This guide covers our butterfly clasp. It has two hinges and opens to both sides, like the wings of a butterfly. You open it with the two push buttons on the sides. The clasp is made of solid stainless steel and is attached to the strap with a spring bar. It also suits heavy watches such as chronographs and thick, padded straps.
Do you have a different clasp? See our guides to the safety folding clasp and the folding clasp.
How it works
Opening and closing the butterfly clasp
When you open it, only the clasp unfolds. Thanks to the two hinges, the strap becomes about 8 cm longer. This lets you slide it easily over your hand without changing the length.
- Press the buttonsPress both push buttons on the sides at the same time. The clasp opens.
- Take off the watchSlide the strap and the watch over your hand.
- Tuck in the endTo put the watch on, slide the strap over your hand. First tuck the free end into the keepers.
- Close the claspFold the clasp shut until both sides click into place.
Tip: keepers first, then the clasp. This puts less strain on the keepers.
Length
Setting the strap length
You set the length once, when you fit the strap for the first time. For this, the clasp has a small blade with a pin that holds the strap. The blade is held on one side by a hinge, which you can recognise by the small hole on the side.
- Open the claspPress both buttons at the same time until the clasp opens.
- Open the bladePress the blade down on the side opposite the hinge. It opens.
- Choose the lengthPull the strap through the opening until the watch fits well.
- Fix the strapPress the strap onto the pin at this point and close the blade.
Changing the length later
You can do this at any time, with the same steps.
Video · 3:20 min
Video: fitting and adjusting the butterfly clasp
The video shows how to remove a pin buckle, fit the butterfly clasp to the strap and adjust it to your wrist. To fit it, you need a spring bar tool.
Fitting
Replacing a pin buckle with the butterfly clasp
The butterfly clasp fits many leather and synthetic straps that have a pin buckle today. Check first:
- The old buckle is attached with a spring bar. If not, the butterfly clasp cannot be fitted.
- The end of the strap with the holes is no more than 3.5 to 4 mm thick. A thicker strap does not fit through the clasp. The clasp is not suitable for metal bracelets.
- The width matches. Measure the strap at the buckle, not at the lugs of the watch. A strap that is 22 mm wide at the watch can be 18, 20 or 22 mm wide at the buckle.
What you need: a spring bar tool. A new spring bar comes with the clasp.
- Remove the old buckleSlide the fork of the tool between the buckle and the strap, onto the end of the spring bar. Push it slightly towards the middle of the strap and the buckle comes off.
- Remove the tonguePull the spring bar fully out of the strap from the side. You can then take the tongue off the old buckle.
- Refit the spring barPush a spring bar into the channel at the end of the strap. The notch of the old tongue will then sit under the closed clasp.
- Position the claspPut one end of the spring bar into the hole of one clasp arm. Compress the other end until it fits between the arms.
- Let it click inRelease the spring bar so that its tip slides into the opposite hole. Pull gently to check that the clasp is secure.
- Set the lengthThread the end of the strap with the holes and set the length as described in Setting the strap length.
Buckle with side holes: if your old buckle has holes on the sides and you cannot reach the end of the spring bar, push the spring bar inwards through the side hole with the pin end of the tool.
Our guide on replacing the buckle of a watch strap also shows how to remove and fit a spring bar.
On its own or already fitted
The butterfly clasp is also sold on its own, in polished steel, black or gold, from 16 to 26 mm, among our single buckles. Already fitted, you will find it on our straps with butterfly clasp. There you can choose a steel, gold or black clasp.