Quick Interview with Fortunato Watch Strap

I came across Fortunato Watch Strap in watchuseek while looking for straps to purchase and review. I found his strap very rustic which is the look I am looking for in my next purchase. On top of that, his pricing is very affordable.

I sent a private message with some questions after ordering and Joyce was more than happy to answer them. Sometimes, it’s good to learn more about people behind the scenes that makes all these possible.

Question and Answer

How did the word Fortunato come about?
FORTUNATO means lucky which is the word we mostly like in Italian. We want to bring luck to everyone who likes FORTUNATO.

What was your inspiration in setting up the company?
We manufacture leather straps since 2010 to OEM customers and collect different leather material from all around the world. The conclusion from that is we love vegetable leather made in an Italian Tannery.

You’re based in HK while the manufacturing / production is based in Italy. How do you maintain quality control?
The workshop and company are base in HK. This includes all the quality checks for the straps. We also have workshop in China for OEM production. Leather materials however are 100% from Italy.

When you mean OEM like you create straps for chinese watch brands?
We do not produce for chinese brands. All our production we export to are US, England, Italy, Germany and Japan.

What are some of the challenges you encounter on a daily basis?
I am still a beginner with digital marketing and still have a long way to go in promoting FORTUNATO leather straps. This includes expanding the brand to others.

What are some future products you plan on releasing?
We are going to launch more different style leather straps made from vegetable leather that’s machine stitched in thick thread and padding style.

Are all your straps machine stitched as of the moment?
No, we also have hand stitching.

Where do you see the company in 10 years time?
Since in the past 10 years, we have focused on mass production in China for OEM market. In 2018, the OEM business is shrinking by 30%. This also includes the political problem in 2019 that happened in HK. We would like to start another way to continue our leather strap business in HK like a retailer.

Do you wear any watches? If so, what are they?
Yes.

• Tudor Black Bay
• Rolex Yacht-Master 116622
• Green Submariner
• Apple watch