How to Change a Watch Strap

The only tool you really need

Changing a strap is a far simpler job than it looks, and you do almost all of it with one tool: a spring-bar tool. It has two ends. The forked end slips onto the shoulder of the spring bar and compresses it; the pointed pin end works on watches that have drilled holes through the side of the lugs. Lay a soft cloth underneath so the watch doesn't slide and the case doesn't pick up scratches.

What you need, in short:

• A spring-bar tool with both a forked and a pin end
• A soft cloth or microfibre to protect the case
• A loupe and good light if you have them
• A clean, light-coloured surface so dropped spring bars don't vanish

Measure the lug width correctly

Before you buy a new strap, the one number you must know is the lug width. This is the distance in millimetres between the two lugs, where the strap seats. Measure it with a ruler, or check the back of your current strap, since most are stamped with their width. Typical values are even numbers like 18, 20 and 22 mm. Get the width wrong and the strap will either leave gaps or simply won't fit.

If you're thinking about case size and proportion as well, the guide to sizing a watch walks through the logic, and it carries straight over to choosing strap width.

Standard spring bars versus quick-release

There are two kinds of fitting. The classic spring bar is a small metal bar with a sprung tip at each end; you compress it with the tool to fit it. A quick-release strap carries a tiny lever on top of the spring bar; pull that lever with a fingernail and the bar retracts, so the strap comes off with no tool at all. Most modern leather and NATO straps now ship with quick-release.

• Standard: cheap, sturdy, on every watch; needs the tool
• Quick-release: tool-free, swaps in seconds; costs a little more

The step-by-step swap

Turn the watch face-down on the cloth. Slide the forked end of the tool into the gap between the strap and the lug, catch the shoulder of the bar, and press gently inward. Once one end frees, tilt the strap slightly and lift it out, then release the other end. To fit the new strap, seat one tip of the bar in its hole, compress the other tip with the tool, slide it into the lug, and let go. You'll hear a faint click when it seats. Tug gently on both ends to confirm it has locked.

This same method works on a bracelet diver like the Orient Mako 3 and on a strap-friendly everyday watch like the Seiko 5 Sports.

Work without scratching the lugs

The most common mistake is the fine scratch left when the tool's pointed tip touches the case. To avoid it, always keep the tool parallel to the inner face of the lug, and never press toward the case itself. If the forked end slips, stop and reposition; forcing it leaves a mark. If you need to size a bracelet and it isn't quick-release, push the link pins in the direction of the arrows.

Choosing between NATO, leather and a bracelet

There are three main routes. A NATO is a single-piece woven NATO strap; it threads under the watch, so you never remove the spring bars, and it reads sporty. Leather gives a classic, dressier look, and it's the natural match for a dress watch like the Orient Bambino. A bracelet is the most durable and the easiest to rinse and wipe clean, but it needs sizing. For regular swimming or diving a rubber or NATO strap is the better choice, since metal bracelets hold moisture between the links and dry slowly.

If you're unsure which watch to start with, see the guide to watches for beginners and the best Japanese watches piece; both feature affordable models that are open to the strap game.