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
I paired this with my Sinn 356 black dial and the result is exquisite. The strap is robust, smells great, and feels wonderful even on day one. It also looks like a leather strap, yet unlike leather it had the added benefit of being waterproof.
The only detriment is that it is small. This does not affect how well it fits my large wrist, but it does mean the tail of the watch is on the bottom of my wrist rather than the side, and I sometimes get it caught on desks, arm rests, etc. This is definitely a big problem.
Excellent quality strap. Very much worth the price vs some cheaper silicone straps I’ve tried in the past. I added the black pvd buckle and it’s perfect for this watch.
This is a very nice watch strap. I've paired it with my new TAG Heuer Aqua Racer and it fits me and the watch just fine. It's a nice looking strap and I really wanted the black strap with the white stitching, to go with the white dial on the watch. Perfect match up.
Just be aware that this is a fairly sturdy strap, and to be honest it's probably overkill for my watch, which is rather thin and small at 41mm and a quartz model, so it's pretty light weight. This strap would be perfectly suited for a larger and heavier watch since is so durable. All in all though it's still great and wears well. Highly recommended.
Very comfortable to wear and adds a bit of a dressy look. A very tough sport strap not affected by water but the appearance will draw second looks.
With the contrast stitching in looks it's halfway between a leather strap and a rubber strap. It's exactly the look and functionality I was looking for.
quality product and quick delivery
The strap is great in many respects. It feels wonderful and is one of the nicest looking rubber watch bands I've ever seen. The vanilla scent is still a little weird, but in the way of a nice surprise when I put the watch on and randomly throughout the day.
My only gripe is that the band is somewhat short, or the free loops are loose, and as a result the free loops slide off the band. I find I have to slide them back down onto the end of band several times in a work day, and occasionally the band end sticks out and catches on things.
Update: After seven months of daily use the band looks virtually brand new (see second and third photos). I'm pretty impressed at how little putting it on and taking it off everyday has affected it.
I’ve ordered this 20mm Bonetto Cinturini strap for my Bulova Lunar Chrono. I needed a strap which can be exposed to water or tropical Florida moisture and should have the look of a fine leather strap. This strap is high quality, the width is slightly larger like by 1/3-1/2mm so that once installed, the spring bars won’t lurk between the case lugs and the strap, so it’s a perfect fit! You can’t go wrong with this brand!
Much more comfortable than the Silicone strap that was on my new Seiko SPB317.
I bought this band a little worried about how a rubber band with white stitching would look. Would it look cheap? Would it be obvious it’s a rubber band with stitching? I was pleasantly surprised when putting it on a watch, you really had to look to see what it is. The black color is matted a bit so you really have to look to notice that it is rubber. It took my wife a double take to realize it wasn’t leather. The rubber is sturdy, but nice and pliable, so it is comfortable. I’ve read other reviews about the band smelling of vanilla. This is true, but the smell is not obvious or potent. You really have to put your nose in it to smell it. Overall a great band for the money.
