Eighty euros and a spring bar tool turn a diver into a dress watch and back again. The cheapest upgrade in the watch world, done properly.
The strap is a third of the watch by area and half of it by impression. A steel sports watch on a bracelet reads as one thing; the same watch on a brown leather strap reads as another, and on a fabric strap as a third. Owning three straps for one good watch is a better use of €250 than a second mediocre watch.
Four straps, four moods
- The bracelet. The watch as the maker intended. Cool in summer, formal enough for a suit if the watch is slim, and the most robust option. Have it sized by the dealer so it moves a finger’s width on the wrist.
- Leather, dark brown or black. For tailoring and evenings. Calf for every day, alligator or its convincing cousins for the dress watch. Padded straps suit larger watches; flat ones suit slim cases.
- Fabric. A single-pass or a two-piece nylon strap in navy, olive or a restrained stripe. For weekends, travel, swimming. Washable, cheap, cheerful, and it stops a watch feeling precious.
- Rubber. For the diver in the sea and the gym. Modern rubber straps in black or navy are elegant enough for a summer dinner.
Most men who think they need a second watch need a second strap.
Getting the size right
The strap width is the distance between the lugs, stamped inside most straps as 18, 20 or 22 millimetres. Measure it or look it up; a 19 mm watch on a 20 mm strap is a small daily irritation. Strap length is standard for wrists from 16 to 20 centimetres; below or above that, ask for short or long. The buckle should sit centred underneath the wrist, not off to the side.
The tool and the technique
A spring bar tool costs €10. Push the forked end between the strap and the lug, compress the spring bar, lift the strap out. Quick-release straps with a small tab do the same without a tool. Work over a towel; spring bars fly. Do not attempt it on a watch with drilled lugs and a tight bracelet without watching someone do it first.
What to pay
A good calf strap from a strap maker rather than the watch brand: €60 to €120. Fabric: €20 to €40. Rubber: €40 to €150. Brand-name straps cost three times these figures for the same leather with a logo on the buckle. Spend the difference on a second strap.
Try the tool
Wrist FitThe case size your wrist can carryWatch FinderThree watches for your wrist and your lifeQuestions we get asked
Does a leather strap ruin in the rain?
It survives rain and dies in the sea. Take it off before you swim and let a wet strap dry flat, away from heat.
Should the strap match the belt?
Roughly, in colour. Exact matching is for people with too much time.
Can I put a dress strap on a diver?
Yes, and a slim diver on a dark leather strap is one of the great looks in watches. A thick diver on a thin dress strap is not.
