Center-Notched Black Epsom Strap for a Citizen Campanola
A center-notched strap carries a tab in the middle of the case end, with the leather stepped back on either side of it, so the strap seats into a case that a flat-ended band cannot enter. This order applied it to a Japanese-market Citizen Campanola: black Epsom, measured X 22 mm / Y 5 mm / Z 5 mm, cut 75/125 mm, and sized to a 16 mm deployment clasp the owner is keeping.
Strap specifications
| Strap type | Custom center-notched |
|---|---|
| X | 22 mm (0.87 in) |
| Y | 5 mm (0.20 in) |
| Z | 5 mm (0.20 in) |
| Length | 75/125 mm (3.0 in / 4.9 in) |
| Leather | Black Epsom |
| Buckle end | 16 mm (0.63 in), owner’s existing deployment clasp |
| Watch | Citizen Campanola (Japanese market) |
Why these choices
Center notching and corner notching solve different case shapes and are measured differently. Corner work takes A, B and C and cuts the two outer corners away; center work takes X, Y and Z and leaves a tab in the middle. On this build X 22 mm is the full width at the case, with Y and Z setting how wide and how deep the central tab runs. All three come from the watch itself, which is why a jeweler-taken measurement is the recommendation — a spec sheet will tell you a nominal lug width and nothing about the recess the tab has to fill.
Japanese-market references are the reason a build like this exists at all. A Campanola sold only in Japan has almost no aftermarket behind it outside the country, so when the original band goes there is often nothing to buy. Cutting to measurement sidesteps the whole question of what is in stock.
Black Epsom suits a notched end. The grain is stamped into the calfskin rather than raised off it, so the leather is light, scratch-resistant, and holds a clean line where the notch is cut — a loose-grained hide rounds those edges off within weeks. Keeping the existing 16 mm deployment clasp was the other sensible call: the clasp is already matched to the watch, and the strap is simply built to that tang width instead of shipping with hardware the owner would set aside.
★★★★★
“This time I had quite exacting specifications for my strap as it had to fit the new Citizen Tsuyosa Small Seconds and each one of them was completely achieved. The strap fits perfectly as per my measurements and looks exactly how I want.”
Matt G. · Custom corner-notched strap
Questions about this build
How do I measure a center-notched strap for a Citizen Campanola?
Three figures: the full width where the strap meets the case (X), and the width and depth of the central tab (Y and Z). Take them with calipers on the watch, since Campanola cases vary by reference and the Japanese-market models are not well documented outside Japan. A jeweler can do it in a few minutes.
Is center notching the same as corner notching?
No. Corner notching cuts the two outer corners back, which is the Cartier Santos pattern, and is measured A / B / C. Center notching leaves a tab in the middle, stepped back on both sides, and is measured X / Y / Z. Which one your watch needs is decided by the case, not by preference.
Notched straps are cut to order from your figures, so allow 2–3 weeks to delivery. Send your measurements through the custom center-notched strap form, compare the patterns across the notched strap range, or see the other colors available in Epsom.