Xamlam Strap: when old military satchels become unique watch straps
In the world of military watches, the strap plays a crucial role in defining a timepiece's identity. For decades, NATO straps in nylon, patinated leather, or canvas have been the standard on tool watches for soldiers, pilots, and divers. But some artisans are now taking things a step further by using genuine vintage military materials to create contemporary straps. This is precisely the approach of Xamlam Strap, a French manufacturer specializing in handcrafted, custom-made watch straps. Among its various creations, the artisan offers a particularly appealing range for enthusiasts of military and vintage watches: straps made from canvas sourced from old army bags, satchels, and equipment. The concept goes beyond simply achieving a vintage look. Some of the canvas used is over 80 years old and still bears the marks of its past. Customers can choose the military canvas that will serve as the raw material, then determine the construction and characteristics of their strap. It's a way to give their watch an accessory that already has its own story. The prices are very reasonable, with a starting price of €120 (excluding special orders) for a fully fabric-bound canvas bracelet or its canvas/leather equivalent. The production time is approximately one and a half months.
Xamlam Strap, the bespoke watch strap
Xamlam Strap specializes in the handcrafted production of watch straps and leather goods. Its catalog includes vegetable-tanned leather straps, premium and exotic leathers, as well as two lines directly linked to the military: military canvas straps and "Ammo" straps, made from vintage cartridge pouches. Customization is one of the workshop's core principles. Rather than simply selecting a size from a catalog, customers can define the characteristics of their strap using a configuration form. Dimensions adapted to the wrist, shape, thickness, and various other details of its construction can all be specified. Xamlam also offers customer support by phone or email when they need advice on determining their measurements or making their choices. This bespoke manufacturing takes on an additional dimension when it comes to military watches.
Genuine military satchels transformed into watch straps
The distinctive feature of Xamlam's canvas straps lies first and foremost in the origin of their material. The workshop doesn't simply aim to reproduce the color or texture of an old military canvas. It uses period bags and equipment, some pieces dating back several decades. Xamlam's selection includes Bergam bags from the French army, French parachute bags, Swiss musettes from the 1940s, canvases from the Air Force, and even an EFA parachute bag associated with the craftsman during the Algerian War. The materials and colors therefore vary considerably. Some canvases feature a very classic military khaki. Others are beige, brown, chocolate, or ochre. Xamlam also presents a fine-knit French canvas made of hemp and linen. But the appeal of these materials lies primarily in what time has bestowed upon them.
A patina that tells a story
A military fabric several decades old obviously cannot have the uniform appearance of a factory-made canvas. Xamlam embraces this characteristic. The craftsman points out that some of these canvases are over 80 years old and may show signs of patina, snags, or stains from use and aging. These irregularities are not necessarily considered defects. On the contrary, they are part of the material's appeal. A variation in color, a mark, or localized wear immediately reveals that the bracelet is not made from artificially aged industrial canvas. The material existed before the bracelet. Xamlam explains that he selected his vintage military canvases for the characteristics of their weave and composition, which allow for clean stitching and lasting durability. On some canvases, the craftsman may also accentuate the aged appearance when this matches the client's desired result.
The client begins by choosing their military canvas.
This is probably the most original aspect of the process. The future owner doesn't simply choose between a "khaki" and a "beige" bracelet. He can begin by selecting the vintage musette bag or the type of military canvas from which his watch strap will be made, depending on availability. A Swiss musette bag from the 1940s will obviously not have the same color or texture as a vintage French army bag. This selection also allows for a coherent pairing with the watch. A vintage French military watch can naturally be paired with a canvas strap from a piece of old French equipment. Conversely, a contemporary field watch could be fitted with a Swiss canvas strap from the 1940s to create a contrast between a modern watch and a historical material. It is obviously not a matter of claiming that a particular canvas strap was used in a specific campaign or belonged to a specific soldier when its individual provenance is not documented. Its historical interest lies in the nature and period of the equipment from which it originates.
Discover the workshop Xamlam Strap
Leather-lined canvas or entirely fabric strap
Once the canvas has been chosen, Xamlam offers two major constructions. The first consists of a leather-lined canvas bracelet, made with cut slices. The second is a bracelet made entirely of canvas, designed using a rebordered construction: the canvas is folded over to form hems on the sides. The latter is therefore made from a single folded piece of fabric, without the use of leather. It can also receive a waterproof and non-absorbent padding material to give it more volume. The two approaches produce significantly different results. The leather and canvas combination plays more on the contrast of materials, while the entirely textile construction reinforces the utilitarian and military aspect of the bracelet. The thickness, stitching and shape can then be customized. On the edged canvas strap, Xamlam notably offers different widths currently ranging from 19/18 mm to 26/26 mm.
A unique bracelet rather than a simple accessory
This possibility of successively choosing the historical material, the construction then the characteristics of the bracelet ultimately changes the nature of the product. Two bracelets made from the same old bag will not necessarily be perfectly identical. The patina and marks of the fabric may vary depending on the cut part. This singularity takes on its full meaning on a vintage watch. Collectors often look for consistency between the watch and its bracelet, particularly when it comes to military models, field watches or old divers. A canvas that is itself several decades old allows us to extend this aesthetic without trying to artificially manufacture a “vintage-style” material. The concept can also work with a modern watch inspired by historical military models. The bracelet then brings a truly ancient material to a contemporary timepiece.
Military cartridge belts also transformed
Xamlam also applies the same philosophy to leather. The workshop collects old military cartridge belts from the Swiss, French and Swedish armies, some produced between the beginning of the 20th century and the 1960s, to transform them into bracelets. Some Swiss leathers even retain their original inscriptions: date of manufacture, saddler or village of production. The customer can then choose the marking and study with the craftsman its positioning on the future bracelet. This approach is particularly interesting in the context of an old military watch, since the bracelet no longer simply reproduces the codes: it physically incorporates a material from the same universe.
When the strap also tells a story
With its military canvas straps, Xamlam Strap offers a fresh perspective on watch accessories. The principle is simple: start with vintage military equipment, choose the canvas, and then determine how it will become a strap tailored to a specific watch and wrist. The Swiss satchel from the 1940s, the Bergam bag, the 1953 Air Force canvas, or the vintage parachute bag thus cease to be merely antique military objects. Part of their material begins a second life on the wrist. In a sector where military aesthetics are regularly reproduced using new fabrics with a deliberately aged patina, Xamlam's approach is different: the patina already exists because the material has actually aged. The result is therefore not just a custom-made strap. It's a unique piece whose nuances, marks, and irregularities come from a canvas that is sometimes over 80 years old. Paired with a historical military watch or a contemporary diver's watch, it serves as a reminder that in watchmaking, history can also be told through the strap.
Photo credits: Xamlam Strap / All rights reserved.
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Editor: Éric Barse
Journalist, entrepreneur, and founder of the websites www.cafe-racer-only.com and www.scooter-3-roues.com, Eric Barse divides his time between his passions: motorcycles, travel, and watches. A graduate of the Saint-Cyr military academy and the 2nd RPIMA (Parachute Regiment) before pursuing a career in communications and digital media, he has a true passion for authentic watches that have accompanied his two-wheeled adventures for many years, from the Indian Ocean to Africa and Latin America!
