Corner-Notched Strap for a Citizen Eagle 7
Vintage watches rarely fail on the strap size alone. They fail on a combination: a case opening wider than the spring bars behind it, hardware that has given up, and no factory part left to order. This Citizen automatic — case reference 4-824290 K, marked GN-4W-S on the caseback, and known to collectors as the Eagle 7 — had all three. A corner-notched strap for the Citizen Eagle 7 was the way to solve them in one build.
Strap specification
| Watch | Citizen Eagle 7 automatic, ref. 4-824290 K |
| Build | Custom corner-notched |
| A — full width at the case | 22 mm (0.87 in) |
| B — center tongue | 14 mm (0.55 in) |
| C — notch depth | 3.5 mm (0.14 in) |
| Taper | 22 mm at the case to a 16 mm (0.63 in) buckle end |
| Leather | Black Swift |
| Length | 75/115 mm (3.0 in / 4.5 in) |
| Hardware | New stainless steel buckle and new 14 mm spring bars supplied |
Why these choices
The three notch figures explain the whole shape of this strap. The case opening measures 22 mm across, but the spring bars behind it span only 14 mm. So the strap is cut 22 mm wide to fill the opening, then 3.5 mm is taken off each corner to leave a 14 mm tongue that reaches back to the bars. Cut it straight at 22 mm and it will not reach the bars. Cut it straight at 14 mm and you get a gap either side you will notice every time you look down.
The taper was the customer's request — 22 mm at the case down to roughly 16 mm at the buckle. On a dress-sized vintage automatic that is the right instinct. Carrying full width all the way to the buckle makes a modest watch look slab-sided, and the narrower buckle end sits better under a cuff.
Black Swift is smooth calf, softer than Epsom and with more depth to the color, which suits a watch that is already showing its age gracefully. Because the original spring bars were worn out and there was no buckle to reuse, we supplied both: new 14 mm bars and a stainless buckle. A vintage watch project stalls on hardware more often than on leather.
★★★★★
“…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
Common questions
What do I need to measure for a corner-notched strap for a Citizen Eagle 7 or a similar vintage case?
Three numbers: the full width of the case opening (A), the spring-bar span the tongue has to reach (B), and the depth of the corner cuts (C). If the old strap is missing or misshapen, a jeweler can take these off the case in a few minutes.
Can you supply spring bars and a buckle as well?
Yes. Tell us the bar size you need and whether you are reusing your own buckle. On this build we sent new 14 mm bars and a stainless buckle because neither original was usable.
Every notched strap is cut to your measurements, so allow two to three weeks to delivery. Send your figures through the corner-notched builder, see the rest of the custom notched straps, or choose from our Swift leather and black leather options.