
might seem, and it was not until 1997 that I finally had strap
to offer for sale. Alas, the company I worked with to produce
these special straps went out of business two years later,
and I had to go back to the drawing board, hunting for someone
willing to handle such a complex project. At last I have a
new batch of superb replicas which are even better than originals,
and even better than my previous reproductions!
LIke the
original it is handmade with two separate strips of leather,
with different colors and textures, fitted side by side. However
my reproduction is backed with a soft, hypo-allergenic kidskin
lining for extra comfort and features supple, extra-high quality
leathers and smooth remborde edges. Thse straps are handmade
in very tiny quantities yet their cost is about the same as
plain straps of similar quality: ONLY $28.95 each!
Quantities
are limited. California residents must add $2.25 sales tax
per strap. Shipping: please add $1 per order for packing and
postage. |
