Center-Notched Sharkskin Strap for Citizen CA0020-56E

The Citizen Eco-Drive Titanium Chronograph CA0020-56E does not take a straight-cut strap. The case closes down around the band, so the end has to be notched in the center to clear it, and the numbers have to be right the first time — there is no adjusting a notch after it is cut. An order from Germany arrived with the whole set already measured: X 26mm, Y 12.5mm, Z 3.5mm, 22mm at the lugs, tapering to 20mm at the buckle.

What was built

Watch	Citizen Eco-Drive Titanium Chronograph CA0020-56E
Leather	Black sharkskin
Cut	Center-notched — X 26mm, Y 12.5mm, Z 3.5mm
Lug width	22mm
Buckle end	20mm, tapered from 22mm
Length	70/115mm (2.8 in / 4.5 in)
Original clasp	Not reused

Why these choices

Center-notching is for cases where the strap has to pass through the case rather than sit beside it. X, Y and Z describe the shape completely — the full end width, the width of the notched tongue, and how far back the notch runs — and they are cut from the customer's figures, not from a reference table. Reference tables are where these go wrong: two watches with the same catalog lug width can want different notch depths depending on how the case is finished. If you cannot measure yours confidently, a jeweler can do it in a few minutes.

Sharkskin was chosen for a titanium chronograph, and the pairing works because both are hard-wearing without being showy. Shark is among the toughest exotic leathers, with a dense tooth-textured grain that holds up to daily wear. On a notched strap that toughness is doing a specific job: the notched end is the narrowest part of the strap and takes the most stress, so the leather there has to resist stretching out of shape.

The one thing the customer was explicit about was thickness — he did not want the strap turning out too thick or too bulky. That shaped the build more than the leather choice did. A 22mm end tapering to 20mm keeps the proportions honest against the case, and skipping the original clasp meant the tail could be cut for a straightforward pin buckle instead of being thickened to survive a folding one.

Common questions

What measurements do you need for a center-notched strap for a Citizen CA0020-56E?
Three: X, the full width of the strap end; Y, the width of the notched section; and Z, how deep the notch runs back. Send those and the lug width and we cut to them.

Can you taper the strap from the lug width down to a narrower buckle?
Yes, and on a wide case it usually looks better. This one ran 22mm at the lugs down to 20mm at the buckle.

Notched straps are cut to your measurements and made to order — allow two to three weeks to delivery. Start with the custom center-notched strap, see the full notched strap range or the shark skin leathers, or browse custom leather watch straps.