Odd message on the T/H USA Website

Aquagraph
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I've just noticed that there are some watches on the US website with this strange message on them, the only thing I can think of is that is there some law coming in which outlaws Alligator straps?
Annotation 2019-12-24 090723.jpg
 
Lugduno
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You're correct, from 2020 it will be forbidden to sell, import or manufacture products in California that use crocodile, alligator and fur (and a whole bunch of lizards etc). Apparently from the 1970s to 2006 it was forbidden to use the products from some endangered species until Schwarzenegger lifted that ban for crocodile/alligator products. From the new year, these products will again be prohibited.
 
Aquagraph
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Oh right, thanks for clearing that up! I wonder if they will start making 'leather' with an alligator pattern on them?
 
Lugduno
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Aquagraph Aquagraph
Oh right, thanks for clearing that up! I wonder if they will start making 'leather' with an alligator pattern on them?
No idea what will happen, but it will be interesting to follow. Calf leather with alligator pattern wouldn't really breathe of "quality" and rubber wouldn't be the "same deal". Maybe some special "California edition"? 😉
 
Aquagraph
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Lugduno Lugduno
No idea what will happen, but it will be interesting to follow. Calf leather with alligator pattern wouldn't really breathe of "quality" and rubber wouldn't be the "same deal". Maybe some special "California edition"? 😉

I'm sure I've seen where another watch company has made a leather strap with an alligator print... it seems like it's going to affect quite a lot of products, so they're either going to have to offer an alternative or not sell those products in California.
 
Hubert
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Indeed the strap is alligator for this model. I also would have thought this was embossed leather to look like that.
upload_2019-12-24_10-21-3.png
 
Lugduno
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Aquagraph Aquagraph
I'm sure I've seen where another watch company has made a leather strap with an alligator print... it seems like it's going to affect quite a lot of products, so they're either going to have to offer an alternative or not sell those products in California.
They probably try some workaround rather than pulling the models out of the market completely. I saw that Panerai put up a similar message to some of their models and I guess that they will just change the straps to some kind of embossed calf leather.
 
Aquagraph
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Yeah, when you think about it quite a lot of the Carrera's don't come on bracelets... then again you can probably buy some of the models on rubber straps anyway.
 
Calibre11
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I had seen this- there are some interesting regulatory changes coming, including this one and the latest Swatch/ ETA rules. I don’t want to get this thread off topic so will start another thread on ETA
 
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