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  1. 250scr Feb 28, 2015

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    Hi, I was wondering on my 71 speedmaster with a 20mm lug width. Can I use a 18mm or 19mm band/strap/bracelet on it? Or will this have too much slop/play and therefore beat the sides of the lugs up too much and therefore wear the sides down? Thank you
     
  2. Time Exposure coordinates his cast with his car's paint job Feb 28, 2015

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    Yes you can wear a smaller size strap. Over time, a metal bracelet will induce wear on the lugs faster than one which is a proper fit, but even a proper fit will wear the lugs eventually.
    For evidence of this, just look at photos of nearly every vintage Speedmaster or Rolex on a leather strap. You'll frequently find evidence of an original bracelet worn into the lugs.
    I am going on my own experience here, so scientific proof will be left to others.
    And of course, the best way to avoid putting wear on the lugs (or ANY part of the watch) is to display it as a museum would. In other words, wear what you want when you want, and enjoy it. Let the next owner exercise their museum curator skills and have it laser welded and restored for their museum display!
     
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  3. goedie Feb 28, 2015

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    Great answer, I couldn't agree more
     
  4. proximal Feb 28, 2015

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    I had a 19mm strap on mine for a bit and didn't even realize it for a couple weeks. The gap is pretty minor as you can see here, and I didn't really feel a difference as far as movement of the watch.

    [​IMG]
     
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  5. 250scr Feb 28, 2015

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    Ok great, I was concerned with a metal bracelet if it damaged the lugs a lot more with the extra space to slosh around.
     
  6. dsio Ash @ ΩF Staff Member Feb 28, 2015

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    In some cases you can actually go up a size and get away with it, most straps with some give will let you run a 20 on a 19 or a 22 on a 21, some of the DeVilles and Aqua Terras had uneven lug widths like that. The Omega vintage Mesh bracelet can also fit down 1mm in size, as the rings on the ends can be bent inwards slightly to give a snug fit on a 19mm with a 20mm bracelet.
     
  7. 250scr Feb 28, 2015

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    Ah, good to know. Thank you for that bit of information. Now with it having the extra space, will you feel it bouncing around more from side to side and annoy you because you can feel that?
     
  8. stephen Pouliot Feb 3, 2022

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    My experience with putting a 22mm leather strap on a 21mm lug width watch is as follows. Here are the steps I use. First measure the actual lug width on the so called 21mm watch using a caliper. This is important because watches advertised as 21 mm lug width can vary + or minus 0.2mm. Obviously if your watch is 21.2 mm it will accommodate easier a 22mm leather strap. Next measure the width of the strap at the pin area using a caliper. Typically, a 22 mm strap will actually be smaller, perhaps 21.5 to 21.8 mm. If you have a larger watch lug, perhaps 21.2 and a narrower watch strap perhaps 21.5 mm you will have an almost perfect fit. However, remember you have to change out the spring bar from 22 mm to 21 mm because the metal does not contract and forcing on could ruin the spring bar or be difficult to remove in the future. Let's say you are in a worse case situation, the watch lug with is actually 20.8 mm and the leather strap is a true 22 mm. Now you have a 1.2 mm difference and the leather may bunch or pucker when installing using the 21 mm spring bar. I personally do not like the look so I remove the spring bar and gently file the leather where the pin would stick out of the strap. I use a nail file, medium coarse working both sides of the band. (Don't use a Dremel or power equipment). Keep filing little by little and checking the fit. Once adjusted, file the other side of the watch strap and insert the 21 mm quick release pins on both sides.