Pictures, or it didn't happen.
Never bought from him but if that happened I would prove it with pictures, at least
Right, hopefully this works and you can see the pictures. I have few more if needed.
Here's the story... I have a Panerai Submersible the rubber strap for which has cracked and begun to fail over the 6 years I have owned the watch. I wear it every day.
I began to look for a new strap originally looking to replace like for like. Fortunately I have in the last week also done exactly this having ordered one in from Watches of Switzerland on Regent Street (London, for those that want to know where I am). Nonetheless, during the course of researching replacement straps I came across a number of blogs and Martin Wilmsen's Panerai Wristwatch Blog came up (not sure he still runs it - last posts are around 2009???). He'd taken photos of various straps and Ted Su was featured. The Ted Su ammo strap looked magnificent and I wanted one immediately! So went to the Ted Su site and worked out the customisation I wanted. I ended up buying one based on my spec which matched exactly the photo Ted Su sent me to confirm what they had made for me. I eagerly awaited its arrival.
What I got was utter rubbish. Wrong colour, certainly not aged leather associated with the ammo pouches, and needless to say the stamps have clearly been added in the last few weeks. My mum could have told me it was not made from genuine materials (that's why I state the strap is faked). If this isn't bad enough the strap reeks of new leather. It's a shame the photos aren't scratch and sniff. Seriously, it smells like new shoes or a brand new belt. I'm amazed the strap doesn't still have a pulse.
So the reason I posted was to understand other peoples' experience of this maker. I have clearly been ripped off. I have of course contacted them directly to complain and have been advised that once I have returned the strap I will get a refund. I can only hope this actually happens.
To the somewhat glib contributors on here that sprung the traps yelling that I must be a competitor or liar then I presume this serves to satisfy you. I know internet communities can be protective of their little bit of cyberspace and the areas they care about, but the response I got was staggeringly pathetic. If I hadn't spent circa £180 (or $280) then I would have taken this experience on the chin. However, I expect better spending that sort of cash so thought I'd sound out a knowledge base of aficionados to get what I hoped would be more sensible feedback. Believe me, I'll be leaving you all to your watch porn after this and wish you good luck. If however this serves to contribute as a warning great, alternatively you can tell me what I now know and that I should not have gone anywhere near Ted Su and that I am a complete mug.
Presumably not as much of a mug as the person that said he (or she) was a regular Ted Su customer. With him / her I truly sympathise as they must truly enjoy be mugged off so regularly. What a mug.
By the way - the attached image of the tan strap on the grey background in the top left is what Ted Su sent to me confirming what they had made for me and if I was happy for them to send it. I agreed. As you can see from the other images what I got was something completely different. Likely worth only £20 tops. Rip off.
