Strange Kilt Strap Color Effect

[Bugbear]

I am going to replace the straps on my Stillwater Lamont. Several people have told me that the straps appear to be a very, very dark brown. I cut one of the straps off to take it to a leather store to try to find a similar color.

Once off the kilt, I was told the strap was now black... Putting it against other black things showed that it was black.

So I had the person, who was helping me, look at the other straps on the kilt. They appeared to be that very dark brown and so did the strap I had removed, but only when on the kilt.. From what I understand, the kilt has a lot of rusty brown in it. I don't know if this is what is causing the black to look like very dark brown somehow.

It's actually good news because I can just get good quality, black kilt straps and never worry about it again, but it is rather weird. And all this time I thought they were brown. At least they wern't bright orange; I can only go by what other people tell me...

* I just realized I forgot to get black thread. *