Watches are a beautiful piece of jewelry that anyone can wear, whether you are school teacher or a senator, a watch looks great. What happens when you have fallen in love with the watch but wouldn’t be caught dead wearing the accompanying watch band? You can change the band yourself. In this article you will find not only everything you need to know about watch band vocabulary but the basics of changing it out. 

First let’s look at the vocabulary so you can knowledgeably order and talk about your new watch band with confidence! First you have two basic types of a bracelet or a strap. The bracelet is the metal band type while the strap would be leather, cloth, rubber or other non-metallic band. Once you know which type of band you are looking for you need to know what kind of clasp that you prefer. You have the typical tang type buckle, which is like a typical man’s belt. Then you also have the deployant clasp, which is connected to both sides and unbuckles to slide over the hand and buckles by clipping together. 

Another thing to know about buying watch bands is if it is a standard strap is all you need to know is the width. You can find out what width you will need by measuring the old watch strap or the width between the “lugs.” The width is measured in millimeters. If you are unsure of the width you can take the watch with you so that the jeweler can measure it for you and point you in the right direction. 

Once you know what the width of your band needs to be you can look at your choices which can seem to be endless, if you go shopping or shop online with the idea of what you want your watch to look like. You should also know the purpose of the watch. Some types of bands or clasps may not be appropriate for you. For example you would not want to get a deployant clasp if you know that you tend to swell. If you wear rings or wedding bands and sometimes they are too tight, you swell and this type watch may not be the most comfortable for you. With a tang type clasp you can let the watch out as you would your belt, which would be more comfortable to the wearer. 

Once you know what you are looking for finding a watch band for your watch, shopping for it can be a fun and rewarding experience. You just need to make sure you do your homework before you fall in love with a band that does not fit your watch!

Even though many people carry around many types of electronic devices that display time, watches still adorn many wrists. There are some things you can do at home to prevent an expensive trip to the jeweler for watch repairs. Here is a list of the most common reasons people take their watches to the jeweler. 

1. The watch has stopped, now what? Check the battery! Watch batteries are reasonably inexpensive and they are simple to replace. This is the number one reason watches are taken to the jeweler for watch repairs. If you are buying a new watch battery, bring the old one with you to match the numbers. Also, it may seem like common sense but the way you take the battery out is the way the new one needs to go in. If the numbers were facing down originally, the new battery should be facing down. 

2. Oops dropped the watch, now what? If you have broke or severely damaged the crystal, if you have a spring wound watch (not a quartz wound watch), it is possible for you to repair it. If you feel uncomfortable removing the inner workings then you should take it to a jeweler. 

3. Snap, there goes the watch band, now what? Facing losing your watch over a missing watch band is not necessary. Especially when it is one of the most simple watch repairs you can do. Anyone can repair a broken watch band. Many times it is as simple as removing a pin or a screw and replacing that screw or pin into the new watch band. 

4. Icky watch band, now what? This is not technically a repair but it is something people pay jewelers to do that they could easily do themselves. In this economy, who can afford to pay something that can be done at home? A few drops of ammonia or even regular glass cleaner in a shallow bowl can take care of any tarnish or sweat build up on a metal watch band. Just dip the band alone into the solution for a maximum of two minutes then dip only the band in a bowl of clean, clear water. Make sure you only dip the band and not any part of the actual watch. For cleaning around the watch you can use the same solution to lightly dampen a cotton swab, make sure that it is only lightly dampened. 

While some watch repairs still warrant a trip to the jeweler, there are several ways to save money by making simple repairs at home. To learn these simple ways of repairing a watch can mean more money in your pocket, and getting to keep your favorite watch.