Find Your Lug Width

Every strap starts with one number - your watch's lug width. Here is how to find it in under a minute, so your new strap fits perfectly.

What is lug width?

Lug width is the distance between the two lugs of your watch case - the gap where the strap sits and the spring bar passes through. It is measured in millimetres, and your strap has to match it exactly.

We list our straps by their taper, written as lug-buckle - for example 20-16 means 20 mm wide at the lugs, narrowing to 16 mm at the buckle. The first number is the one you measure here.

Why it matters

Lug width is all about fit. A strap that is too narrow will rattle and leave gaps at the case; one that is too wide simply will not seat between the lugs. Get this single number right and everything else - colour, leather, length - is yours to choose.

Three ways to find it

Measure it yourself

1

Get a clear viewTurn the watch over or slip the current strap off so you can see both lugs and the gap between them.

2

Line up a rulerPlace a millimetre ruler across the gap, from the inner edge of one lug to the inner edge of the other.

3

Read the numberThat measurement in millimetres is your lug width. It is almost always a whole, even number - 18, 19, 20, 21 or 22 mm are the most common.

Measuring the buckle width

If you want to keep using your current buckle, we also need the buckle width - the width of the strap where the buckle sits. Measure your existing strap at the buckle end, or the inner gap between the buckle's posts.

Most straps taper by 2-4 mm, so common pairings are 20-16, 22-18 and 18-16. Not sure? Choose a standard taper and we will make it look balanced.

Lug width FAQ

What if my lug width is an odd number, like 19, 21 or 23 mm?

No problem - we make odd sizes too. Just choose your exact lug width in the strap options; you are not limited to even numbers.

What does a size like "20-16" mean?

It is the taper of the strap: the first number is the lug width (its width at the watch case), and the second is the buckle width (its width at the clasp). So 20-16 is 20 mm at the lugs, narrowing to 16 mm at the buckle.

Where exactly do I measure?

Measure the gap between the two lugs where the strap sits - inner edge to inner edge, at the point where the spring bar goes through. That gap, in millimetres, is your lug width.

What lug widths do you offer?

We make straps from 12 mm up to 24 mm at the lugs, each paired with a suitable buckle width - and we can cut custom sizes on request.

Can I order a fully custom size?

Yes. Choose the Advance Option when you order and tell us your exact lug and buckle width, and we will cut the strap to match.