Camille Fournet - Any good resources to help with options?

marcn · Apr 23, 2021

I'm in a bit of selection paralysis at the moment with the Camille Fournet website.

There are SO many different leather options and profile choices alone -- has anyone come across a good resource that shows images of the different leathers or the outcome of different options?

I've just now submitted a Contact Us through their site, but wanted to reach out here in case someone has already done this research.

Thanks all!

fibonacci · Apr 23, 2021

I'd find this useful too, and also for ABP.

sonicosa · Apr 23, 2021

I have one of their straps. It's very, very nice, but the buckle is the least comfortable buckle I have ever worn and seems like it was designed to dig into one's wrist.

Syrte · Apr 23, 2021

ABP has a huge online gallery... and they provide « swatches » of each color and hide on their website.
Not sure about Camille Fournet.... I used them a couple times and was happy with the product but I prefer Atelier Jean Rousseau.
But in all case I was able to pick the leather on site.

If you’re interested I can pass on the contact of a very nice Italian craftsman who does great custom straps at very reasonable prices ... he sends pictures of straps to help people choose, he won’t make hippo or frogskin but he’s got a good variety of choices and turns around in about 24 to 48 hours.

Below are some straps I commissioned from Camille Fournet (red), Jean Rousseau (beautiful navy blue croc), a custom purple strap from a local French shop, and number 4 down are from the Italian craftsman.

marcn · Apr 23, 2021

Sorry, what is "ABP" an acronym for? (I guess this is the consequence of spending a decade almost exclusively in natos! 😉 )

@sonicosa -- That buckle looks like a torture device! Ouch!

@Syrte -- Please do share, if you can. And thank you in advance!

marcn · Apr 23, 2021

I've heard glowing comments about Camille Fournet's leathers and the quality/durability, etc. I'm considering a new dress piece, and want to find a good strap, but damn if CF's website hasn't left my head spinning. I want something that doesn't end up being too chunky/thick, but don't know if that's where you choose leather thickness or in the strap's profile, etc.

Syrte · Apr 23, 2021

ABP stands for « Atelier du Bracelet Parisien », a high end boutique strap maker that does hands down the most incredible— and expensive custom straps.
Actually, their on line gallery is so stunning, also showing beautiful watches, that they literally are the cause I became
Interested in vintage watches.

Back to the straps.
« Chunky » is determined not by the choice of leather, but by specs of the strap:
- do you like it padded or flat?
- how thick (in millimeters) do you want it?

We really need to see the watch in order to advise.
It would be important to see a picture of the watch, see its thickness and have a sense whether modern or vintage.
For a dress watch (especially vintage) I would recommend a flat strap, 2.5 thick at most, not padded. (I’m biased I hate padded strap, flat is more dressy in any event— and more elegant in my opinion, even for a sporty watch).

marcn · Apr 23, 2021

Syrte
ABP stands for « Atelier du Bracelet Parisien », a high end boutique strap maker that does hands down the most incredible— and expensive custom straps.
Actually, their on line gallery is so stunning, also showing beautiful watches, that they literally are the cause I became
Interested in vintage watches.

Back to the straps.
« Chunky » is determined not by the choice of leather, but by specs of the strap:
- do you like it padded or flat?
- how thick (in millimeters) do you want it?

We really need to see the watch in order to advise.
Is it a dress watch or a sports watch, vintage or modern? Those call for completely different straps.

Big chunky tool watches usually call for thicker straps.
However Panerai style straps are thick and flat (about 4mm thick at the lug, and becoming thinner towards the end);
- other people like padded straps (I’m biased I hate padded straps).

Moments after posting I had the brilliant post-thought to use google 😀 and found https://www.abpconcept.paris/ -- Stunning is right, OMG, down a rabbit hole I go!

The piece I'm after is not one I can yet name, since it's a work in progress with the vendor, but hopefully saying "15 year old rose gold dress watch from one of the trinity" should help a bit to narrow down.

For this, definitely not padded. I'm veering away from anything shiny, and am considering ostrich in a warm brown/honey range. Anyway, back to fiddling on the ABP website! Thank you SO much!

hronists · Apr 23, 2021

I visited both APB and CF some years ago. Wasn’t impressed with APB at all. CF on other hand - their straps oozes quality. They were like peasant and artisan.

IIRC there was dealer in UK who sold CF straps with nice photos, but I don’t recall their name.

Syrte · Apr 23, 2021

I just edited my previous post after realizing you mentioned a dress watch. You’re looking at 2.5mm flat strap, I personally think ostrich is somewhat sporty and casual,
if it’s a rose gold watch I frankly see no other option but a matte large scale crocodile strap, but that’s just me.

Yeah that ABP gallery is a serious rabbit hole, maybe I should not mention it 🤦

hronists
I visited both APB and CF some years ago. Wasn’t impressed with APB at all. CF on other hand - their straps oozes quality. They were like peasant and artisan.

That’s interesting, what leads you to that conclusion?
I’ve only bought some of their stock stuff and have no personal connection to them except as a happy customer but their shop to me seems like a treasure trove. Have you looked at the hides and handled the straps they make? have you pulled out from the boxes the disco colored black and red or green and gold stingray, and all of the other incredible hides they have?

also they have incredibly individualized service, the people who make thz straps are right next door-/ whereas Camille Fournet sends their orders to the center of France, and for my first order some info got lost in translation and the strap had to be redone twice.

marcn · Apr 23, 2021

Syrte
I just edited my previous post after realizing you mentioned a dress watch. You’re looking at 2.5mm flat strap, I personally think ostrich is somewhat sporty and casual,
if it’s a rose gold watch I frankly see no other option but a matte large scale crocodile strap, but that’s just me.

