The 'How to pimp your Classic Buckle Band' Thread

[mhoutman]

The Apple Watch Classic Buckle revision 3 is my favourite band. It is simple, classy but still with a modern look and IMO a great match on my Hermès.

As Apple now only sells revision 4 bands, I was lucky to get some spare Classic Buckle revision 4 bands from eBay in different colors. Saddle Brown, Black, Red and Marine Blue. In fact I never saw last color in person but it is amazing and very nice on the Hermès too. In fact it looks a bit the same as Hermès Blue Jean, where Apple’s Red almost resembles Hermès Feu Epsom.

As a collector of vintage IWC and Rolex watches I was still missing a dark brown strap made by Apple. Saddle brown is nice but not very vivid and ageing takes….ages. Here the Fauve Barenia leather is much more easier to have a patina

As I now have some spares I thought it was time to make my own Dark Brown Classic Buckle band.

Here is the recipe:

1) Dry your band, to have it free from moisture.

2) Mask backside with (mask) tape

3) If the band is dirty (shame on you) use some leather cleaner.

4) Put just a very little (good quality) dark brown shoe polish on a cloth and start wiping in round circles on the upper part of both bands.

4) Have the shoe polish dry for 5 minutes

5) Polish wipe in round circles. The leather will heat up and gets a shine. (The stock Classic Bands hardly shine if not at all).

I applied about 2 layers of dark brown but found that the color difference was only a bit darker and not to my taste…so

6) Put just a very little (good quality) black shoe polish on a cloth and start wiping in round circles on the upper part of both bands.

7) Have the shoe polish dry for 5 minutes

8) Polish wipe in round circles.

Now the result was much better (darker).

9) To 'antique' the band I applied a last layer with both equal parts of black and dark brown shoe polish.

7) Have the shoe polish dry for 5 minutes

8) Polish wipe in round circles.

Voila, this is the result. I like it a lot. Stitching is very dark now (nice contrast) and band so much more vivid.

A last word. This is just an experiment and it is on your won risk. If you do the same, please apply only a very small portion shoe polish and have patience.

The classic buckle is finally classic. Enjoy

 

[K Anderson]

Very nice, I like it. I just got one in the mail yesterday and I was going to put some water proofing stuff I have on it figuring that would make it a little darker but I might have to try this.

 

[jags828]

The Apple Watch Classic Buckle revision 3 is my favourite band. It is simple, classy but still with a modern look and IMO a great match on my Hermès.

As Apple now only sells revision 4 bands, I was lucky to get some spare Classic Buckle revision 4 bands from eBay in different colors. Saddle Brown, Black, Red and Marine Blue. In fact I never saw last color in person but it is amazing and very nice on the Hermès too. In fact it looks a bit the same as Hermès Blue Jean, where Apple’s Red almost resembles Hermès Feu Epsom.

As a collector of vintage IWC and Rolex watches I was still missing a dark brown strap made by Apple. Saddle brown is nice but not very vivid and ageing takes….ages. Here the Fauve Barenia leather is much more easier to have a patina

As I now have some spares I thought it was time to make my own Dark Brown Classic Buckle band.

Here is the recipe:

1) Dry your band, to have it free from moisture.

2) Mask backside with (mask) tape

3) If the band is dirty (shame on you) use some leather cleaner.

4) Put just a very little (good quality) dark brown shoe polish on a cloth and start wiping in round circles on the upper part of both bands.

4) Have the shoe polish dry for 5 minutes

5) Polish wipe in round circles. The leather will heat up and gets a shine. (The stock Classic Bands hardly shine if not at all).

I applied about 2 layers of dark brown but found that the color difference was only a bit darker and not to my taste…so

6) Put just a very little (good quality) black shoe polish on a cloth and start wiping in round circles on the upper part of both bands.

7) Have the shoe polish dry for 5 minutes

8) Polish wipe in round circles.

Now the result was much better (darker).

9) To 'antique' the band I applied a last layer with both equal parts of black and dark brown shoe polish.

7) Have the shoe polish dry for 5 minutes

8) Polish wipe in round circles.

Voila, this is the result. I like it a lot. Stitching is very dark now (nice contrast) and band so much more vivid.

A last word. This is just an experiment and it is on your won risk. If you do the same, please apply only a very small portion shoe polish and have patience.

The classic buckle is finally classic. Enjoy

View attachment 727261 View attachment 727262 View attachment 727263

What is the name of the band to the right of the one attached to the watch?

 

[mhoutman]

What is the name of the band to the right of the one attached to the watch?

Marine Blue Classic buckle (rev 3)
[doublepost=1509000602][/doublepost]

Very nice, I like it. I just got one in the mail yesterday and I was going to put some water proofing stuff I have on it figuring that would make it a little darker but I might have to try this.

Be very careful what products to use. I discovered that this leather treats different than others....

 

[testcard]

I’m tempted to try pimping my Saddle Brown having seen the results above. Gives the band a really nice antique ‘patina’.

 

[jags828]

Marine Blue Classic buckle (rev 3)
[doublepost=1509000602][/doublepost]
Be very careful what products to use. I discovered that this leather treats different than others....

What about the name of the one next to the Marine Blue?

 

[mhoutman]

What about the name of the one next to the Marine Blue?

Midnight Blue
[doublepost=1509123680][/doublepost]

I’m tempted to try pimping my Saddle Brown having seen the results above. Gives the band a rally nice antique ‘patina’.

It does, and your never get this result whith normal use on this kind of 'over-manufactured' leather. Leather also should smell, but this later does not at all...

Before starting please do mask and apply from light to dark....only a very little too, layer by layer.

Now the band also got a nice contrast on the stichting

 

[jags828]

Midnight Blue

I just bought the Marine Blue last night because of your picture. Marine Blue and Sea Blue look different in every picture I see.

 

[mhoutman]

I just bought the Marine Blue last night because of your picture. Marine Blue and Sea Blue look different in every picture I see.

Great , and Glad you like it.

Also look here https://superphen.co/2016/10/02/comparing-the-three-generations-of-apples-classic-buckle-watch-band/. Scroll to the bottom, Marine Blue vs Ocean Blue. (I think Ocean Blue is a wrong description but it should be Sea Blue)

Marine Blue is like Hermès Blue Jean...great color hermes blue jean.

 

[mhoutman]

Pre-production has started; getting orders from all over the world

 

[testcard]

How’s this looking?

 

[mhoutman]

How’s this looking?

View attachment 728377

Nice, love the tint on the rev 2, but my suggestion would be to apply an other layer to make it a bit more deeper. Just to make it a tad 'richer' with less bright spots. Also thorough polishing wil give a more burnished look burnished watch strap

But of course it is all a matter of personal tase

 

[testcard]

I shall make that my weekend project

 

[mhoutman]

I shall make that my weekend project

yes, take your time for it. It is not a 30 minute job.

Looking forward to the result

 

[Darrensk8]

I prefer this design so much more than the new one.

The large square buckle on the new one hasn’t grown on me at all

 

[mhoutman]

I prefer this design so much more than the new one.

The large square buckle on the new one hasn’t grown on me at all

+1
[doublepost=1509472702][/doublepost]

I shall make that my weekend project

may we have some pics please

 

[Bobpies]

Had a go at this myself

Pretty happy with the results

Only slight problem I have is with the reddish tint in certain light. might try another few layers