Wait till you discover Cartier's 22.78mm lug width.

 

I have three watches with a 19mm lug width and all are Seikos... Seiko 6159 (x2) and a Seiko 6105. Since both styles are diver watches, replacement straps have been more recently available, but that hasn't always been the case.

 

They couch it behind some historic connection bs to when 3/4” was a common size. I think we all but know that it’s to limit strap choices.

 

When it comes to watch aesthetics, I've always assumed that there was a secret golden ratio of 2:1 of case size to lug width. E.g. 36mm cases goes well with 18mm straps, 38mm with 19mm straps, 40mm with 20mm etc...

 

I think this has more to do with the actual answer... vice some kind of conspiracy to make people buy straps from manufacturers, or limit options, or whatnot

I would much rather see a well proportioned watch or a more cohesive design with 19mm or 21mm lugs v. a compromised design with a more common lug width.

People act like its hard to get straps in anything but 20mm. Its really not. There are lots of independent strap makers who will make straps in any measurement combination you want.

 

It is kind of annoying that 19mm straps are so hard to find because there are a whole lot of watches with that lug width.

 

Any custom strap house can easily make you a 19mm strap.

 

I have an Aqua Terra with 19mm lug width. Very frustrating when I bought it, but you learn to live with it. Almost as annoying as 21mm!

 

The smaller Hydroconquests from Longines are also 19mm.
You can ‘sorta’ get away with a 20mm NATO or similar if you’re desperate.

 

The smaller Hydroconquests from Longines are also 19mm.
You can ‘sorta’ get away with a 20mm NATO or similar if you’re desperate.

As are the conquests. Most of my 20mm leather and gator straps squeeze in there as well as the NATOs.

 

Because it’s half the case size?
38 / 2 = 19

 

19s the new 20

 

It's darn irritating on my Glashutte 60 but I jammed this 20mm cork strap on it w/o any trouble. It's noticeable yeah, but I don't give a Tinker's Cuss. I love the strap.

 

Looks nice!

 

There are plenty of shops on Etsy that can make you 19mm straps and you can squeeze 20mm strap into 19mm lugs

 

I was firmly on the squeeze side before I actually had to do it - now I'm Dr. No.

 

It's a little annoying, but there's plenty of 19mm watches out there and quite a few straps to match! Most of my watches have 19mm lug width in fact! GS, bb36 and a Longines Flagship Heritage I'm getting atm.

 

Email the companies in question and ask them.

The reply from the outsourced rep will probably be hilarious and you can post it here for everyone's entertainment.

Certainly won't tell you it's because they want to pigeon-hole you into proprietary straps.

You know what's just as bad, having 2 of the exact same models, one with bracelet and one with rubber, and you can't get an OEM bracelet and put it on the rubber model without crowbarring it in because the lug holes are drilled 1mm off. WHY?

Now THAT's annoying and it's easier to wedge a 20mm strap into 19mm lugs than dealing with that nonsense.

For the record I would prefer 20mm on 36-39, 22mm on 40-46. I have a couple 18's for my 36mm Timex's and they feel puny.

 

Email the companies in question and ask them.

The reply from the outsourced rep will probably be hilarious and you can post it here for everyone's entertainment.

Certainly won't tell you it's because they want to pigeon-hole you into proprietary straps.

They won't need to; you'll think whatever you want to think regardless of what they say. If I was charged with answering, I'd just reply with an empty text box with instructions saying "Please write whatever answer you want to see here, since we know you're going to ignore it and will continue believing what you want to believe"

 

I have several watches with a 19mm lug width am Seikos Seiko 6105-8110, 6105-8000 and others maybe 6 or more. I also have serval Omega constellation with that size and some Geneva and Seamaster. All these watches are from the 1960 and 1970s it just takes a little more effort to find bracelets or straps. I have not found a 19mm nato yet.

