Lugs are the parts of a watch case that stick out and hold the strap or bracelet. They are usually part of the case middle and made of the same material. Lug styles changed over time, so their shape can help date a watch. They also set lug-to-lug length, which affects fit.
How are straps fixed to lugs?
Most straps are held by a spring bar. This is a hollow tube with a spring inside. The spring pushes small pins at each end into holes drilled in the lug ends. Most watches have two lugs at the edge of the case. Some designs use a single central attachment instead, chosen for its look. In mass production, the lugs and the case middle can be stamped together as one piece.
Where it comes from
The first wristwatches were often small pocket watches adapted for the wrist. Watchmakers simply welded wire lugs onto the case so a strap could be fitted. Before 1900, some early purpose-made men’s wristwatches used Lépine cases with wire loops soldered onto the sides. These were called wire lugs. In French they were ‘anses’, meaning handles. They curved downwards so the strap could pass around the back of the case. In 1903 Dimier Brothers registered a wristwatch design with fixed wire lugs and a one-piece leather strap. It is an early documented example of such a watch.
What is lug-to-lug length?
Lug-to-lug length is the distance from the tip of one lug to the tip of the other. In other words, it runs from the outer end of one lug, across the case, to the outer end of the opposite lug. This measurement affects how well a watch fits the wrist. So the lugs matter for fit as well as for holding the strap or bracelet.
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