More Information

Original Release: October 2012

Installing (and wearing) your new Button-Stud Watchband correctly:

Our installation ‘best-practices’ to avoid scuffs (and get all the benefits of the design). Your first inclination, with a shiny new watchband, is to take it out of the box and slide it through your watch face, just as you always do with a NATO band: Tag end first. However, pulling the band all the way through the springbars, or removing your band by pulling on the stud end can result in a scuff from a sharp-edged watch case. Stay (so) fresh and (so) clean (clean): [unordered_list style=”bullet”]

• Do not ‘center’ the watch face on the watch band, as you would with a normal-style/every-other-watchband-out-there. You’ll see all the adjustment holes (rather than having them hidden behind the watch face, thereby presenting a nice, smooth, minimal leather band), and the button will rest on the pulse point of your wrist and get in the way while working (as well as being more likely to get snagged on something). Once you wear the button-stud watchband, you’ll realize how uncomfortable it is to have watch clasps in your way while working…and you’ll be so glad you took the time to read this. Hey–we’re here to make your life better…or something like that.
• Always keep the watch face close to the button stud–if you can see more than one adjustment hole while wearing the watch, you aren’t getting the benefits of our original design. You can check out all of the photos of the watches on the site, if this verbal description doesn’t make sense.
• Avoid pulling the strap all the way through the springbars–only the pointed end of the strap and the adjustment holes themselves should ever pass through the springbar gap in your watch face. Pulling the entire band through can leave a big, probably-permanent scuff/scratch right down the middle of your band due to a sharp edge on your watch case.
• To install and remove the band, first remove the button stud–as above. If you’re able to install/remove the band with the button-stud still installed, re-read the above point–you won’t put your eye out, but you’ll end up with a scuffed up band from a sharp watch case edge (i.e., yer’ doin’ it wrong).
• When installed and worn correctly, any scuffs on the leather as a result of installation will be hidden, the adjustment holes will be hidden, and the button-stud will stay out of your way while working at a desk. Hey…we don’t call it ‘form•function•form’ because it rolls so easily off the tongue–this is a sleek and very functional design (and we want to make sure you get the most out of it).
• In short–hide your holes, and avoid band torture by following the above tips.

Be sure to ‘Mind the Gap’:

On some watches (a vintage Omega Seamaster, for example), the springbar is very close to the case itself, leaving a tight space to slide a NATO-style band through. If it is relatively easy to swap grosgrain bands on your watch, this is likely not your situation. However, if you find that your case/springbar dimension is particularly tight, and getting your new band through is proving difficult, form•function•form recommends obtaining a springbar tool in order to easily remove the bar and install your cordovan band. The Swiss company Bergeon makes a quality option in their ‘6767’ model. It will take at most 15 seconds to figure out how to use the tool to remove the springbars; just make sure the ‘spring’ doesn’t shoot the tiny part across the room–that will take hours to undo.

Installing the band ‘point-first’, as above, rather than ’rounded-end first’ will make the whole process go much more smoothly, especially in a tight springbar gap; we intentionally pointed the end of the band to make installation easier–slipping the small point through the springbar enables a good grip to pull the rest through.