 

when the OEM doesn't even fit that well LOL

 

With so many custom strap vendors popping up now a days, its not a even an issue to find 19mm leather straps. Generic/less expensive brands is a whole different story. but gradually they are also releasing 19mm. Only issue i have is finding natos for 19mm. non-ocd folks can easily use 20mm nato.
Also, recently the use of 19mm has increased quite a bit. GS uses 19mm for 39mm watch as well. But, why 19, is a question nobody can answer and i don't buy its because they want to sell 19mm straps s plenty of nice vendors have started 19mm straps.
Also, if we see an example of explorer 36mm which has 19mm lugs. Many people are appreciating the current proportions compared to 20mm lug width, just saying. But, I do understand, it is totally a personal taste and views may vary. i used to get annoyed by same but now I have 3 19mm watches(out of 6 watches in my collection) and already have few 19mm straps.

 

maybe coerce owners to buy replacement straps from them? you can look around and will eventually find right straps, but 19mm or 21mm do limit the choices...

 

I have a couple, a 1990's Seiko Red Alpinist for one example, Grand Seiko use it regularly too. New Longines Spirit 37mm is 19mm I think.

Annoying in a way, but not limiting reallly, both my regular strap sources in the UK have 19mm pages, Watch Obession & Watch Geko. Etsy would also look after you.

And as watches generally seem to be revisting smaller sizes, it'll get more common, which will mean more straps!

 

I've never understood the way this is framed in watch reviewing, where 19mm is a black mark because companies unrelated to the one that made the watch don't make straps in that size. Sure, it's annoying that there aren't straps out there, but that's on the strap makers. The watch is the the thing right? We buy these things because of the aesthetic choices made by the designers. So why is the watch now secondary to the strap market?

Some people will pay £10,000 for a watch and £100 for a strap and claim the watch design should be changed to accommodate the cheaper item.

It feels upside down to me.

 

I've never understood the way this is framed in watch reviewing, where 19mm is a black mark because companies unrelated to the one that made the watch don't make straps in that size. Sure, it's annoying that there aren't straps out there, but that's on the strap makers. The watch is the the thing right? We buy these things because of the aesthetic choices made by the designers. So why is the watch now secondary to the strap market?

Some people will pay £10,000 for a watch and £100 for a strap and claim the watch design should be changed to accommodate the cheaper item.

It feels upside down to me.

A different perspective and a valid one IMO.

 

All my watches apart from two are 19mm. It's fine, there are plenty of great quality strap makers out there that offer 19mm width straps. I get all mine from delugs and a couple from molequin, but there's also monstraps... and so many more.

 

I think 19mm was expected to become a more common size and then the big watch craze took over and the medium size watches languished using that lug spacing for a period. Only relatively recently did I get a new strap for my Seiko Baby Tuna AGS as there were no straps available. Finally sourced one from the USA.

 

Wow some people see a dark conspiracy in everything. Sad sign of the times I guess.

But yeah.. aesthetics and proportion is the simple answer.

 

19mm is only annoying because most people have plenty of 20mm straps lying around that can't be used anymore. Never ever squeeze straps - looks like sh*t.

But if you're going to shop for new straps you'll see that virtually every strap is available in 19mm these days (at least from the likes of Camille Fournet, ABP, Kaufmann, ...). So from that perspective, there's no problem.

 

'I'm a sucker for a nice looking watch' do you mean to say 19mm lug width watches are not nice??

 

I believe someone already gave the right answer above - 19mm equals to 3/4", and England used to manufacture a lot of watches/watch cases and used imperial measurements instead of metric.

As to coercing owners into buying OEM replacement straps, I doubt many serious watchmaking companies see that as a major source of income. They already made the chunk of money when you bought the watch, what's another $100?

19mm lugs, custom made leather straps...not a problem.

And if you're looking for a rubber strap for your diver? Guess what, 20mm rubber straps fit perfectly.

Edit: The only problem I can see is you find a leather strap on a special leather that you'd love to have, yet they only offer ready made measurements in 20/22mm (assuming you only want this special leather for that special, 19mm lug watch), then you're out of luck.
There just aren't a lot of strap makers that offer peccary leather, for instance.

 

I would argue that oem replacements straps are massively profitable. Even middle of the road brands will charge in the hundreds for straps that you and I well know are worth $30. We also know they are making these in huge numbers as they go along with every watch, so cost is far lower for an oem per strap than a custom or aftermarket maker. Some of these croc embossed $149 straps probably cost $3