Ex-barrister Nawaz Razaq, founder of the St James’s based atelier INRÕ London, is reporting growing demand from international collectors for one-off watch straps in silk, leather and unexpected materials — transforming watches they already own without altering the timepiece itself. At INRÕ London, a specialist bespoke watch strap atelier based in St James’s behind The Ritz, founder Nawaz Razaq is seeing growing demand from collectors looking to make the watches they already own more personal, wearable and distinctive. Working with clients across the Middle East, Europe and the United States, INRÕ creates individually commissioned straps using leather, silk and other materials, often incorporating discreet personal details designed specifically for the owner.”The strap is the bridge between the watch and the client,” says Razaq. For some collectors, the motivation is practical: a bracelet does not sit comfortably, a vintage watch no longer fits correctly, or an inherited piece was designed for a completely different wrist.
A New Generation of Collectors
The Middle East has become an important market for INRÕ, with Razaq and his team travelling regularly to Dubai and Abu Dhabi to meet clients. The atelier also partnered with international auction house Bonhams during Dubai Watch Week 2025, strengthening its presence among the region’s collector community. Razaq says collectors in the Gulf are often particularly confident in experimenting with colour, texture and less conventional materials. One Saudi client approached INRÕ with a diamond-set Chopard originally fitted with a metal bracelet. Rather than opting for conventional leather, she commissioned a burgundy grosgrain silk strap. For her mother’s watch, she chose turquoise moiré silk.
The client later said: “I received a Chopard watch as a graduation present and absolutely loved it, but I’d always wanted to change the strap. The diamonds felt lost against the stainless steel, and I wanted something that would bring the watch to life. “When I found INRÕ, I finally had a place I could trust with my watch. Nawaz guided me through different strap and colour options, making the whole experience enjoyable and effortless. The result is beautiful, and the watch has now become my favourite in my collection.”
INRÕ has access to both an in-house jeweller and watchmaker, allowing the team to develop highly individual commissions while respecting the integrity of the original timepiece.
Making existing collections feel new again
Razaq believes the growing interest in bespoke straps reflects a wider shift in collecting. For enthusiasts accustomed to searching for rare references, discontinued models and hard-to-source watches, the challenge can sometimes be surprisingly mundane.
“It’s actually harder for some collectors to find the right watch strap than it is to find the watch,” he says. INRÕ deliberately operates on a small scale. Its three-person team produces around 30 straps per month, with a significant proportion of commissions coming from repeat clients. Every project begins with the story behind the watch.”The first thing I ask is: what is the connection? What’s the story with the watch?” says Razaq. That can lead to highly personal details that are almost invisible to anyone other than the owner. For one commission, INRÕ placed a small certified De Beers diamond onto the keeper of the strap — the loop holding the loose end in place. The detail was intended not as an obvious display of value, but as a private reference meaningful to the collector.
Another client, a Scottish man in his seventies, wanted to prepare a watch that would eventually pass to his daughter. Having previously gifted his son a Patek Philippe for his 40th birthday, he wanted to create something equally personal for his daughter when she reached the same milestone. INRÕ fitted the watch with silk and placed her father’s initials in real gold on the reverse of the strap.
From Vintage Cartier to International Collectors
Razaq’s route into the watch world was unconventional. Before entering the bespoke leather business with his brother, he worked as a barrister. His work with watches began through the late vintage jewellery specialist Harry Fane, who approached him to create straps for vintage Cartier pieces. Those early commissions required exceptional precision. Many vintage watches and clasps lacked the micro-adjustment systems found on modern pieces, meaning the strap had to take account not only of wrist circumference but also bone structure, wrist profile and the way the clasp naturally sat on the arm.
Over approximately a decade, Razaq developed those techniques through work with vintage Cartier before applying the same approach to a much wider range of watches. His clientele today is highly international. On one occasion, Razaq encountered the same collector in Dubai, Geneva, Milan, Paris and London within six months.
Luxury without another acquisition
In a watch market often driven by the next release, rare reference or new acquisition, INRÕ represents a different approach to collecting.A watch that has spent years unworn can become comfortable again. An inherited timepiece can be adapted for a new generation. A familiar piece can feel completely different through colour, material or a discreet personal detail. There is also a natural longevity argument. For INRÕ, sustainability is not simply about material provenance. It is also about encouraging collectors to continue using and enjoying pieces they already own. “People are always searching for individuality and that emotional connection,” says Razaq. For collectors increasingly interested in personal expression, the next way to transform a collection may not be another watch.
It may simply be a new way to wear one.
INRÕ London is a specialist bespoke watch strap and leather atelier based in St James’s, London. Founded by Nawaz Razaq, the atelier creates individually commissioned pieces for an international clientele, combining traditional craftsmanship with unusual materials and highly personalised design.
