Waxed cowhide for the Omega Speedmaster

This waxed olive cowhide is a new find, and waxed leather is something I’ve wanted to experiment with for a long time. Waxed hides have a pull-up effect that gives them character from the first wear. The surface shifts with not only light but the colour changes depending on where you bend or put tension on the leather. Its the kind of leather that shows every step you’ve taken, every train or flight you nearly missed. 

Like the lines of a map, the patina will chart the terrain of your days. 

On the wrist, it feels soft and grounded, steady yet humming quietly with that old restless spirit.

My first vintage watch, back in 2016, lived on a green NATO as I travelled around New Zealand for work. I was younger then, running on stubborn energy, chasing deadlines, and finding small moments of stillness in new places. Green became inseparable from that season of life. A colour tied to motion.

These days, the same shade feels different. Less about moving forward, more about pausing to take in where I’ve been. On North Head, the harbour lies still under the winter sun, catching the waxed leather in a warm glow. The domed padding gives the strap a more structured feel than most. Built from hand-cut strips, stacked, bevelled, and shaped, the ridge rises from the strap like one of Auckland’s volcanic cones. It’s a detail that brings structure and longevity, softening slowly with each wear.

It also reminds me of a much earlier piece. One of my first custom dyes, a shade I called “Mango Green.” It was simple, unstitched, without even an integrated keeper — but it showed me how colour alone could define a strap. Seeing that old strap beside this waxed olive feels like a before-and-after of my own journey. Not just of craft, but of patience and perspective.

This waxed olive carries that idea forward, with added structure and experience shaping the result. More than a strap, it’s a continuation of a story.