'74 Tattoo Diver
Di Stefano Straps from Florence, Italy
One of the best-known European strap makers within the Paneristi community is without doubt Di Stefano Straps from Florence, Italy. It's a family owned business started as a leather tannery business in 1899 in Livorno, Italy. During the second World War they produced some leather products to military specifications for the Italian army. After the war they moved forward into the business by supplying fashion houses like Gucci, Prada and Ferragamo with their finest leather hides. Now these days Simona Di Stefano, the fourth generation of the family business who earlier worked for Officine Panerai, has combined the two and created a whole range of top-notch watch straps from Panerai and other luxury watch brands.
Di Stefano '74 Tattoo Diver Strap
I got lucky that I managed to get one of the last Limited Edtion Bruno Allegrini Gamma Diver strap before. As that series is completely sold out and the demand kept growing Simona decided to come up with a next generation of this fantastic strap, based on the same leather with a similar experience. This time not a limited edition. The '74 Tattoo Diver strap wears the "74" number as a memory of one of the straps that used and numbered by the Marina Militare as it was part of their equipment. This is not really special as there are more strap makers that make a '74 strap. This strap has more than that, first the "74" is not painted or written on the strap, it is tattooed by hand into the leather hide, so it will not fade. Another very significant difference is that this strap is just like the original straps used by the Marina Militare made to dive with, it is water resistant leather. I do not know another strap maker creating this combination.
Fast delivery
The strap was sent to me within the EU, so I had no issues with receiving it. Di Stefano send their straps with DHL Express, easy to track so you know when the package is coming!
The strap
As all the straps Di Stefano supplies, come in a nice high quality pouch that you could use to store your watch in as well. This strap comes in a suede pouch bigger than the standard size and on the pouch the Italian flag, the number 74, "Tattoo a Mano" (hand-tattooed) are painted on it, makes it a bit more special and if you have more than one Di Stefano strap, it's easier to separate them 😁
The leather is feel soft and firm just like the Bruno Allegrini Gamma Diver strap, but looks more worn and has silky feel to it. Like other straps it has gone through vintage process to make it look used and still very durable. The leather used is called Bruno leather, soft, old fashioned, high quality leather, much in demand during the 1940's for its military grade robustness and waterproof character. Di Stefano still use Bruno leather for their special straps.
The finish of the strap
The finish of the strap is more refined than the Bruno Allegrini Gamma Diver strap and has a more smooth survice, it is a hand-made strap and the stitching is very sharp and straight with a bit bigger stitches than Brunio Allergini Gamma Diver strap. It has sort of a silky feel to it and you can see that the strap has gone through a treatment, soaked in the Mediterean Sea, treated with leather balsams and emollients. The sides are burnished, the lining of the strap is the same as the top layer of the strap, full Bruno leather and feels very comfortable on the wrist. the stitching is ecru. The lining is the same leather and with same finish, that means the treatment was given after the strap was put together.
Di Stefano Diver buckle
The Diver buckle as Di Stefano calls it is based on the flat buckles used in the 1940-1950' and is made of forged in aged steel. You can recognize a Di Stefano buckle by the logo that is hidden under the leather.
On the watch
Most important is the way the strap fits on a watch. This one goes on just as easy as most other straps, as it is a 26mm it goes a bit easier than the wider straps. First tried it on my PAM00372 and later on my PAM00389. Both look good but have to admit it looks the best on my PAM00372. Although it's 5mm thick it does not feel bulky.
Finally on the wrist
The strap feels soft straight from the first time I put it on. Due to the longer size of the strap you get 3 keepers with the strap that can hold the tail firm. The 3 keepers seems to be a signature of Di Stefano Diver straps.
My conclusion
The '74 Tattoo Divers strap is a nice strap and looks cool on both a PAM00372 and a Submersible. It feels very comfortable on the wrist right from the first time I put it on. The texture due to the triple treatment the leather got, gives it a worn look and yet it is a completely new and fresh strap.
The triple keepers, the long tail and the big Di Stefano Diver buckle make this a great leisure strap.This strap looks more worn and washed than the 27mm wide Bruno Allergrini Gamma diver strap and somehow, although is has the same thickness, feels slimmer probably because this strap is 26mm wide.
The strap specifications:
Below you find summarized the specifications of the strap.
Special treatment: grinding & polishing followed by seawater & natural leather balsam treatment, tatttooed '74 on the short side
Width: 26 mm
Length: 145/85 mm
Thickness strap: 5 mm
Type of buckle: Di Stefano Diver buckle
Buckle material: Brushed steel
Type of stitching: hand-stitch
A few additional images of my strap. Enjoy!
