Recent Forum Posts:Steinhart is known for it’s affordable watches, and its association with sister company Debaufre. Most of Steinhart’s watches are very affordable, and most are under $500US. Correspondingly, their watch straps are also very afforable, in the $30 range usually.
When I bought my Steinhart Limited Edition Nav B-Uhr, I received two straps. This Nubuck Buffalo is the one under review here.
As you can see, it is a non-tapering 22mm Pilot style strap, with large tang-holes for Panerai-style thumbnail buckles. The buckle that accompanies the Nav B-Uhr is a thumbnail style buckle, so works well with this configuration.
The rivets are for show only, and only go through the first layer of leather, with no exposed rivet on the bottom. Higher quality straps will use real Chicago Screws to hold the strap together. Stitching is machine done, and straight and looks good. I really wish the leather smelled nicer as properly tanned leather always smells better than the cheap stuff that is done in China. I don’t know where this stuff was tanned, but it does not have the aroma of the good stuff.
As you can see, the rivets are slightly crooked, but this is to be expected on straps like this. I have noticed time and time again that cheaper straps never get the Rivets quite right. Given the modest cost of the straps, however, it is not really a major concern. The color of the strap could be desribed as black, but the nubuck finish of the leather gives it a somewhat lighter appearance.
Looking closely in the holes, and based on the heavily sealed edges, the strap is probably has some filler material on the inside in order to reduce the cost of the strap. While this is common, or even expected at many of the very low price points, it is often seen even in $100 Panerai style straps.
While the straps are of decent quality and work well with the watches that they accompany, they are not tremendous value for money or anything special. Decent stuff, nothing more, nothing less.
Now, back to Italian Leather. What is it exactly? Well, in short, it refers to leather that is tanned in Italy. Italy has some of the best and most experienced tanneries in the world, with 
Di-Modell Pilot Brown Strap
Material: Leather
Retail Price: $54.95US
Street Price: $47.95US
Thickness: 6.5mm
Style: Pilot/Chrono
Size Reviewed: 22mm x 20mm
The Di-Modell Pilot Strap is very similar to the Chronissimo Strap, but lacks the additional layer of leather and the lug area over-wrap which gives the Chronissimo it’s iconic look. However, the Pilot strap is no slouch… it wears very nicely and looks fantastic on pilot and chronograph watches.
The Pilot Strap from Di-Modell features a double row of two-tone stitching. The outer stitch is a sort of Ivory colored stitching and the inner stitch is a matching Brown stitch. While the strap looks a bit black in the photographs, it is really a dark chestnut brown. The Tang buckle side has the leather tab below it that some people don’t like and is often found to be cut off by owners.
As you can see from the markings on the back, the Strap is proudly made in Germany (Deutschland) by hand and measures 22mm at the lugs. Both rows of stitching are brown on the backside. Unlike its bigger brother, the Chronissimo, the Pilot is not waterproof.
The leather has a nice subtle grain and has a great touch to it. Its a softer, almost brushed feeling but does not have the delicate feeling of Calf, so the strap still has a sense of robustness to it. One fixed and one floating keeper make sure the strap fits any size of wrist.
The holes in the strap are a longer hole and allow a more snug fit to the tang buckle than round holes. This makes the strap sit better on the wrist and is a nice subtle touch. As with most Di-Modell straps, especially the ones in this price range, the stitching is impeccable, and the build quality is exceptional. For a strap that costs under $50, it is very nicely done. Most OEM straps in this quality range can be expected to cost upwards of $150.
As usual, Di-Modell does a great job. Recommended.