Watch Band Replacement and Repair Guide
There are many reasons that a watch band might need to be replaced or
repaired and a variety of options for repairing and replacing them. For
example the reasons might be personal taste (a new watch band can give a
watch an updated appearance and add a new style to a timepiece) or maybe
your band is just beat up or broken (Sometimes watch bands in this condition
can be repaired). Use this guide and the attached articles to learn the many
different ways to repair, replace or adjust your
watch bands.
There are many types of watch bands that might be designed to fit a
specific watch styles, and depending on the type of watch, a band may have
to be selected that is specifically designed to fit that model. Luckily for
you, our selection of watch bands covers a wide spectrum of options when it
is time to consider getting new band.
Measuring a Watch Band
The
most important thing to remember with watch bands is measurement. Whether you
are adjusting, replacing or repairing a band in any watch you should always know
what size it is, particularly when it comes to the width of the watch band. To
ensure that you always have the most accurate measurement of your watch band,
check out our articles on
How to Measure a Watch Band.
When measuring the size of the band use a millimeter gauge to get the
distance between the lugs on the watch case. This measurement can range from 6
millimeters to a whopping 28 or more millimeters wide. Other measurements and
parts to identify might be the end piece which comes in curved end or straight
end and the type of clasp.
Changing a Watch Band
One of the most common questions we get is: "Can I change the style of my
watchband?" And the answer is yes: you can put almost any style watch band on
your watch as long as the band is the right width.
We have compiled an impressive collection of information on changing watch
bands so whether you just want to replace your existing watch band with the same
style, or you really want to completely switch styles, you'll have the
information you need to get the job done right. To explore our information on
How to Change a Watch Band, follow this link.
Adjusting the Size of a Watch Band
Did you know that most watch bands comes in just a few different sizes? It's
true: if you need a watch band that is six inches long, chances are that the
you'll have to get a watch band that is at least seven inches long. However, you
can adjust any watch band to make it smaller, and some you can even adjust to
make bigger as well. To learn all the tricks to adjusting your watch band visit
the How to Adjust the
Size of a Watch Band page.
Repairing a Watch Band
But you don't always have to replace your watch band: some problems you may
encounter are just as easy to fix as they are to ignore. The longer you own your
leather watch band, the more you'll start to notice it having problems and
giving out in places.
There are two common problems with leather watch bands and quick and easy
ways to fix them. Many watch bands, particularly those that have stitching, are
often made of two pieces of leather that are glued together first. If they start
to come apart, you can learn
How to Repair a Leather Watch Band by Re-Gluing.
You also may come across a watch that is wearing or stretching out, but you
can very easily fix it to make sure your watch continues to fit by punching a
new hole in the watch band to hook the buckle through and make it fit again.
This is also useful if you change the watch band clasp and the buckle won't fit
through the existing hole. Learn
How to Make a Leather Watch Band Smaller here (Article Coming Soon!).
Advice from a Watchmaker
As with everything, you will encounter all kinds of bands including many not
described in our articles. Others include some with beads, some with stones,
some held by an elastic band, some with O rings or magnetic. Whatever the
material is and whatever the design is, there is always a way to size or fix it,
but remember that if you don't feel comfortable doing anything you see here,
seek out a professional to do the job. This is especially important for high end
watches and watches made of gold or silver.
For more articles on Watch Repair, check out these links: