he watch strap can transform a familiar timepiece, changing its character without touching its mechanics. For Atelier du Bracelet Parisien (ABP), that versatility is central to a new chapter under Managing Director Guillaume Dromel: bringing French bespoke strap-making to a broader public.

With experience spanning high-end leather goods, fine jewellery, watchmaking and textile weaving, Dromel is overseeing a renewal of the atelier’s identity and customer experience. The aim is to preserve its specialist skills while making its services better known beyond established circles of collectors.

From specialist craft to a Parisian institution

Although ABP was founded in April 1997, its craft heritage reaches back nearly six decades through Jean-Claude Perrin, a pioneer of leather straps for fine watchmaking. In 1982, Perrin worked with Jean-Claude Biver during the relaunch of Blancpain to introduce an ostrich-leather strap — an innovation that the atelier describes as an industry first.

ABP will celebrate its 30th anniversary in April 2027, with a third generation of craftspeople carrying its expertise forward. Its Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant label, awarded by the French state, recognises the specialist skills practised and passed on in the workshop: cutting, skiving, turning edges, hand-stitching and edge finishing.

The anniversary will also coincide with a return to its historic premises. Following renovations initiated in 2023, the boutique and workshop are due to move back to 56 Place du Marché Saint-Honoré in spring 2027. The renewed space is intended to give customers a closer view of the work behind their straps.

Making bespoke more accessible

Dromel’s ambition centres on a straightforward proposition: a French-made bespoke strap should be within reach of a wider clientele, with delivery times that make personalisation a practical choice.

“I am determined to show that bespoke is not reserved for a privileged few,” he says. “We are committed to offering every client a strap made in France, with lead times that few in the industry can match: around ten days on average and, for certain requests, just twenty-four hours.”

Price is another priority. Dromel wants to maintain competitive pricing while preserving the quality of materials and execution. As he puts it: “Our ambition is to share this vision of bespoke craftsmanship and French artisanal excellence with as many people as possible.”

A different way to dress a watch

The changes extend to ABP’s visual identity, logo, art direction and digital presence. A new website, www.abp-paris.com, replaces abpconcept.paris.

Collectors and watch enthusiasts remain an important audience, but the atelier also hopes to attract younger customers and more women. Its message places greater emphasis on the strap as a fashion accessory: a way to adapt a watch to an outfit, a season or an occasion, while expressing the wearer’s own taste.

ABP is also opening its workshop to visitors by appointment, inviting journalists, stylists, content creators and watch enthusiasts to see the craft firsthand. For a business built on personalisation, showing how a strap takes shape offers a direct introduction to what bespoke involves — from the first cut to the final stitch.