Open-Ended Strap for Vintage Anchor Fixed-Lug Watch
A mid-1950s Anchor from West Germany came in with a problem that has nothing to do with taste. Its lug bars are fixed into the 14k gold case and measure 17.2mm across. A conventional strap ends in a sewn loop that has to be threaded onto a removable spring bar, and on this watch there is no bar to remove. The build that solves it is an open-ended strap, cut here in light brown ostrich leg to that measured 17.2mm.
Build sheet
| Watch | Anchor, mid-1950s West Germany, 14k gold case |
|---|---|
| Lug width | 17.2mm, fixed bars |
| Strap type | Custom open-ended |
| Leather | Light brown ostrich leg |
| Length | 75/125mm (3.0 in / 4.9 in) |
| Buckle width | 16mm |
| Buckle | Classic, gold |
Why these choices
The 17.2mm is the whole job. Cases from this period were not built to the even millimeter sizes the modern strap market is cut to, and a 17.2mm opening will not take an 18mm strap without forcing it, or hold a 17mm one without leaving a gap at each side. The customer measured the opening and gave us the number, so the leather was cut to it rather than to the nearest stock width. Our configurator runs from 8mm to 30mm for exactly this reason, and an open-ended strap for a vintage Anchor is the case it was built for: the end is left open instead of sewn into a closed loop, so it passes around a bar that cannot be taken out.
Ostrich leg is the scaled part of the hide rather than the round body skin, so it carries a fine natural grain instead of the follicle bumps most people picture when they hear ostrich. On a small gold dress case that reads as texture at arm's length and as detail up close, which suits a watch this size better than a large-pattern exotic would. Light brown keeps the leather on the same warm side as the 14k case instead of fighting it. The rest of the ostrich leather range runs from this light brown through to near-black.
From 17.2mm at the lug the strap tapers to a 16mm buckle, finished in gold to match the case rather than the more common stainless. The 75/125mm length is a standard build; the fit problem on this watch sat at the lug end, not at the wrist, so there was no reason to move it.
★★★★★
“Difficult to find strap for vintage Swiss Army watch. Perfect fit”
Joe E. · Verified purchase · Custom open-ended strap
Questions
Can you make an open-ended strap for a vintage Anchor, or another watch with fixed bars?
Yes, and that is the only kind of strap that will fit one. We need the width of the lug opening in millimeters and the length you want. This build was cut to 17.2mm with a 16mm buckle, but the range runs from 8mm to 30mm.
How do I measure lug width when the bars are fixed?
Measure the inside gap between the two lugs with digital calipers rather than a ruler, and send the number to one decimal place. Two tenths of a millimeter is the difference between a strap that sits flush and one that rocks in the gap. A jeweler can take the measurement in a minute if you would rather not.
Every strap here is cut to a measurement instead of a size chart. Start from the custom leather watch straps collection, or the brown leather straps if the color comes first. Made to order, so allow 2-3 weeks to delivery.