velcro strap for a Heuer Monza?

[suffolk009]

Hi, I've got a Tag Heuer Monza - it must be about 12-15 years old now. I never really got on with the leather strap and so didn't ever really wear it much. Then my wife took an interest in it, and enjoyed wearing it for a couple of years.

Annoyingly the leather has now all but broken through at the point the hinge on the clasp forms a high spot on the wrist. Now, I could replace it with another croc strap, but then I'd still be unlikely to wear it much. I like the watch, and want to wear it, but was thinking about puting a velcro strap on it. Had an Eras/Emas with velcro for a while and loved wearing that.

Just wondering if anyone on here knows if it's possible and where I might be able to send it to get a top job done. Obviously I'd keep the original (damaged) strap in the box... authenticity and reversability and all that.

Thanks in advance.

[sneaky schnell]

I think Tag do a velcro strap for one of their other watches. Might be worth looking into.

[anonymous-user]

Have you thought about a NATO strap?

[suffolk009]

MonkeyMatt said:

Have you thought about a NATO strap?

Pardon my stupidity, and ignorance....but what is a NATO strap?

[Stuart]

Just buy a NATO to see what it looks like. If you don't like it you're only £10 the worse off. I like Timefactors NATO straps personally. I know they're almost a commoditised product but his are well made with good quality metalwork and comfy nylon.

Have you thought about a mesh strap for the Monza? Or perhaps a rally style perforated strap? Both might look better than croc and still fit with the retro/slightly dressier aesthetics of the watch.

[Shaw Tarse]

suffolk009 said:

Pardon my stupidity, and ignorance....but what is a NATO strap?

Have a look here http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[anonymous-user]

suffolk009 said:

Pardon my stupidity, and ignorance....but what is a NATO strap?

Google Images, Tag Monza should through something up to give you an idea what it would look like!

[suffolk009]

NATO - that's the one I want. Lovely. The nylon work-hard look, but without the hideous noise. Perfect.

I assume any watch fitter could install it? (I'm feeling very stupid/naive today!)

[Shaw Tarse]

suffolk009 said:

NATO - that's the one I want. Lovely. The nylon work-hard look, but without the hideous noise. Perfect.

I assume any watch fitter could install it? (I'm feeling very stupid/naive today!)

You fit it yourself!
Really easy, though you may need to buy more than one

[anonymous-user]

suffolk009 said:

NATO - that's the one I want. Lovely. The nylon work-hard look, but without the hideous noise. Perfect.

I assume any watch fitter could install it? (I'm feeling very stupid/naive today!)

Very easy to fit yourself, it just threads through the spring bars (a bit like a belt)! Have a look on Amazon there are loads on there!

[Stuart]

You can fit it. That's the beauty of them. What you need is the following:

Some straps. Obviously measuring the lug width to make sure you buy the right size.

http://www.timefactors.com/nato.htm

A spring bar tool.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Spring-Bar-Tool-Adjuster-R...

That lets you remove the spring bars holding in the leather strap. Put them back into the body of the watch once you've done that - the NATO just threads through them.

Job jobbed.

[Shaw Tarse]

Stuart said:

You can fit it. That's the beauty of them. What you need is the following:

Some straps. Obviously measuring the lug width to make sure you buy the right size.

http://www.timefactors.com/nato.htm

A spring bar tool.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Spring-Bar-Tool-Adjuster-R...

That lets you remove the spring bars holding in the leather strap. Put them back into the body of the watch once you've done that - the NATO just threads through them.

Job jobbed.

Instead of springbar tool buy http://www.amazon.co.uk/TRIXES-Piece-Watch-Repair-...
Then you can adjust bracelets too
Best of luck when you keep buying straps, then watches to fit!

[suffolk009]

Well, today is finally getting better and better. Went upstairs with the Verniers to find the Monza to measure the lugs, and came across the broken EMAS. (It has a plain black NATO strap, Nirvel I think it says). So I'll stick this on and see how I get on with it. Then, I'll need to find a way of replacing the EMAS face even more cheaply than buying a new one.

Please forgive me for not thinking of this sooner, but I never wore the EMAS, it was my wife's - and I thought she binned it when she dropped it. And I would have sworn it had a velcro strap on it.

A Pic each of the cracked EMAS, and the duff Heuer strap: Pictures, 1000 words, etc etc.

Thanks for the advice and help chaps - really, really appreciate it.

[Stuart]

suffolk009 said:

Well, today is finally getting better and better. Went upstairs with the Verniers to find the Monza to measure the lugs, and came across the broken EMAS. (It has a plain black NATO strap, Nirvel I think it says). So I'll stick this on and see how I get on with it. Then, I'll need to find a way of replacing the EMAS face even more cheaply than buying a new one.

Please forgive me for not thinking of this sooner, but I never wore the EMAS, it was my wife's - and I thought she binned it when she dropped it. And I would have sworn it had a velcro strap on it.

A Pic each of the cracked EMAS, and the duff Heuer strap: Pictures, 1000 words, etc etc.

Thanks for the advice and help chaps - really, really appreciate it.

Just be really careful taking that strap off. If you don't use the right tool, you'll slip and you WILL scratch the lugs. Then you'll be fecked off with yourself!

[anonymous-user]

Get a pic on the NATO thread when its done!

[suffolk009]

MonkeyMatt said:

Get a pic on the NATO thread when its done!

Will do, of course. Thought about putting the EMAS on there, but, on reflection, it's a bit plain for that.