Design
Quality of Materials
Value for Money 
Craftsmanship 
Customer Service Once you’ve seen the power of a high-quality piece of leather, it’s hard to go back to anything else.
My fascination started with boots. Then I took a little detour to leather jackets.
Naturally, my interest in fine leatherworking most recently had me looking at different belts.
And I landed on Roger Ximenez, the Miami-based custom belt maker with an eye for some of the best leathers you can get on a dress belt.
I picked up a custom piece for myself and after a few weeks of wearing, my verdict is in. Keep reading to get the full story.
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What Is Roger Ximenez?
Roger Ximenez is a luxury belt, wallet, and bag brand founded by—you guessed it—Roger Ximenez.
Ximenez spent much of his youth in Offenbach, Germany: a hub of fine European leather-craft. There, he honed old-world skills like leather tanning and leather selection.
In the 80s, Ximenez arrived in Miami, where he started to build his belt-making business and earn a reputation for outstanding quality.
Since then, Roger Ximenez belts have caught on in golfing club circles and are expanding to the wider world of luxury fashion.
Things to Consider Before Buying a Custom Leather Belt from Roger Ximenez
Technically, Roger Ximenez belts do help keep your pants up. But that’s not really what we’re looking for in a fine, custom-made leather belt crafted from Italian calf leather.
These belts are built to stand out. They’re fairly wide, with large buckles, and a distinctive look. It’s the kind of belt that brings the whole t-shirt tucked into jeans style together.
You’re able to choose a contrasting stitch color, with some belts offering as many as eight different stitching options.
While these belts are on the expensive side of the market, they’re also crafted with the finest vegetable-tanned, thick full grain leathers. Not only will they last beyond your lifetime, they’ll also break in and patina beautifully, which is something you can’t get from a lesser-quality leather.
Save a few bucks with some of Roger Ximenez's online exclusives. These belts have all the same level of meticulous construction and high quality leather selection, but you can only get them online.
Roger Ximenez Review
Turtan Smooth Italian Calf Leather Belt
I picked up a dress belt to pair with a few of my favorite suits for when wedding season rolls back around, but I’ve been wearing it much more often than that.
I chose the Turtan Smooth Italian Calf Leather Belt as it’s a material I’m more familiar with and I really wanted to dig in on the specifics of RX belts to see what the brand is all about.
The Italian calf leather is vegetable tanned and dyed. Out of the drawstring bag packaging, it’s a bit stiff, which is to be expected with a leather this thick (and it’s lined).
The belt has a beautifully soft nubuck leather lining, with branding stamped on the interior. Because the nubuck is also crafted from full grain calfskin, it’s only very lightly sanded, so it has a very delicate texture that really speaks to the luxury and quality of the belt.
The buckle is made of solid Italian brass, and it’s plated with palladium to keep it from rubbing off on your clothes, or corroding. The buckle is much more sizeable than anything you’d find at the mall, and because it’s solid brass, it has a considerable heft to it that lends more of that luxury feel.
It’s like drinking a glass of single malt. Sure, any type of glass would work. But if you get that heavy-bottomed glass that echoes when you set it down, your experience is just that much more classy.
Lastly, the most iconic aspect of a Roger Ximenez belt is the colored stitching. I chose to get an orange stitch for my brown belt, but there’s also a dark blue, cobalt blue, matching brown, and a contrasting cream stitch available.
The brown and cream stitches are fairly conventional, but for a belt of this quality, I wanted it to stand out a little more, so I felt the orange was the way to go.
Each stitch features a heavy-gauge thread, so the belt feels very solid and well-built .
When you consider the quality of construction, and the fact that the full grain leather will continue to break in and patina, this is an heirloom-level belt.
The only downside I can see is the price. If you take the long view and factor in the longevity of this piece, the cost makes more sense, but it still may be a stretch for many people.
But if you’re willing to invest in your wardrobe via a fine leather belt that will stand the
This vegetable tanned calf leather belt is an heirloom level piece. Customize it with different stitch colors and leather dyes to make it your own.
What do Other Reviewers Say About Roger Ximenez?
There aren’t too many reviews online for Roger Ximenez, as their commitment to hand-crafting each belt has kept their operation relatively small. However, for the Turtan Calf belt I tried, one reviewer said it was his third Roger Ximenez belt. It’s always a good sign to see a repeat customer, especially for a niche item like a belt.
Beyond that, much of the customer service is handled by Roger Ximenez himself. If you call, there’s a good chance the man himself will answer the phone. Imagine getting that kind of service from Amazon.
My Thoughts Overall On Roger Ximenez
What I Like
The vegetable tanned Italian calf leather is near-perfection. There’s very little correction and it’s smooth, rich, and durable, so it has that high class look.
The detail of the stitching shows meticulous and consistent craftsmanship, which lends to its style and lifetime..
Each belt is made to order, and you can customize in several ways, including size, buckle, and stitching color, so you can pick a perfect belt for your outfit.
Free 2-day shipping in the US, plus all Roger Ximenez products are designed and manufactured in the USA.
What I Don’t Like
The materials are top-notch and the belt is built to last a lifetime, which raises the price.
Who is Roger Ximenez for?
Roger Ximenez is an excellent brand if you’re in the market for a fine dress belt that has a little more flair than a standard old boring belt. Nothing from Roger Ximenez is outrageous, but each design has something unique about it that other leatherworkers can’t replicate.
The Verdict
I was a bit hesitant on Roger Ximenez at first because of the price. But I figured they were worth a shot because if you’re dropping some coin on a nice suit, it only makes sense to compliment it with nice accessories.
Well, I still haven’t worn it with any of my suits, but I can say that I’m pleasantly surprised with how robust this dress belt is.
Just because it’s designed with style first doesn’t mean it’s dainty—it’s a substantial piece of leather and the construction is sturdy.
Speaking of leather, the vegetable tanned Italian calf leather is one of the finer pieces of leather I’ve seen. There are virtually no imperfections or loose grain, and it’s been corrected very little, so I can still see plenty of character in this unique piece.
Roger Ximenez belts feature no loose grain or imperfections, but there's still plenty of character in the stitching and craftsmanship. These belts are heirloom level pieces you'll want to pass down.
FAQs
How thick should a dress belt be?
A dress belt should be anywhere between 1 1/4” and 1 1/2” thick. Any wider than that and your belt should be considered a casual piece.
How can you tell a quality belt?
Good quality belts will be stitched instead of glued. The best belts are stitched by hand, which you can see if the stitches aren’t perfectly linear, but are set at a slight angle.
Is a belt a good gift?
Belts are a fantastic gift for men. Provided that he doesn’t have a vast collection of belts already, he’ll always find use out of a new color or leather type, either in his casual or business wardrobe.
