FeatureMake The Switch: Watches With Easy Strap Interchangeability

There was a time, not so long ago, when we were perfectly happy to wear our watches with the default straps that came with them, for years together. Either you liked a watch with its strap, as a whole, or you chose something else. A leather strap would most likely need to be replaced every few years, if worn consistently, especially for us in tropical India, with humid weather conditions. You might have tried different options that the brands of your watches might have had. Or you might have opted to go with a metallic bracelet instead of leather, like I did with my trusted Tissot PR50 Chronograph, for the sake of the longevity that comes with steel. It can still be done with most watches—you can get a worn strap changed, or simply have it changed for variety and to give your watch a different look and feel. And it’s true. A strap change can make a huge difference, making any timepiece look completely different. However, for that change in the stylistic appearance of your watch, you had to go to your local watch store, and have them use their tools to get it done. Maybe you even had the tools required to change the strap yourself since certain watches that came with extra straps often also came with the necessary tools to make the switch, and some still do. In recent years though, it’s not ideal really, and it’s even unnecessary for tools to be required for something like changing straps. You want to be able to make the switch on the go, without having to carry something that might not even be allowed through airport security, for instance. And a lot of watch manufacturers have realised the value of user-friendly adaptability. With every passing year, there are an increasing number of offerings that come with the feature of easy interchangeability between straps, and some watches that even come with two or three complimentary alternatives.

Adaptability—The Order Of The Day

You could probably attribute this growing trend to the emergence and popularity of the smartwatch. We all know now that the Apple Watch is the biggest watch brand in the world, surpassing other watch giants in terms of quantities sold year after year. At the end of the day, the Apple Watch is a tech gadget, and not a fine watch. So having multiple options in straps for an Apple Watch is perhaps as good as having multiple cases and accessories for your iPhone to give it a new look. Yet, multiple straps is something that fine watchmakers can also offer with analogue watches. And this trend has gained momentum with popular Swiss watch brands as well. Omega, for instance, have expanded their offering of NATO straps among their accessories over the last few years. NATO straps in general have been gaining in terms of popularity for perhaps these very reasons. Even I recently wanted to try giving my Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch a different look with a black NATO to temporarily replace the default Speedmaster steel bracelet. However, I couldn’t do it myself, and certainly not without a tool to make the switch.

One brand in particular, Hublot, have had their own click system, called the ‘One Click’—a name they’ve even given to a series under their iconic Big Bang collection

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It’s a mechanism they use in other editions as well, though, including the Meca-10

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The Big Bang Meca-10 is named after its huge, 10-day power reserve. It comes in a variety of materials, including ceramic and King Gold (seen here)

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The one-click system from Hublot is also used in other watches as seen here in a different, chronorgaph edition of the Big Bang

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To offer wearers that option of switching straps without assistance or dependence on tools, there are certain quick systems that brands have come up with, which help you interchange within seconds. It’s not as simple as equipping watches with magnetic lugs, as seen in Apple Watches, because magnets and magnetic fields can affect the performance and accuracy of analogue watch movements inside. So the strap-change system has to be mechanical—perhaps a clip, a button, a lever, or a flap of some kind to release a strap from the watch case, and snap on a new one. One brand in particular, Hublot, have had their own click system, called the ‘one click’—a name they’ve even given to a series under their iconic Big Bang collection. It’s a mechanism they use in other editions as well, though, including the Hublot Big Bang Meca-10. Most other brands have more direct and conventional systems in place for their strap interchangeability; the most common one being a singular lever to release the spring bar.

Spring Bars With Quick-Change Levers

Baume & Mercier Clifton Baumatic EXPLORE THE COLLECTION

Most watches have two lugs on each end of the case, to which the two parts of the strap are attached. The slim metallic pin that goes through the strap and usually secured onto the insides of the lugs is usually a spring bar that can be released off the lugs with a tweezer or other sharp, chisel-like tools. To eliminate the use of a tool, the most basic system that can be put in place is a small lever that can be used to compress the spring and release the bar, and hence the strap, from the lug. This is probably the most common strap-change system that you’ll find. Flip a watch that has this system, and you’ll see the lever on one end—more distinguished when you see a non-metallic strap. It’s what Baume & Mercier chose for the Baume & Mercier Clifton Baumatic watches, making them so much more wearable. The editions with moon phase displays in particular completely change in appearance. A leather strap gives these timepieces a more formal look—more in line with the Baumatic series itself—while a steel bracelet can make these watches appear sportier, like other offerings from the Clifton collection.

There’s Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Reverso—a classical watch through and through, but still one of the most adaptable watches you can find, with two dials to choose between

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With the choice of dials, and sometimes complications, on either side of the reversible case, some models also offer the option of switching between straps

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This also the simple spring-lever system for quickly releasing the strap

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You might not want to go metallic with a Reverso, but you’d have the option to do it on whim

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On the other hand, there’s Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Reverso—a classical watch through and through, but still one of the most adaptable watches you can find, with two dials to choose between, if you consider the Duoface variants. With the choice of dials, and sometimes complications, on either side of the reversible case, some models also offer the option of switching between straps, again using the simple spring-lever system for quickly releasing the strap. You might not want to go metallic with a Reverso, but you’d have the option to do it on whim. And if not, you’d still have the choice of switching between black, brown and blue leather; or you might even choose something bolder. Whatever your choice may be, you’ll simply need to work that singular lever between the lugs in order to release the strap.

