How to Customize a Strap to Fit Your Own Buckle

If you’re customizing a strap to fit your own buckle (e.g., reusing the original buckle from your watch brand), this guide details each step—from identifying your buckle type, measuring width for a perfect fit, to the ordering process.

Step 1: Identify Your Buckle Type

Determine if your buckle type is a tang buckle or a deployant clasp.

A tang buckle (or pin/classic buckle) works similarly to a belt buckle. A deployant clasp (or folding clasp) attaches both ends of the strap together, and folds open/closed on a hinge.

Step 2: Measure the Buckle Width

Measure the inner width of the buckle using a ruler or caliper. Buckle width is measured in millimeters. The common sizes are 14mm, 16mm, 18mm, and 20mm.

Step 3: Measure the Buckle Tongue Width

Tang buckle: Measure the width of the tongue at the base in millimeters. This measurement corresponds to the width of the strap cutout.

Deployant clasp: Determine if your clasp has a tongue. If it does, measure the width in millimeters. This measurement corresponds to the width of the strap cutout. If your clasp does not have a tongue, the strap does not need a cutout.

Step 4: Determine the Hole Width

Tang buckle: Measure the tip of the buckle tongue (where it goes into the adjustment pinholes). This measurement corresponds to the width of the strap holes.

Deployant clasp: Measure the pin head diameter. This measurement corresponds to the width of the strap holes.

Step 5: Determine the Keepers/Loops

Keepers (also known as loops/ strap holders) hold the strap tail in place. In a standard setup, a strap includes one fixed keeper and one sliding keeper, but this may vary depending on your buckle.

Tang buckle: Most tang buckles require both fixed and sliding keepers.

Deployant clasp: May or may not need keepers depending on the clasp design. If the holes side of the strap is tucked underneath the clasp, the strap tail will be secured automatically, so there is no need for keepers. However, if the holes side of the strap is secured over the clasp, the strap will need keepers.

Step 6: Check Deployant Clasp Height Clearance

The final step is to check the clasp height clearance. Since the strap passes through this slot, the clearance determines which strap thickness will fit properly.

Customizing Your Strap

With the buckle measurements in hand, you’re ready to order your custom strap.

Step 1: When choosing the strap width, ensure that you also choose the correct buckle width. If your lug width appears in the preset options below but the buckle width doesn’t match, select ‘Custom’ and enter both your lug width and buckle width. For example, if you need a 20mm lug width with an 18mm buckle, choose ‘Custom’ instead of ‘20/16’.

Step 2: Select the ‘Custom Buckle ’ option, then enter the appropriate values for buckle type, tongue cutout, hole width, and keepers (if deployant clasp).

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do the strap lengths need to be updated to fit deployant clasps?

Deployant clasps may require non-standard length ratios. We recommend measuring the OEM strap length that came with the clasp to ensure the best results.

Q: Does every tang buckle require both keepers? 

A: In most cases, yes. However, some tang buckles come with a metal fixed keeper, so only a sliding keeper is required.

Q: What is your default buckle tongue cutout and hole width?

A: Our straps, by default, come with a 1.5mm tongue cutout and 1.5mm holes to fit our standard tang buckle.