Locking It Down: A Guide to Watch Clasps and How to Fit Them
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Time to read 9 min
Introduction
The watch often gets all the attention, followed by the strap, but the unsung hero of a secure and comfortable fit is the clasp. Beyond simply keeping your timepiece on your wrist, the right clasp can enhance the style, convenience, and longevity of your watch and strap. At WatchObsession, we understand the importance of this often-overlooked component.
Our range of clasps and buckles are designed to fit a huge variety of watches. They are not only easy to wear but also simple to fit yourself with only a couple of affordable tools to get the job done.
Join us as we delve into different types and provide a step-by-step guides on how to fit them.
Table of Content
Locking It Down: Our YouTube Guide
Why the Clasp Matters
A well-chosen and properly fitted clasp offers several key benefits:
- Security: Prevents accidental opening and loss or damage to your valuable timepiece.
- Convenience: Allows for easy on and off without excessive wear and tear on the strap holes.
- Comfort: Can provide a more even and comfortable fit compared to traditional pin buckles.
- Style: Contributes to the overall aesthetic of your watch and strap combination.
- Strap Longevity: Reduces stress on the strap holes, potentially extending the life of your strap.
Deployment or Deployant?
When exploring the watch world, you'll likely notice two terms used: 'deployment' and 'deployant'. So, which one is correct? The good news is, both are! Here at WatchObsession, we typically use 'deployment', but 'deployant' refers to the exact same thing. You will often find the watch community arguing ruthlesly on the subject of which is correct, with both sides having fairly strong opinions.
The bouclé déployante, or folding clasp, owes its invention to Louis Cartier who patented its design in 1910. The French word "déployant" (meaning 'to unfurl') is the root of what we now call the "deployant clasp". The direct English translation of déployant is deploy, giving us the noun variation 'deployment.'
While the term 'deployment' likely originates from this translation, another view is that it comes from the functionality of the clasp itself. The word "deployment" can refer to the action of spreading out. In the context of a watch, a deployment clasp "deploys" or spreads to allow the watch to be easily put on and taken off the wrist, rather than requiring the strap to be pulled through a buckle each time.
So, whether you see it called deployment or deployant, you're looking at the same useful piece of watch hardware.
Exploring Different Types of Watch Clasps
Let's take a look at some popular watch clasp styles available at WatchObsession, and consider which watches and straps they are best for:
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Push Button Deployment: This type features two side buttons that need to be pressed to release the watch. They offer enhanced security and convenience, reducing wear on the strap holes.
- Suitable for: Most standard two-piece watch straps can fit a push button clasp, the main factor to be sure of is to get the width for your strap. You also find pushers on a variety of watches and bracelets from the TAG Heuer Monaco to the Omega Aqua Terra 150m.
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Sport Deployment: Often featuring a more robust design and sometimes a safety catch, sport deployment clasps are built for security and provide ease of fitting and wearing.
- Suitable for: Like a push-button, these will fit a large variety of watch straps. Upgrading to a Sport Deployment Clasp from standard buckle is an easy option for adding some security and longevity to your watch. They are found on several watches, such as the IWC Portofino.
Push-Button Watch Clasps
At WatchObsession, we stock three style of push-button watch clasps, all with subtly different fitting methods:
WatchObsession Push-Button Deployment Clasp: An attractive and utilitarian option that can be applied to any standard watch strap up to 4.0mm in thickness. Crafted from stainless steel, and available with a brushed, polished or PVD black finish. Utilising a regular watch strap spring bar fitting.
Hirsch Pusher: Known for their quality and design, Hirsch Pusher clasps offer secure closure and offer a sleek profile. Available in a variety of sizes and coming in both gold or polished silver finishes. Hirsch use a screw-in design, offering added security.
Artem Loop-Less Deployment Clasp: Designed exclusively for their own loop-less sailcloth watch straps providing a seamless and comfortable fit. These offer a clean and integrated look, eliminating the need for traditional strap loops.
Deployment Watch Clasps
Just like the push-button clasps we stock three style of deployment clasps:
WatchObsession Sport Deployment Clasp: An ideal addition to many of the straps we sell and can help prolong the life of a strap over the use of a conventional buckle. Crafted from stainless steel, available with a brushed, polished or PVD black finish. Just like our push-button clasp, we chose kept to a simple fitting method, with a regular spring bar.
Hirsch Sport Deployment Clasp: This clasp is made to the same high standards as Hirsch achieve on their straps. An ideal addition to many of the straps in the Hirsch range. Available in a variety of sizes and coming in gold, silver, black and rose gold finishes. Hirsch use the same spring bar fitting method as we do on our deployment clasp.
- Artem RM Style Deployment Clasp: Crafted from solid stainless steel in a PVD coated, polished, or brushed finished, it offers a secure and flexible fit. Its ergonomic design ensures comfort and durability, while the butterfly opening allows effortless wear.
How to Fit a Clasp to Your Watch Strap
Remove the Existing Buckle (if applicable)
Buckles with Spring Bars:
- Gently compress the strap so the spring bar is visible.
- Using the forked end of your spring bar tool, compress the spring bar.
