Buying white leather accessories is always a risk, especially if it is something you want to wear regularly. Dirt shows up easily on white compared to darker colours and more often than not, a clean just won’t cut it. Whether your item is heavily stained with irreversible colour transfer or you’ve merely had a change of heart, here at The Restory, our expert Atelier team are able to transform pre-loved items from one colour to another.
Colour swatches
THE ASSESSMENT
A white pair of leather watch straps were sent to us with the request to be re-coloured red. They had undoubtedly seen better days as the white leather was turning a yellowy cream and was even starting to wear away in some places. The straps were in need of a good clean before we started the painting process.
Before restoration
THE PROCESS
No specific shade of red was given, so a member of the atelier team mixed four different shades by hand for the client to choose from. The colour red has a vast history and can be traced back to 250,000 years ago. The naturally occurring pigment ‘ochre’ when composed of hematite (a reddish black, iron oxide mineral found in rocks and stones) turns red. Since then even more shades of red have been discovered; some in nature and others man made. Red is the colour of fire and blood and is associated with energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well as passion, desire, love and holds a symbolic meaning for many cultures.
Colour swatches
The client chose colour number four from her specially made colour card- a beautiful, rich scarlet. The straps were cleaned using special cleaning techniques to ensure that all dirt and stains were removed before our artisan began painting. The straps were then painted carefully in the desired colour, adding a few coats to hide all imperfections that the cleaning could not remove. These coats were added thinly to ensure that the embossed croc pattern on the leather was not obscured. The back of the watch straps were also cleaned and conditioned. Lastly, a finisher was added on top to fix the paint before being left to dry and cure for a week.
Restored and revived
THE END RESULT
The transformation of the dirty white watch straps to a vibrant scarlet has given the watch a new look and ultimately a new life. Whether you are in need of a colour touch up or a complete change, don’t hesitate to get in touch via our preliminary quote form to get all the information you need on our service.
