Spring Bar Tools & Spring Bars
A spring bar is the small cylindrical pin that holds a watch strap to the watch case — two spring bars, one between each pair of lugs, each with a compressed spring inside that pushes outward to lock the bar in the lug holes. Every watch strap change requires either compressing these spring bars to remove the old strap and fit the new one, or — with quick-release spring bars — simply pressing a lever to release them without tools.
CNS Watch Bands stocks both the tools and the bars across multiple specifications. All CNS watch straps ship with spring bars included, but having a quality spring bar tool and a stock of spare bars on hand means strap changes are faster, safer, and never interrupted by a missing or failed bar.
Spring Bar Tools
Spring Bar Tool (standard) — the essential tool. A forked tip compresses the spring bar end to release it from the lug hole, allowing the strap to be removed and replaced. Available in chrome silver and matte black. The most widely used watch tool in existence — straightforward, reliable, and effective for any standard spring bar.
Spring Bar Tool 2.0 — an updated version with an improved tip geometry for better access on watches with tight lug clearance. Particularly useful for watches with closed or semi-closed lugs where the standard tool has limited access.
Spring Bar Tool with Extra Tips — includes multiple interchangeable tip sizes for different spring bar configurations and lug clearances. The most versatile option for buyers who work with multiple watches across different lug configurations.
How to use a spring bar tool: Insert the forked tip between the strap and the watch lug, locating the groove on the end of the spring bar. Push inward to compress the bar and release it from the lug hole. Work one side at a time. Fit new bars by compressing the bar as you position it between the lugs, then allow it to expand into the lug holes.
Spring Bars
Standard Spring Bars — the conventional watch strap spring bar. A solid cylindrical pin with a compressed spring inside that pushes outward into the lug holes. Available in a range of lug widths matching the CNS strap collection. Require a spring bar tool to fit and remove.
Quick Release Spring Bars (1.75mm) — a spring bar with a small lever on the side that, when pressed with a fingernail or the tip of a tool, releases the bar from the lug hole without requiring a separate tool. Allows strap changes in seconds rather than minutes, with no risk of scratching the case during tool insertion. The 1.75mm diameter suits the majority of sport and dress watches.
Quick Release Spring Bars (1.45mm) — the slimmer quick-release variant for watches with tighter lug holes or thinner lug apertures. Typically suited to watches where the 1.75mm bar is too large to compress fully into the lug hole.
Fat Spring Bars — a thicker spring bar diameter for watches with wider lug holes that the standard bar diameter does not fill securely. Prevents the strap from sitting loose or rotating on the lug — the correct solution for watches where standard spring bars produce a sloppy fit.
Which Spring Bars Do I Need?
Standard spring bars — correct for most watches. If your watch came with conventional spring bars and you are fitting a CNS strap, standard bars in the correct lug width will work.
Quick release 1.75mm — the most practical upgrade. If you change straps frequently, quick release bars eliminate the tool entirely and make the process of swapping straps genuinely fast. Compatible with most sport and dress watches.
Quick release 1.45mm — if quick release 1.75mm bars do not fit securely in your lug holes, the slimmer 1.45mm is the correct choice. Typically needed on watches with thinner, tighter lug constructions.
Fat spring bars — if your standard spring bars fit but feel loose or allow the strap to move laterally on the lug, fat bars fill the lug hole properly and create a secure, stable fit.
Note on the Blancpain x Swatch Fifty Fathoms Scuba Frogskin — this watch uses screw-in lug pins rather than spring bars, requiring a 0.9mm hex key for strap changes. Standard spring bar tools do not apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a spring bar? A spring bar is the small cylindrical pin that holds a watch strap to the watch case. It sits between the two lugs on each side of the case, with a compressed spring inside that pushes outward to lock the bar in the lug holes. Every traditional watch strap is held in place by two spring bars.
Do I need a spring bar tool? For standard spring bars, yes — a spring bar tool is required to compress the bar and release it from the lug hole when changing straps. For quick-release spring bars, no — the lever mechanism allows release with a fingernail. All CNS Watch Bands straps ship with spring bars included, and most include quick-release bars.
What size spring bar do I need? The lug width of your watch (measured in millimetres between the two lugs) determines the spring bar length needed. A 20mm watch needs 20mm spring bars. The diameter (1.45mm or 1.75mm for quick release, standard for conventional) depends on the size of the lug holes on your specific watch model.
What is the difference between quick release and standard spring bars? Standard spring bars require a spring bar tool to compress and release — a small forked tool that must be inserted between the strap and the lug. Quick release bars have a small lever that releases the bar with fingernail pressure, allowing tool-free strap changes in seconds. Quick release bars are the practical choice for collectors who change straps frequently.
All spring bar tools and spring bars ship with standard delivery worldwide.