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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.
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.
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.
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.
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 your 20mm strap tapers to 18mm at the buckle, you need an 18mm buckle. A 20mm 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.
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.
Removing the old strap involves a few simple steps.
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.
Installing your new strap is similar to removing the old one, only in reverse.
Changing the buckle works the same way as changing the strap, with a few other considerations.
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.
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Headquartered in Klagenfurt, Austria, Hirsch was established in 1765 as a leather workshop and tannery. It remains a family-owned business to this day, and continues to gain recognition for excellence and innovation in watch strap design.
With its sought-after rectangular scales hand-brushed to a silky matte sheen, Hirsch's elegant London strap is constructed from carefully selected, genuine deep barrel-dyed Louisiana alligator. London features a fine matched backstitched seam, defined embossing on the keepers, a hand-sewn bar seam along the buckle and safety stitching on the keeper. The rembordé edges have three layers of lacquer, also applied by hand. Hirsch's Silkglove lining leather is hypoallergenic and gentle on the skin.
All of our Hirsch straps are integrated with handy quick-release spring bars. Prefer standard spring bars? Quick-release bars are easy to remove: simply slide the lever as far as you can to the left, then gently bend back the strap corner until the bar emerges from the slot.
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© 2025, Holben's Fine Watch Bands | Last updated: 02/05/2025