How to Change a Watch Strap: A Step-by-Step Guide
By James Alderton . 7 min read . Updated June 2026
Changing a watch strap is the single most transformative thing you can do to a watch for under $30, and it takes less than five minutes once you have done it twice. The tools are minimal: a Bergeon 6767-F Spring Bar Tool or the beginner-friendly Barton Watch Strap Changing Tool is all you strictly need. This guide walks through measuring the lug width, releasing the spring bars, and fitting a new strap, whether it is a Hemsut Classic Nylon NATO Strap , a Barton Quick-Release Genuine Leather Strap , or a Barton Milanese Loop Watch Bracelet .
The short answer
Measure your lug width in mm, then use a spring bar tool to compress each spring bar and release the strap. Fit the new strap by compressing the bar into the strap hole, seating it in one lug slot, and pushing until the other end clicks into the opposite slot. The whole process takes two to five minutes with a proper tool.
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Step 1: Measure your lug width
Before you order a replacement strap, measure the gap between your watch lugs in millimeters. A digital caliper is the most accurate tool, but a ruler held flat across the case works for most people. Common widths are 18mm, 19mm, 20mm, and 22mm. The strap you order must match this number exactly.
If you already have the stock strap, you can read the width off it near the lug end where it is usually stamped or printed. Some watch brands include the lug width in the spec sheet or on the caseback.
Step 2: Choose the right tool
A proper spring bar tool protects your watch and gives you control. The Bergeon 6767-F Spring Bar Tool is the professional benchmark and is worth owning if you swap straps more than once a month. For new strap-changers, the Barton Watch Strap Changing Tool has an ergonomic cushioned handle that gives better grip during your first few attempts. Both cost less than $25.
Do not use a flathead screwdriver as a substitute. The flat tip does not seat correctly in the spring bar notch and will slip, scratching the lug or knocking the bar out of the groove unpredictably. The correct tool pays for itself the first time you avoid a scratch on a good case.
If you are doing more than strap changes, the Esslinger Watchmaker Starter Tool Kit bundles a spring bar tool with a case back opener, loupe, and screwdrivers in a single pouch.
Bergeon 6767-F Spring Bar Tool
The Swiss-made professional spring bar tool used by watchmakers and serious collectors. A forked stainless tip with a replaceable plastic grip handle. The benchmark tool for strap changes on fine watches.
Barton Watch Strap Changing Tool
A purpose-built strap-changing tool from Barton with a cushioned ergonomic handle and a hooked tip designed specifically for watch strap swaps rather than movement work. Beginner-friendly and less intimidating than a Bergeon.
Esslinger Watchmaker Starter Tool Kit
A beginner kit from Esslinger that bundles a spring bar tool, adjustable case back opener wrench, 5x loupe, case cushion, and watchmaker screwdrivers in a compact roll pouch. A genuine starter toolkit for DIY watch maintenance.
Step 3: Release the spring bars
Hold the watch face-down on a soft surface, like a cloth or a watch cushion. Locate the spring bar between the lug and the strap. The spring bar has a notched shoulder at each end where the tool seats.
Insert the forked tip of the Bergeon 6767-F Spring Bar Tool into the notch on the spring bar end closest to you. Apply gentle inward pressure to compress the bar, then push the strap end toward the center of the case. The bar will release from the lug slot and the strap end will slide free. Repeat for the other end of the same bar, then do the same for the second spring bar.
Work slowly. The spring bar is under tension and will fly free if you compress it without keeping control of the strap. A bar that launches across the room is annoying; a bar that lands inside an open case movement is a watchmaker visit.
Step 4: Fit the new strap
Insert the spring bar through the new strap end loop. Hold the watch lug-side up with the spring bar resting across the lug opening. Seat one end of the spring bar into the closer lug slot first, then compress the opposite shoulder and push it down until it clicks into the far slot. You will feel and hear a distinct click when it seats.
For a NATO strap like the Hemsut Classic Nylon NATO Strap or BluShark AlphaShark Nylon NATO Strap , thread the long end under the case and through the keeper rings before seating the bar. The bar slots into the same lug slots, but the strap sits underneath the case, which is what gives a NATO its retention advantage.
For a Milanese or mesh bracelet like the Barton Milanese Loop Watch Bracelet , the spring bars attach the same way. Make sure the end links sit flush against the lug faces without gaps.
Hemsut Classic Nylon NATO Strap
A straightforward woven-nylon NATO from Hemsut with stainless steel hardware and a double-pass keeper. Clean execution at a budget price, available in 18mm, 20mm, and 22mm.
BluShark AlphaShark Nylon NATO Strap
A premium woven nylon NATO with a smooth inner liner and a polished PVD-coated steel keeper. The AlphaShark is the default recommendation in most watch collector communities for its stitching consistency and slow, even break-in.
Barton Milanese Loop Watch Bracelet
A stainless steel Milanese mesh bracelet with a magnetic folding clasp that adjusts infinitely along the band. Available in silver, black, and gold tone in 18mm, 20mm, and 22mm.
Step 5: Check the fit and adjust
Gently tug the new strap away from the case to confirm both spring bars are fully seated. A bar that is not fully clicked in will release under light load. If it does not tug firmly, release and reseat it.
For a leather strap like the Barton Quick-Release Genuine Leather Strap or Hemsut Genuine Leather Watch Strap , put the watch on and adjust the buckle hole. The strap should bend at the wrist edge, not at the buckle, for the most comfortable wear.
For a Milanese bracelet, the magnetic or slide clasp adjusts infinitely. Fit it on the wrist and slide the clasp to the desired tightness, then fold the end over. No punched holes means no compromise on wrist size.
Barton Quick-Release Genuine Leather Strap
A tool-free quick-release leather strap from Barton with a push-button spring bar mechanism. Genuine leather upper, smooth lining, and stainless steel buckle. The practical choice for owners who swap straps often.
Hemsut Genuine Leather Watch Strap
A clean, simply constructed genuine leather strap from Hemsut with beveled and stitched edges. Available in brown and black, in 18mm, 20mm, and 22mm. A reliable entry point into proper leather straps.
Featured in this guide
Bergeon 6767-F Spring Bar Tool
The Swiss-made professional spring bar tool used by watchmakers and serious collectors. A forked stainless tip with a replaceable plastic grip handle. The benchmark tool for strap changes on fine watches.
Barton Watch Strap Changing Tool
A purpose-built strap-changing tool from Barton with a cushioned ergonomic handle and a hooked tip designed specifically for watch strap swaps rather than movement work. Beginner-friendly and less intimidating than a Bergeon.
BluShark AlphaShark Nylon NATO Strap
A premium woven nylon NATO with a smooth inner liner and a polished PVD-coated steel keeper. The AlphaShark is the default recommendation in most watch collector communities for its stitching consistency and slow, even break-in.
Barton Quick-Release Genuine Leather Strap
A tool-free quick-release leather strap from Barton with a push-button spring bar mechanism. Genuine leather upper, smooth lining, and stainless steel buckle. The practical choice for owners who swap straps often.
Barton Milanese Loop Watch Bracelet
A stainless steel Milanese mesh bracelet with a magnetic folding clasp that adjusts infinitely along the band. Available in silver, black, and gold tone in 18mm, 20mm, and 22mm.
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