Yeah that ABP gallery is a serious rabbit hole, maybe I should not mention it 🤦

I think there was a magazine ad ages ago (maybe it was Blancpain? I'll never remember, I'm sure) that showed a dress watch on ostrich, and it stuck with me ever since. However, matte crocodile... something to think about! Thank you again!!

hronists · Apr 23, 2021

Syrte
That’s interesting, what leads you to that conclusion?
I’ve only bought some of their stock stuff and have no personal connection to them except as a happy customer but their shop to me seems like a treasure trove. Have you looked at the hides and handled the straps they make? have you pulled out from the boxes the disco colored black and red or green and gold stingray, and all of the other incredible hides they have?
.

as I wrote- been to both shops, talked, handled products. CF is way above APB in my humble opinion and I am not a rich Arab or new Russian

Foo2rama · Apr 23, 2021

I will not order an orange croc fitted padded strap for my 3313 POC....

but I totally will at some point.

Syrte · Apr 23, 2021

Well, for sure ABP also makes showy stuff and most people consider their prices absurd, but Camille Fournet is just very conservative and much less creative, they just cannot make straps out of a baseball or baseball glove.
ABP used to make amazing strap for vintage watches. Thank goodness for OF, I was able to recover favorite pictures I posted 5 years ago from their now defunct old website.

fibonacci · Apr 23, 2021

@Syrte could I ask your expert opinion on this watch? (This oblique photo is the only one I have handy at the moment; sorry.)

https://omegaforums.net/attachments/image0-jpeg.971485/

It's a vintage sports chronograph, of course, but all the applied dial elements smarten it up in my opinion, and I was considering gold brown alligator (unclear on shiny or matte). But what would you recommend?

Syrte · Apr 23, 2021

fibonacci
@Syrte could I ask your expert opinion on this watch? (This oblique photo is the only one I have handy at the moment; sorry.)

https://omegaforums.net/attachments/image0-jpeg.971485/

It's a vintage sports chronograph, of course, but all the applied dial elements smarten it up in my opinion, and I was considering gold brown alligator (unclear on shiny or matte). But what would you recommend?

Thanks for the vote of confidence,
I agree gold brown alligator would look great on it, and I would definitely say matte.

Syrte · Apr 23, 2021

Well in the end, my favorite of those professional strap making shops is Atelier Jean Rousseau. Having used Camille Fournet twice, I switched to Jean Rousseau as I found they offer the best combination of price, quality, craftsmanship and customer service.

I had a project of making a strap with rivets and Camille Fournet simply would not accommodate my request. I found them totally inflexible.

I went into Jean Rousseau, they called one of their strap makers to the counter; she looked at the design and the rivets I brought, said « sure we can do that » - they opened up the drawers to pick the exact alligator hide I wanted, and two weeks later it was done.

Not surprisingly, I went back to them for my next complex strap project— and they are the ones I would recommend hands down for any high end, classy, professional job.

YYTIN · Apr 24, 2021

Hi
Never tried ABP or Jean Rousseau. Seems like I should give it a try at some point.
Nor do I own a croco strap.

I can just say that CF is very nice, even though very classic straps. I got 2 : one which I misuse (meaning that was for my first vintage watch : a very nice connie pie pan and I did pair it with a classic light brown smooth calfskin but I did not take care of the strap : too much wear in hot days and too much washing hands splashing on it) and ending up changing it in less than 2 years, another one in black lizard wich I ordered for a surf Zenith El primero, and I am still happily using it. Never had any issue with the buckle from my side.

I must say that I found those 2 on eBay (supposed to come from old stock of no more existing watchmaker) and that they were significantly cheaper than on the boutique.

Also I reckon I know where @Syrte is going when mentioning an Italian Craftman 😀
It has become my favorite watchmaker for matching vintage watch from 40s to 70s.
I just received today those 2 beautiful racing straps (wasn't sure he was making some). Nice personal communication (you can discuss, exchange opinions, get advices and recommendations), very fast work (I have to compare to another Italian company I am using GLC which is nice but take ages to send the straps) and above all very very nice quality (I'm on my 6th strap ordered through him). So I would really recommend looking at him if you like its stuff. It's Torrestraps on Instagram (yes the first time, I found strange to order and pay based on IG but I got used to it).

Here are the last 2 straps I received :

And here is the strap I ordered to go along with the connie after the Camille Fournet one as well as a black pigskin one for a GS

Hope this can give some future joice to some of you 😀

Have fun

Syrte · Apr 24, 2021

@YYTIN the Italian craftsman I was recommending is not Torrestraps, although I also very much like what @Torrestraps does and have been delighted to see his amazing progress since the early days when he was just a passionate hobbyist.

They each have their strong points, @Torrestraps has an unparalleled choice of fine calfs and vintage style textures, and he has an extraordinary passion for vintage style details.
However @Torrestraps does not work with exotic leathers and there are other differences.

Anyone wanting to find out more is welcome to pm me.

YYTIN · Apr 24, 2021

Syrte
@YYTIN the Italian craftsman I was recommending is not Torrestraps, although I also very much like what @Torrestraps does and have been delighted to see his amazing progress since the early days when he was just a passionate hobbyist.

They each have their strong points, @Torrestraps has an unparalleled choice of fine calfs and vintage style textures, and he has an extraordinary passion for vintage style details.
However @Torrestraps does not work with exotic leathers and there are other differences.

Anyone wanting to find out more is welcome to pm me.

Hi Syrte 😀 Ok my mistake. I'll PM you then