Padded Leather Watch Straps Showcase

A padded leather strap can really help add character to a watch. But with so many options to choose from it can be tough to know which one is best for you...

Today we’re going to look at some of our padded leather straps with comparisons to help you decide which is the best choice for you and your watch. All of the watch straps listed below are made from genuine leather, meaning that each piece slightly differs in colour and texture, making them truly unique.

The Highley Leather Collection

Due to the popularity of the Geckota Vintage Highley range, we have continued to expand the collection to offer more colours and styles. Here’s a closer look at each option…

Vintage Highley

The original Highley collection is available in six colourways, in either 20mm or 22mm. If you’re after a common style made from oiled Italian pull-up leather, then the black, dark brown or light brown options are a solid choice!

These straps work perfectly with vintage watches where the beige stitching compliments vintage lume nicely.

However, if you're after something more subtle, The Highley ‘Dusty’ colours are a perfect alternative! Made from gump leather, these straps are great for anyone looking for something with an extra vintage spark. This leather has a thin coating of opaque wax on the surface to help protect it. When worn this will create a dusty, worn vintage look to your strap.

This strap has a 4mm taper, with a thickness of 6.5mm-2.5mm and length of 125/75mm. We recommend this strap for any watches that have a case thickness of 11mm+ as it may look overly bulky on slimmer watches!

Each Highley features marks of its origin, meaning that each piece is unique. Additionally, as it is crafted with oils and waxes, the Highley ages beautifully and continues to develop character over time.

Short Vintage Highley

After gaining valuable feedback from the community, we further developed the Vintage Highley collection. This range features quick release spring bars, and is 115/75mm - shorter than our standard range. These also have a 4mm taper, and are 6mm-2.5mm thick.

The stitching on these slightly differs from the Vintage Highley, where it is a darker khaki colour. This offers a more simple look if you’re after a strap with a coherent look. The Short Highley is a great alternative option for those with smaller wrist sizes.

Highley Genuine Ostrich Leg Leather

Next on our list is the Ostrich Leg version, an ultimate choice for your dress watch strap collection. Boasting the stunning texture of Ostrich Leg, every strap is truly unique with their own fine pattern.

This addition is available in two classic colours and sizes, black or brown, and 20mm or 22mm. The measurements remain the same as the Vintage Highley - 6.5mm-2.5mm thick with a length of 125/75mm.

Kudu Highley

One of my personal favourites in the Highley collection is the Kudu leather version. Kudu leather is extremely soft and durable, expertly tanned here in England. Made with comfort in mind, this range is lined with a rich chocolate brown coloured suede lining.

The Kudu is 125mm/75mm in length with a 4mm taper to the buckle end. Although this strap is only available in one leather colour, the Kudu is available in other styles such as the Simple Handmade or Vintage Racing.

Douglas Highley

The last Highley collection features something a little different, and is a great choice if you’re looking for a pop of colour. Presented in a Douglas leather and with a slight change to the mould, this model is handcrafted by skilled craftsmen with thick padding and contrasting beige stitching.

The Douglas is 120/80mm in length, where the taper for the 22mm reduces by 4mm to the buckle end (18mm), but for the 20mm it remains at a 2mm taper (also 18mm). This strap features a hot stamped line running around the outside edge of the stitching, adding an extra splash of detail!

Otley

The Otley padding is slightly thinner than the Highley collections sitting at 5.5mm-2.5mm. One of the main differences that makes this range stand out from the rest is its large array of colours and sizes. Made from oiled Genuine Italian Leather with a velvety smooth nubuck lining, the Otley represents comfort at its finest.

Ranging from 19mm - 22mm, and available in both smooth or crocodile print leather, this collection is a great choice for thicker dress watches. We’ve paired this strap to a lot of watches - from the Zenith El Primero to the Rolex Datejust - it never fails to create a strong look!

Spexhall

Next up we have the Spexhall leather strap, made with room for 2.5mm diameter spring bars or tubes making them especially suitable for Seiko divers or Panerai watches. Choose between smooth or distressed genuine leather, and sizes of 22mm or 24mm.

Shorter than our standard length straps, the Spexhall is 115/75mm, and has a thickness of 5.5mm - 2.8mm. Additionally, these straps taper 2mm.

Kington

Last on our list, but definitely not least, is the Kington leather strap! Four versions of this strap are currently available; the Vintage Dress, Racing, Croco, and Shorter style. The Kington mold is 4.6mm-2.6mm thick, making it slimmer than other straps previously suggested. We have fitted these straps to a lot of different watches, such as the Omega Speedmaster, Seiko SKX, Tudor Black Bay and many Geckota watches, where its versatility is endless!

Vintage Kington and Shorter Kington

Due to the Dress versions popularity, we have developed the range to include a shorter version (115/75mm), making it a solid choice for those with slimmer wrists. This shorter version also features convenient quick release spring bars, and additionally can be found in pastel colours too.

Kington Racing

The Racing style offers a perforated padded strap to our collection, perfectly suited for racing watches. The 20mm version is 120/78mm and the 22mm model is 120/75mm, both featuring a 4mm taper.

Kington Croco

Made from a vegetable-tanned leather, the Croco version is printed with a crocodile pattern for a beautiful vintage look. Each lug size differs slightly in length, where the 18mm is 125/75mm, 20mm is 120/78mm and the 22mm is 120/75mm.

Explore our full range of leather straps here!