Dual-Press Mechanisms And Complimentary Alternatives

A few watches come with dual levers to release the spring bar affixing the strap to the lugs from both ends, as seen in Maurice Lacroix's Aikon Venturer

It comes with two strap options—in rubber and steel—which can be switched by pressing the spring of the bar from both ends together, using the dual levers to release the strap

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While these dive-watch editions of the Aikon collection come with rubber straps that complement their dial colours, there’s no reason why you can’t opt for something more contrasting

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A few watches come with dual levers to release the spring bar affixing the strap to the lugs from both ends. It’s, again, a very simple mechanism, which is quite common. Maurice Lacroix ventured into the space of interchangeable straps recently with the Maurice Lacroix Aikon Venturer that comes with two strap options—in rubber and steel—which can be switched by pressing the spring of the bar from both ends together, using the dual levers to release the strap. While these dive-watch editions of the Aikon collection come with rubber straps that complement their dial colours, there’s no reason why you can’t opt for something that offers more of a contrast to enhance the watch’s sporty appearance even further. Another recent series of sport watches, the Frederique Constant Highlife comes with multiple straps as well. While the Highlife series follows the basic archetype of the steel sport watch, with an integrated bracelet and all, it’s far more adaptable than a number of timekeeping icons in the same genre. With options in steel and rubber, and even leather in some models, one strong USP of the Highlife collection is the interchangeability. In fact, all models—the Automatic COSC, the Perpetual Calendar, the Heart Beat, the Skeleton and the latest WorldTimer—come with complimentary straps.

Another recent series of sport watches, Frederique Constant’s Highlife comes with multiple straps as well. Seen here is the WorldTimer edition

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The Highlife series follows the basic archetype of the steel sport watch, with an integrated bracelet and all

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However, it’s far more adaptable than a number of timekeeping icons in the same genre

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With options in steel and rubber, and even leather in some models, one strong USP of the Highlife collection is the interchangeability

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In fact, all models—the Automatic COSC, the Perpetual Calendar, the Heart Beat, the Skeleton (seen here) and the latest WorldTimer—come with complimentary straps

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Not all watches with easy interchangeability come with complimentary straps. In fact, the Rado Captain Cook series—their successful contemporary editions of their iconic 1960s’ dive watches—may not offer complimentary alternatives with all their models, but one model that has their ‘easy-clip’ system to easily interchange straps is their Captain Cook Hrithik Roshan Edition, which comes with its default steel bracelet, as well as two extra straps—in leather and in textile—both in a hue that complements the dial.

Rado Captain Cook

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Now if you’re not a big fan of celebrity or brand ambassador editions, this watch can still work for you. It doesn’t feature any element that represents Hrithik Roshan, the Indian actor and long-term Rado ambassador, except for his autograph on the leather travel pouch that the watch and its straps come in. The watch itself was designed with Roshan’s inputs and preferences, and that’s all there is to it being a Roshan special edition.

Flap On And Click Off

Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 EXPLORE THE COLLECTION

Another signature dive watch for its brand is the Aquis Date for Oris—one of their bestsellers. Last year, Oris issued the Aquis Date with their outstanding new in-house calibre 400. ‘The new standard’ of mechanical performance, as they called it, the movement of the Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 included a five-day power reserve, anti-magnetism, and a 10-year warranty. To top that, the watch also comes with easy interchangeability of straps. You can switch between the default steel bracelet and the rubber option available with the ease of lifting a flap on the reverse of the watch to release the strap and loop in the replacement. Even easier, though, are systems where you have to simply press a button that releases the spring bar holding the strap between the lugs, quite like the Hublot One Click system mentioned earlier. The contemporary TAG Heuer Autavia watches—at least the steel variants—come with a similar feature. The button has a bit of a slide mechanism, right between the lugs. The Autavia itself doubles as a watch inspired by automobiles as well as aviation (‘Autavia’ is a portmanteau of ‘auto’ and ‘aviation’). With the interchangeability feature, the watch becomes even more adaptable, especially seeing as how its look can completely change with the colour and material of the strap affixed to it.

TAG Heuer Autavia EXPLORE THE COLLECTION

Another fine example of a watch that can look extremely sporty with a bracelet strap, and quite dressy with one in leather is the Longines Spirit Prestige, which also has links to and draws from aviation timekeeping. This chronometer watch, with its big Arabic numeral hour markers and classic looks comes with two extra straps—a NATO-style strap and one in thick leather, with white stitching lending it a more retro appeal. The strap can be released from the lugs simply by pressing the pushers on the reverse.

Longines Spirit Prestige EXPLORE THE COLLECTION

A complete shift from such classical codes and retro elements is the Zenith Defy Extreme—which the brand unveiled at this year’s Watches and Wonders Geneva. Taking the edgy appearance of the Defy collection a notch higher, these watches offer the same El Primero movement used in the Defy 21, which has a 1/100th-of-a-second chronograph, but in a fuller case design, with a highly chiselled, multi-faceted look. Emerging out of this case silhouette is the integrated metallic bracelet that can be easily interchanged with a rubber strap that comes with it. Again here, you simply need to press a button on the reverse, and let go of the strap using this quick-change system.

Zenith Defy Extreme EXPLORE THE COLLECTION

The extra strap with the Zenith Extreme might not give you a look that’s quite as distinguishable as many of the other strap switches seen above. Yet, it’s a feature that can go a long way, if there’s a possibility of more options in the kind of straps that the brand make in the future. In general though, having the option of changing the look of your watch with a quick strap change will not suddenly alter its essential functionality. However, this is one area where the world of fine watchmaking and the world of wearable tech gadgets do coincide. So why shouldn’t you have that aspect of adaptability with an analogue watch, even if you’ve chosen to wear a fine watch instead of a smartwatch! The newer options in strap changing have undoubtedly made fine mechanical watches even more appealing than they have always been. So go ahead, and make the switch.