Extra-Long Stingray Strap for a Seiko 9943-8010

A watch from the 1970s was sized for the wrists of the 1970s, and the straps sold for it now are not much better. This order came from an 8.5 in wrist, which is where stock straps start running out of holes and the tail stops reaching the second keeper. The fix was an extra-long stingray strap for a Seiko 9943-8010, cut at 90/145 mm rather than the usual 75/125 mm.

That is 235 mm of strap in total, about 9.25 in, and it is the difference between a watch that gets worn and one that sits in a drawer.

Build sheet

Watch	Seiko 9943-8010 Grand Quartz
Leather	Black stingray
Strap length	90/145 mm (3.5 in / 5.7 in), extra-long
Wrist	8.5 in (216 mm)
Buckle width	16 mm
Buckle	Classic, stainless steel
Spring bars	Quick release
Stitching	Side stitching, black
Padding	With padding
Tip end	Tapered

The 16 mm is the buckle width. The order did not state a lug width, so we have not published one.

Why these choices

Most makers stop at 8.5 in, which is exactly where this customer starts. Our extra-long straps run to wrists between 8.5 in and 12 in, and going long is not simply a matter of adding leather to the end. The taper has to be redrawn over a greater distance or the strap looks stretched, and the keepers have to move so the tail is still held down instead of flapping past them.

Stingray earns its place on a vintage quartz case. The surface is a pebble of hard pearl scales with a centered cluster of larger ones, and it is a genuine skin rather than embossed cowhide pretending to be one. Black stingray reads as texture rather than pattern from a normal viewing distance, which suits a dress-sports watch better than a loud exotic would.

Black side stitching and a tapered tip keep it restrained, and the quick-release bars mean the strap comes off a forty-year-old case without a tool anywhere near the lugs.

Questions we get

What length is an extra-long stingray strap for a Seiko 9943-8010?

This one went out at 90/145 mm for an 8.5 in wrist. There is no single answer, because it depends on your wrist and where you want the buckle to land. Give us the wrist measurement and we will cut to it.

How do I measure my wrist properly?

Wrap a tape or a strip of paper around the bone, snug but not tight, and read it where it meets. Do that rather than measuring an old strap, which has usually stretched and will send us the wrong number.

If stock straps come up short on you, start with the black stingray strap and tell us your wrist size in the notes. You can also browse the extra-long watch straps, the rest of the stingray leather range, or our black leather watch straps. Each strap is made to order, so allow 2 to 3 weeks to delivery.