By Pierre Nobs

Throughout my past 25 years of designing, constructing and manufacturing watches, I have dealt with people cherishing the concept of quality, attention to detail and sharing the fascination for mechanical perfection. I always believed that part of man’s fascination with watches stems from the fact that he is in constant intimate contact with it. And what other product of daily use is able to display –or unmask– so accurately the taste and personality of its owner? 

One such other product is man’s belt. A belt primarily provides an archaic functionality; indeed, only a few – invariably very slim– men that can do without it. For the overwhelming majority, a belt is a strict necessity, it ‘holds the man together’, providing a sense of security of being properly dressed. In its long history, the belt has also been an important ornamental statement of status and taste.

One finds zillions of belts on the market, all pretending to provide style and value. Yet, it is peculiar that most tend to be shabbily and cheaply made, usually lasting for only a short period of time before looking worn; a rather frustrating situation for anyone favoring good design and longevity!

Retired from watch business and in search of new intellectual activities, I therefore began to analyze the causes of my frustration with the belts I used to buy.

Main reason for premature deterioration is the arcane ‘pin-in-hole’ construction that widens that one –usually too tight– hole in use; another is the habit of tightening the belt by pulling it into the opposite direction.

The ‘ideal buckle construction’ would naturally force the owner to pull it always in ‘the right direction’ and allow a stepless adjustment of the desired length without leaving marks on the leather. I asked an old friend, engineer and designer Paul Junod to join the project; with the assistance of his sophisticated 3D computer application, we simulated the desired functions, resulting, –not really surprising when old watch-guys get down to work–, in a rather complex mechanical construction requiring no less than ten precision parts. The new belt buckle should have a timeless, elegant design void of any silly ornaments; this was achieved by applying the classic formula of the “golden rectangle” to the lid’s dominant surface of brushed steel. The G&B buckle construction requires an even and accurate thickness of the leather belt and a high level of workmanship. Final tasks in «the making of the G&B belt» were the development of a tool-set allowing the intuitively easy assembly of buckle and belt after its individual sizing and the creation of a worthy packaging; the valuable wood-casket has an environment-friendly secondary use as watch- and jewelry container and makes Gents&Belts a perfect gift.