- Once one side of the spring bar is disengaged, carefully remove the buckle.
- Finish by removing the spring bar and pin of the buckle.
Buckles with a Screw-in Bar:
- Using a screwdriver, unscrew the bar from the outside of the buckle.
- Once the bar is removed, carefully remove the buckle and the pin.
- Please note, some buckled have a screw on both sides that need to be undone simultaneously.
As an extra step, it's always good practice to put the buckle back together to keep all it's parts together and safe.
Push-Button Clasps
Fitting a WatchObsession Push-Button Clasp
- Open the clasp by pushing the buttons on either side at the same time and pulling it apart.
- Use the forked end of your spring bar tool to remove the spring bar.
- Fit the spring bar into your new strap.
- Fit the spring bar back in place in the clasp using your spring bar tool.
- Open the other end by pulling it apart, this can be quite stiff but will pop open with slight force.
- Slide the other end of your strap through to the desired hole and lock in place.
- Check for size and adjust as necessary.
Fitting a Hirsch Pusher Clasp
- Open the clasp by pushing the buttons on either side pulling the clasp apart.
- Unscrew the bar with two screwdrivers, one on each side.
- Fit the strap into place.
- Insert the screw bars into the strap, screwing together until secure.
- Remove the spring bar from the other end of the clasp using the pin end of your tool, (only remove the spring bar with the sleeves, leave the other in place.
- Slide the other end of your strap through the spring bar to the desired hole and push in place.
- Refit the spring bar making sure the sleeves are still secure.
- Check for size and adjust as necessary.
Fitting an Artem Loop-Less Clasp
- Fit the spring bar into your strap.
- Fit the strap to the clasp using your spring bar tool by compressing it into place.
- Slide the other end of your strap over and through the clasp.
- Squeeze the sides of the strap and press the clasp into the desired hole in your strap.
- Check for size and adjust as necessary.
Deployment Clasps
Fitting a WatchObsession or Hirsch Deployment Clasp
- Open the clasp apart by pulling at both sides.
- Use the forked end of your spring bar tool to remove the spring bar.
- Fit the spring bar into your strap.
- Fit the strap to the clasp using your spring bar tool by compressing it into place.
- Open the other end of the clasp, by pulling it apart.
- Slide the other end of your strap through the clasp to the desired hole and lock in place.
- Check for size and adjust as necessary.
Tip: As seen in the video, you can also fit this style of deployment clasp upside down by swapping the straps around, this is a way to provide extra comfort depending on your wrist. Check out our YouTube video on exactly how to fit it for maximum comfort! Click here to watch the video.
Fitting an Artem RM Style Deployment Clasp
- Pull the clasp apart by pulling at both sides.
- Unscrew the bar with two screwdrivers, one on each side.
- Fit the strap into place.
- Insert the screw bars into the strap screwing together until secure.
- Undo the lock in screw on the underside of the clasp.
- Slide the other end of your strap through to the desired hole.
- Screw the lock in screw back into place.
- Check for size and adjust as necessary.
Required tools
Conclusion
Fitting a clasp to your watch should be an easy task, and will elevate your wrist comfort and extend the life of your strap. If you have any problems fitting your strap, please reach out as we are always happy to help our customers in anyway we can.
Before choosing your clasp, make sure it will fit the strap you have, each clasp on our website has the styles and types of strap that it will fit on the product page.
Most Hirsch straps have options on the product pages to add a deployment clasp to the order, these will be fitted for you by our team before shipping. If the style you want isn't an option but you still want it fitted by our team, simply add a note to the order and we will get it done.
The Author: Will Parker
Will Parker is the Head of Media at WatchObsession and has been with the company since 2020. As our dedicated photographer, videographer and content creator, he has changed more buckles, straps and clasps than we can count and his own personal watch collection grows every year, although his strap collection is growing faster.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What size clasp do I need?
When ordering a clasp, you want to make sure it is the right width for your strap. Most straps are tapered giving a smaller width at the buckle end to the watch end, it is the smaller size that you will need, for more information regarding finding the correct size, check out our blog: "Finding the Perfect Watch Strap."
How tight should a watch strap be?
Although a very personal choice, a good rule of thumb is that a a finger should be able to fit behind the clasp, but not be able to slide around the wrist. For more information read our Blog post: "How Tight Should a Watch Strap Be?"
https://www.watchobsession.co.uk/blogs/watchobsession-blog/how-tight-should-a-watch-strap-be
What size watch strap do I need?
To determine which size watch strap you should get, you need to measure the strap length and lug width on your watch.
For more information read our Blog post: "What Size Watch Strap Should I Get?"
https://www.watchobsession.co.uk/blogs/watchobsession-blog/what-size-watch-strap-should-i-get
Will any strap fit my watch?
Whether a watch strap is universal is dependent on how the strap attaches to the watch. If the watch has a conventional lug arrangement which will hold a straight ended watch strap, you can attach almost all watch straps to that watch. However, some watches are designed so that you cannot fit a universal replacement watch strap to it.
For more information read our Blog post: "Are Watch Straps Universal?"
https://www.watchobsession.co.uk/blogs/watchobsession-blog/are-watch-straps-universal
