There are lots of good reasons to buy a new watch strap. Changing your strap can give your trusty old Omega, Seiko or Timex a new lease on life. If you've recently acquired a new watch, you may want to store your OEM strap or bracelet to keep it in pristine condition. Even if you're not concerned with preserving the OEM strap, often they aren't the ideal quality, fit or design for your wrist comfort or personal style.
Shopping for and wearing new straps is one of the fun things about owning a watch. But before you get started, you'll need to know how to achieve the best fit for your watch case and wrist size. With watch straps, size matters, and we can help.
Find your perfect fit
You'll need at least two measurements to choose a strap that fits properly: the width and the length. If you plan to swap out the buckle for a new one or switch to a deployant clasp, you'll also need to know the strap/buckle taper measurement.
Strap width
The terms "strap size," "strap width" and "lug width" are often used interchangeably. Don't let this confuse you; they all mean the same thing. Basically, the width of the strap where it attaches to the watch lugs (the two projecting arms on the watch case) is the strap size.
To determine your strap size, try the easy way first: check the back of your current strap for an imprint that indicates the size.
If no useful information is provided on the strap, use a metric ruler or a caliper to measure the watch lug width, or the internal distance between the lugs. This measurement will be a whole number, expressed in millimeters (i.e., 20mm). If your lug width is 20mm, you need a 20mm strap.
Strap length
If your strap is too tight, it could irritate your skin and affect your circulation. Too loose, and your watch will migrate around your wrist, constantly straying from its desired location. You want to choose the correct length for your wrist size.
To determine your wrist size, measure your wrist in inches. Use a flexible tape measure or a strip of paper to wrap your wrist where your watch would naturally sit. Mark the point where the two ends meet. If you're using paper, measure it with a ruler. That number is your wrist size.
Compare your wrist size to each manufacturer's specifications in our product listings to make sure you're buying the right length. If you find yourself between two lengths, round up.
Strap/buckle taper
Most watch straps taper in width toward the buckle. Your buckle size matches the width at the buckle end of the strap, not the lug end. If you have a 22mm strap that tapers to 20mm at the buckle, you need a 20mm buckle. A 22mm buckle will be too big.
The strap/buckle taper is important information if you're swapping out the buckle with one of your own, or want to add a deployant clasp. Holben's includes this detail in all of our product listings.
Changing your watch strap
Consider investing in an inexpensive spring bar tool for strap changes. If your strap uses standard spring bars, a spring bar tool can save you a lot of frustration. It can also help with quick-release bars if you have larger fingers or are dealing with mobility issues like arthritis.
Cover your work area with a light-colored towel or cloth to protect your watch, keep tools and parts from rolling away and hopefully catch any spring bars that may fly into the air. Place your watch on the towel with the back facing up; this protects the front of the watch from accidental slips or scratches. You can also wrap the lugs (avoiding the holes) with masking or painter's tape.
Remove the old strap
Removing the old strap involves a few simple steps.
- Use the forked end of your spring bar tool to expose the shoulder of the spring bar between the strap and the lug, then push the shoulder of the bar away from the lug hole towards the strap.
- Extract the bar from the hole in the lug and remove that side of the strap.
- The opposite side of the strap should fall out of the lug hole on its own. If not, repeat the process on that side.
Sometimes the ends of the spring bars are exposed through holes in the lugs. If this is the case, simply use the pointed end of your spring bar tool to push in one end of the bar until it separates from the lug.
Install the new strap
Installing your new strap is similar to removing the old one, only in reverse.
- Make sure that both your watch and the strap are facing up, and that each strap piece is placed correctly; typically the buckle piece sits at the twelve o'clock position.
- Insert a spring bar into the channel in the strap end. Slip one end of the bar into the corresponding lug hole.
- Using your spring bar tool, depress the other side of the bar and guide it into the hole in the other lug. You should hear an audible "click" when the bar pops into place.
- Repeat the operation with the other strap piece.
Change the buckle
Changing the buckle works the same way as changing the strap, with a few other considerations.
- Use your spring bar tool to remove the spring bar connecting the old buckle to the strap.
- Place the prong of the new buckle (facing the same direction as the strap) in the slot on the strap.
- Insert the spring bar through the strap channel, taking care to catch the prong.
- Confirm that the prong is correctly positioned (sitting on top of the buckle, not underneath it), then insert the spring bar into the buckle holes.
Now all that's left to do is enjoy your new strap. If you have any questions, contact us and we would be happy to help.
Customer Reviews
This is smooth, nicely finished quality rubber. Tasteful lines, the style and the grey color look great with the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical. One minor thing: the strap would be more flexible/comfortable if it did not get thicker towards the lugs, hence the 4 star rating.
As always, fantastic service from Holben's. They are my go to for straps, I don't even bother looking elsewhere.
Great rubber strap for any watch. Nice quality smelling like vanilla. Highly recommend these straps.
Awesome strap, I wear it every day with my Seiko SPB143. Had a hard time putting the fat seiko spring bars in. Really like the scent of the strap.
The straps are really well made for its pricepoint, very supple and comfortable on the wrist. The vanilla scent smell is strong but pleasing.
I highly recommend these for anyone looking to spice up their watches.
For a 4.75mm strap it is VERY soft, pretty much all other rubber or silicone leave me with a red mark on my skin but this one does not. It’s very comfortable, I hope the smell doesn’t wear off soon, and I’m definitely going to order a black one.
Bonetto Cinturini always makes high quality straps - I'm super happy the strap and aesthetic with my watch.
Bonetto makes a great strap and it smells like a vanilla Isofrane too! Didn't want a quick release strap that has a chance to fail. This strap fit well on my Sinn U50 and I know its secure with replaceable spring bars. Great service too!
Picked this strap up for my Nodus. The rich blue of the strap really makes my white dial and steel bezel pop. I think the strap is perfect in terms of quality and finish. The sloped design / lines on this strap model give it a great little extra flair.
If you're looking for a heavy duty rubber strap this one may be for you. The quality and robustness is apparent right away. It is quite thick so IMO it pairs best with a diver but to each their own. I'm docking it one star because it isn't the most breathable strap. The underside is completely flat and has no grooves or channels so I find myself loosening the buckle to the next hole when my wrist gets too sweaty. All in all a great strap but something to be aware of if you're going to be out in the sun and doing anything active.
I actually got this one in two colors because I had heard great things about the brand, originally because I wanted a red strap (and thought having a black one would come in handy). They smell really nice and are smooth and soft rubber, on par with the nicest OEM’s I have and leagues above something like stock seiko silicone. My only qualm is that they are simply too fat to fit the watch I was going to put them on comfortably (smiths everest), but this seems more like the lug spacing is small than the strap being unusually large. For now im going to keep them in my strap drawer because they are genuinely quite nice and impressive for the price, and I know the standard 20mm will be versatile and come in handy
