The strap guide
Everything about fitting a watch strap
Lug width, materials, buckles, length, quick-release bars and care, in the order you choose them. Keep it open while you shop.
Lug width finder
Measure between the lugs, in three steps
The lug width is the gap between the two lugs where the strap sits. It is the one size a strap has to match exactly; the rest is taste.
1
Measure the gap
Lay a ruler or calipers across the inside of the lugs, not the outside edges. Read it in millimetres.
2
Check the old strap
No ruler? Measure the strap end next to the spring bar. Most straps are the same width as the gap.
3
Note your wrist
Wrap a paper strip around your wrist where you wear the watch and mark it. You need it for the length chart.
| Case diameter (sample) | Usual lug width |
|---|---|
| 34–36 mm | 18mm |
| 37–39 mm | 19mm or 20mm |
| 40–42 mm | 20mm |
| 43–44 mm | 21mm or 22mm |
| 45 mm and up | 22mm or 24mm |
Strap material guide
Four materials, four kinds of day
Each material feels, ages and copes with water in its own way. Choose by where you wear the watch most.
Leather
Smooth or suede calf, saddle-stitched by hand. Softens and darkens with wear.
Feel: warm, softens over weeks
Water: keep it dry
Looks: dress to casual
Best for: office and evenings
Canvas & nylon
Woven straps that pass under the watch or close with two pieces. Light and quick to dry.
Feel: light, slightly textured
Water: rinse and air-dry
Looks: casual, outdoorsy
Best for: travel and weekends
Rubber
Soft, flexible rubber with vents or a tapered end. The strap for swimming and sport.
Feel: soft and grippy
Water: made for it
Looks: sporty
Best for: water, gym, summer
Steel
Mesh and link bracelets with a fold-over clasp. Sized by removing links or sliding the clasp.
Feel: cool, a little heavier
Water: rinse after the sea
Looks: smart, all year
Best for: every day
Leather origin and tanning details are placeholders in this sample store; add your own supplier details.
Buckle and clasp picker
How your strap closes
Most straps come with a pin buckle. Swap it for a clasp if you take your watch on and off a lot.
01
Fitted as standard
Pin buckle
The classic tongue and frame. Simple, light and easy to adjust by one hole.
02
Saves leather
Deployant clasp
Folds under the wrist so the leather never bends at the same hole.
03
Dress straps
Butterfly clasp
Two folding wings that close in the middle and almost disappear.
04
Steel bracelets
Fold-over clasp
The bracelet clasp with a safety catch and small holes to fine-tune the size.
Buckles are made to the strap width at the tail end, usually 2 mm narrower than the lug width (sample guide).
Strap length chart
Which length fits your wrist?
Two-piece straps come in regular and long. Measure your wrist with a paper strip and read across.
- Regular fits most wrists up to about 19 cm
- Long adds about 2 cm to the long piece
- Between two sizes? Pick the longer one for a looser fit
| Wrist (sample) | Size | Long piece | Short piece |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14–16 cm | Short | 10.5 cm | 7 cm |
| 16–19 cm | Regular | 12 cm | 7.5 cm |
| 19–21 cm | Long | 13.5 cm | 8 cm |
| 21 cm and up | Extra long | 15 cm | 8.5 cm |
Quick-release explainer
Swap a strap in a minute, no tools
Every strap here comes with quick-release spring bars: a small lever on each bar lets you pull it in by hand.
1
Pull the lever
Hold the strap near the lug and slide the small lever on the spring bar towards the middle.
2
Lift the strap out
The bar shortens and the strap end comes free. Do the same on the other side.
3
Click the new one in
Put one tip of the bar into a lug hole, pull the lever, line up the other tip and let go. Tug gently to check.
Quick-release bars fit watches with standard lug holes. Drilled lugs or curved ends may need a fitted strap (sample guide).
Care guide
Keep a strap looking good
Leather
- Keep it away from water and sweat
- Let it air-dry flat, never on a heater
- Rest it a day between wears
Canvas & nylon
- Hand-wash with mild soap
- Rinse well and air-dry
- Take the watch off first
Rubber
- Rinse after salt water or a pool
- Wipe with a damp cloth
- Keep out of strong sun when not worn
Steel
- Brush the links with soapy water
- Dry with a soft cloth
- Check the clasp catch now and then
General care tips (sample). Follow the care notes on your strap’s product page.
Strap guide questions
Fit and material questions
Not sure about a width or a length? Email [email protected] or call (555) 017-4422.
My lug width is between two sizes. Which do I pick?
Measure again inside the lugs with calipers. If it is truly 19mm or 21mm, choose that width; a narrower strap moves about and a wider one will not fit.
Will a quick-release strap fit my watch?
Yes, if your watch uses spring bars between the lugs. Watches with screws through the lugs or a fitted case end need a strap made for them (sample guide).
How tight should a strap be?
You should fit one finger under the strap. On a warm day or after sport, go one hole looser.
Regular or long?
Use the length chart with a paper strip around your wrist. Between two sizes, choose the longer one.
Can I wear a leather strap in water?
Better not. Water stiffens and stains leather. Pick rubber, nylon or steel for swimming.