Older post, but coming from an old guard member.
The old days most just put on a strap and wore it. Time and handling aged the strap giving the leather a nice old look.
Example of my 9B tan leather strap.
New leather

Fake πατίνα στα λουράκια
Fake πατίνα στα λουράκια
After a year. A nice smooth honey gold color

Fake πατίνα στα λουράκια
Fake πατίνα στα λουράκια
New members don't want to wait. They want the aged look now.
I call these new members Panifashionistas.
I checked out a dealer which had 4 pages of faked patina straps of all different colors. Same design on all of them.
Even though I can make myself a new strap any time I want. I tend to just wear one for a few years at which point I may change over to a new leather and give the old ones to my newphew
DON