How to Change a Watch Strap and Find Your Strap Size

To change a watch strap, lay the watch face down on a soft mat, press each spring bar free with a spring bar tool and fit the new strap the same way. Measure the gap between the lugs first so the new strap is the right width.

How do you measure watch strap size?

Watch strap size is the lug width. Lug width is the inside gap between the two lugs that hold the strap. Measure it in millimetres.

Use callipers or a millimetre ruler. Take the old strap off if you can. A bare gap gives the clearest reading. Do not measure from the outside edge of one lug to the outside edge of the other. That gives the overall span and not the lug width.

Do not guess from the case size. Two watches with the same case diameter can take different strap widths. Do not assume an even number either. Some watches take odd widths such as 19mm.

Which strap sizes does LuxuryTrex list?

LuxuryTrex lists straps in 20mm and 22mm. The table shows which strap fits which lug width.

Lug width	Strap	Material	Spring bars
20mm	Black leather watch strap	Calfskin (supplier stated)	Not included
22mm	Brown leather watch strap	Genuine leather (supplier stated)	Not listed, spring bar tool shown
22mm	Blue nylon watch strap	Nylon textile (supplier stated)	Not included

A strap fits one lug width only. A 20mm strap does not fit a 19mm or 22mm gap.

Do you need a tool to change a watch strap?

Yes, you need a spring bar tool unless your strap has quick-release bars or your watch has drilled lugs. A quick-release bar has a small lever you pull by hand. Drilled lugs have a hole on the outside where a thin pin pushes the bar free.

The common tool has a forked end and a pointed end. The forked end slides between the strap and the inside of the lug. Use the tool and not a knife. A knife slips and scratches the case.

Check the spring bars before you order a strap. Reuse the bars from your old strap if the new one comes without them. Replace a bar that is bent or does not spring back.

How to change a watch strap step by step

You change a watch strap in five steps. Work on a table with a mat under the watch.

1. Lay the watch face down on a rubber or foam mat.
2. Slide the forked end of the tool between the strap and the lug. Press the end of the spring bar inward until it clears the lug hole. Lift the old strap away.
3. Slide the spring bar out of the old strap and into the new one.
4. Seat one end of the spring bar in a lug hole. Compress the other end with the tool and let it snap into the opposite hole.
5. Give the strap a light tug to check that both ends are secure.

Repeat steps 2 to 5 for the other half of the strap. Keep released spring bars in a small dish. They are easy to lose on the floor.

The photo shows the brown leather strap from the table. The buckle half and the holed half are separate pieces.

How do you fit a buckle strap so it sits right?

You fit a two-piece buckle strap with the buckle half at 12 o’clock and the holed half at 6 o’clock. The strap then closes on the outside of the wrist with the buckle on top.

Check the keepers before you fit the strap. The keepers sit on the buckle half. The tail of the holed half passes through them and stays flat.

A new leather strap can feel stiff for the first days. Choose the hole that holds the watch still without pinching. Then wear it in.

What is the difference between a leather and a nylon strap?

A leather strap is a hide surface, smooth or textured. A nylon strap is woven fabric. The choice is about look and feel rather than size.

	Black leather 20mm	Brown leather 22mm	Blue nylon 22mm
Surface	Matt, croc-style embossed grain	Worn two-tone, vent slots	Blue weave, white stitching
Buckle	Stainless steel pin buckle	Steel-tone buckle	Silver-tone buckle
Style	Two-piece buckle strap	Two-piece buckle strap	Two-piece buckle strap, not a slip-through NATO

The supplier does not give a thickness or a length for any of the three straps. Compare the fit with your old strap.

Can you swap a steel bracelet for a strap?

Yes, if the bracelet is held by spring bars. Remove it the same way as a strap. Then measure the bare lug gap. The bracelet width and the lug width may differ.

The ultra-thin quartz watch has an 18mm steel bracelet with a butterfly deployant clasp. Its listing gives no lug width. LuxuryTrex straps are 20mm and 22mm. Measure the gap before you buy a strap for it.

Keep the bracelet or strap you take off with the watch it fits. The walnut watch box has five cushioned slots and a window lid.

Which strap should you choose?

Choose the strap that matches your lug width and the look of your watch.

• For a 20mm gap, choose the black leather strap.
• For a 22mm gap and a leather look, choose the brown leather strap. It comes with a spring bar tool.
• For a 22mm gap and a woven look, choose the blue nylon strap.

All straps, watches and watch boxes are in Accessories.