Choosing a Leather Watchstrap?

[datrat]

What are some guidelines you should follow when choosing a leather watchstrap?

Does your skin/hair/eye tone/color affect the choice?

Should you try to match your shoes, belt, or other leathers? (or even match other brown items, like tortoise glasses)?

 

[Saodavi]

I match my leather strap to my belt and shoes (generally). I won't mix blacks and browns and I try to keep the browns in roughly the same shade as each other. Depending on the watch dial and style, I might opt for some contrast stitching on the strap to tie in to something on the dial.

Also, if you're buying a custom, hand made or otherwise high quality leather strap ($75+) I recommend putting it on a deployant clasp as it will greatly extend the life of the leather and class up the strap as well.