Believe it or not, it's actually pretty simple replace your watch band, even if you
don't have the original watch band to go by. Use this handy trick from Esslinger.com
to measure your watch band without actually having it.
The tools you'll need to measure your watch band are:
A pencil A piece of paper
A pair of scissors A ruler
Tape And an optional digital gauge
Let's start with just the watch case: you have all the parts of the watch that tell
time but not that part that holds it to your wrist.
First you need to determine the width your watch band needs to be. This step can be accomplished
with either a ruler or a digital gauge, though a gauge will give you a more accurate measurement.
To measure the width we are going to be measuring the space here between the two lugs of the
watch case.
Using the ruler, take your watch case and line the inside of the watch lug up with the
zero marker on the ruler. Be sure to use the metric side of the ruler as most watch band
widths are given in millimeters.
When the watch lug is aligned, read the measurement on the ruler where the inside of the second
lug lines up with the lugs. Estimate smaller if the edge is between two millimeter marks
on the watch band.
Or, you can take a digital gauge to measure the distance between the lugs. Take the digital
gauge and position the backward opening jaws between the lugs.
Open the jaws until they fit snugly between the two lugs and note the millimeter measurement
on the gauge's display.
After you have determined the width of the watch band, you need to determine what length
will fit you. Take your piece of paper and cut a strip off that is about two inches wide
and long enough to wrap around your wrist with extra paper at the end.
Lay your watch case in the center of the strip of paper and mark where the spring bars would
sit with the pencil: You can do with by looking for the indentations in the watch lugs and
marking the paper just where they are. Do this for both sets of watch lugs.
Using your ruler, draw a straight line between the marks you made to indicate where the watch
case would be.
Once you have done that, take the paper and center the section that would be the watch
case on your wrist like you would do with a real watch.
Tape one end of the paper to your wrist to hold both the paper to your wrist and the
"watch case" centered on your arm.
Then, wrap the remaining loose end of the paper around your wrist and tape that end
down to your paper watch.
When the paper watch is secured, flip your arm so you palm is facing up and draw a line
down the paper in the middle of your wrist to mark where the clasp would go.
Then, take your scissors and cut along the line you just drew on the paper watch band.
Be sure to cut through both ends of the paper on your wrist.
Remove the paper watch from your wrist and get rid of the scraps. Laying the fitted paper
watch out flat before you.
Now, cut the watch case portion of your paper strip out, leaving just the band portions
in front of you.
Line up the ends of the two remaining portions of your paper watch, the parts the represent
the watch band, so that they form one piece -- you can tape them together if it is easier
to hold them lined up that way.
Place the ruler on top of the paper strips and line up the zero marker with one end of
the paper watch band.
Read the measurement where the other end of the paper watch band stops. This is the length
of your watch band. You can use this guide to translate the length into the short, regular
and long size categories used by watch band manufacturers.
Don't forget that watch bands can always be adjusted to be smaller with the notches
in a leather band or by removing links in a metal band. Be sure to get the closest watch
band size to your measurement, or the next largest size since you can't make a watch
band longer very easily.
With these handy tips and advice, Esslinger.com hopes that you'll be able to find the perfect
replacement watch band for your watch. For more help and advice, visit our learning center.