More info / pictures. Some watches have fixed bars that are not supposed to come out (CWC, Bertucci, some Marathons I think).

 

Its just a cheap Alba field watch. The pins don't seem to have a "step" towards the end of the thin inner part for the fork to latch on. It may not be removable. I already found a solution - replace the nylon NATO with a silicone NATO strap.

 

Hope you get on with the silicone NATO.

 

I hate watch pins. Every watch I own is a giant battle. Whomever invented the spring bar pin should be flogged.

 

Yep sounds like shoulderless spring bars. If the case lugs are drilled, then a pin tool is needed to push them inward to get the spring bar out. I just use a large paper-clip, bent around into a "C" shape. Gotta be careful not to scrach the case lugs, paper clip metal is very soft but probably still harder than 316 stainless.

IIRC Alba is owned by Seiko so there could be some design similarities. If the bar is too strong to "muscle / mangle" out with pliers, too strong to crudely bend out then it could be using heavy duty bars. Seiko heavy duty bars are TOUGH. can you post pics?

[EDIT] Those fork tools that they include with watch straps are almost always really soft and not hard, or sharp edged enough to grasp onto the most stubborn shoulderless spring bars.

If this is the watch here, then it looks like it does use a HD spring bar of some kind, with just enough gap to get into the ends with a tool. No drilled lugs though which is a bummer.

Amazon.com

 

At least consider going to regular "shoulder" spring bars for a replacement as well as something with quick release bars maybe?

 

Yes, the pictures suggest that there are shouldered springbars inside that roller sleeve. That the lugs are not drilled seems to confirm this.
Slide the sleeve all the way to one side then try to use the fork tool on the springbar on the other side.

If it was just a springbar without the roller sleeve, extraction would be straightforward as the barrel of springbars are pretty thin. Grip it with a needle nose pliers then twist the springbar and break it and it will come out of the lug holes.

If/when you replace the springbars, use any good quality replacement strap with regular or QR springbars. There are about a million options.