Bang for the Belt Buckle: Published by Robb Report Magazine

This is an article about Winston and his custom belt buckles published in the Robb Report Magazine November 2006 issue.

Written by: William Kissel

Title: Bang for the Buckle

John Winston, an artist who prefers to go by simply Winston, recently carved a 391-carat chunk of turquoise into the shape of an American bald eagle. The piece is an impressive example of his work, which involves carving depictions of wildlife or Native Americans from pieces of rough turquoise, mother-of-pearl, and other gemstones and minerals. As with his other creations, Winston did not intend for his eagle to be displayed on a mantel in its owner’s home; he expects the owner to wear it on his belt. Winston crafts unique belt buckles that are precious enough to become family heirlooms.

“There is absolutely no one in the world who makes buckles like him,” says Todd Rauchwerger, owner of the J.W. Cooper stores in New York City and Bal Harbour, Fla., which have carried Winston’s buckles for more than a decade. Rauchwerger says he could have sold many more of the $1,500-to-$6,500 buckles over the past six years if the artist had not spent much of that period living and working in an RV with no telephone or Internet access.

“I called him once to place a $6,000 order, and his phone had been disconnected,” says Rauchwerger, who searched for the elusive designer for months before he received a Christmas card explaining his whereabouts. “It said something like ‘Dear Todd, I got tired of people, so I sold my house, bought an RV, and set up shop in my mobile home.’ ” Winston recently established a more permanent address in Daytona Beach, Fla., but his flamboyant designs remain difficult to acquire because he produces fewer than 115 buckles a year. “I can see them doubling or tripling, up to $10,000 or $15,000 at least, with time,” notes Rauchwerger of the buckles’ value as collectibles.

Much like custom cuff links or a limited-edition watch, a belt can reflect the wearer’s appreciation for quality and workmanship and demonstrate a sense of style. “Unfortunately some men pay a lot of attention to their clothing, but attach less importance to their accessories,” says Beatrice Amblard, who worked at Hermès for more than a decade before establishing her own custom business, April in Paris, in San Francisco six years ago. “If a man has a great suit and a beautiful pair of shoes, and he wears them with a poorly made belt, it’s a good indicator that at some point his sense of style just stops.” Amblard produces understated 18-karat gold or sterling silver buckles that she pairs with simple, high-quality alligator or calfskin straps. Amblard says that acquiring a custom buckle and belt can require research and legwork, unlike ordering a bespoke suit or bench-made shoes, which are more widely available. Retail outlets for such belts and buckles are limited, and most of the country’s finest buckle makers—often artisans who learned the skills from their fathers and grandfathers—ply their craft in remote locales, often in obscurity.

View Winston's Custom Belt Buckles at his website www.winstonbuckles.com