When the wristwatch first gained popularity the clasp was designed solely to ensure your watch stayed firmly on your wrist. Whilst its function hasn’t changed, overtime watch brands have developed and created new clasps. One driver of innovation has been the evolution of bracelets and straps which utilise new materials and therefore required different clasps. A pin buckle doesn’t typically work on a steel bracelet for example. Secondly, modern innovation is often driven by style. A clasp can be as intricate and well-engineered as any other part of the watch. Let’s take a look at 10 different watch clasps you might find on a strap or bracelet.
Pin Buckle
The most common of the watch clasps, the pin buckle is one of the oldest and most recognisable ways of securing your watch to your wrist. Typically reserved for leather or fabric straps the pin buckle mirrors the concept of a trouser belt. On one side of the watch strap you will have perforated holes, which allow you to choose the size for your wrist. On the other you have a U-shaped bracket and pin. Feed the perforated side through the bracket and push the pin through one of the holes and voilà! Your watch won’t be going anywhere.
The benefits of the pin buckle are its uniformity. It’s nearly identical across different brands so assuming you’ve managed to keep your trousers up these last few years you’ll have no issues working the pin buckle. You’ll easily find a replacement for little money should you need to replace it. The two drawbacks to the pin buckle are how fiddle-ey it can be to do up, especially with one hand. And second, securing the pin buckle requires bending the strap which is likely to cause creases and wear to the strap over time.
Folding Clasp
The preferred and standard clasp for most metal bracelet watches, the folding clasp (sometimes interchangeably called a deployant clasp, though that has a specific meaning as we will get to) is integrated as part of the bracelet. When closed, from the outside it looks neat and tidy, typically showing a brand logo with a button or pushers on either side. Open with the pushers and the folding clasp unveils two thin and distinctly shaped pieces that unfold when open and fold back on top of each other when closed.
By forming part of the bracelet the folding clasp is very secure and makes dropping your watch much less likely than with the pin buckle as the bracelet is connected at all times. You also don’t see much of the clasp when wearing the watch as the folding section is tucked under the bracelet. The only con is the size of the folding element. They can be bulky as they need to extend enough to allow the watch to fit over your hand. Even though the folding element is out of sight it is pressed against the underside of your wrist which you might find uncomfortable.
Standard Deployant Clasp
The deployant clasp is very similar to the folding clasp. Its functionality is almost identical with 2 folding elements that hide under the strap when closed. The main difference is that a deployant isn’t integrated into the strap. As a result deployant clasps can be used on compatible leather and rubber straps. The clasp can be attached to the strap in a variety of different ways. Similar to the pin buckle, you can have perforated holes on the strap or spring bars in the strap ends to connect the strap to the deployant. Different brands use different methods.
The big pro of the deployant is the ability to use it on compatible leather, fabric or rubber straps. It’s much easier to use compared to the pin buckle with a push release and is less wearing on the strap. As with the folding clasp it can be uncomfortable on the wrist. You’ll also find that because brands do deployant clasps differently, if you need to replace it you can be limited for options and they will cost a premium.
Hidden Clasp
Under the deployant clasp umbrella is a special type of deployant known as the hidden clasp. Its purpose is to hide as much of the clasp as possible giving the illusion that the bracelet is one continuous piece. With the clasp hidden the bracelet will have a more jewellery type look to it. As a result, these are often found on women’s watches or precious metal pieces, such as Rolex Day Date with Presidential bracelet. With the hidden clasp the mechanism to open is usually integrated into the bracelet, either with a centre link as a push button or, in Rolex case, with the lifting of the crown emblem.
Hiding the clasp is purely an aesthetic benefit. It adds a sleeker more refined look to the bracelet instead of the often chunkier more rugged deployant clasp. The challenge with hidden clasps is they can be difficult to open if the push release button is small and has been well integrated
Tri-Fold Deployant Clasp
Tri-fold deployant clasps aren’t hugely common, however, viewed as the most secure form of clasp they do give you added peace of mind. Named tri-fold because it contains a third, much smaller, folding piece. This third piece of the clasp is the locking element. It folds and clicks into place on top of the deployant to stop it accidentally popping open. The clasp you’ll find with a Rolex GMT-Master II is an example of a tri-fold deployant.
The pros and cons of the tri-fold are the same as the standard deployant with the added bonus of extra security. Whilst modern deployant clasps don’t tend to open accidentally the addition of the tri-fold adds little in the way of size and weight.
Butterfly Clasp
The clasp with the best name, the butterfly clasp is also the most sophisticated. Often reserved for higher price point watches the butterfly opens in the middle. The deployant clasps above unfold by releasing one side of the clasp. This means the release mechanism isn’t centred on the inside of your wrist and is one of the reasons it can be uncomfortable. Think of the deployant like opening a regular single door whereas the butterfly clasp is like opening two double doors on your way into a grand ballroom. The butterfly therefore has three hinged pieces rather than two which open with the push of the button(s).
The butterfly clasp is the most attractive and aesthetically pleasing because it sits centrally on the wrist. Patek Philippe uses the butterfly clasp on several watches including the Nautilus and Aquanaut. The downside, like any hinged clasp, is comfort. You still can’t get away from the metal pressing into your skin.
Leaf Spring Clasp
Image credit: Fratello Watches
The leaf spring is a variation on the butterfly clasp, but with some extra spring. The clasp is named after the leaf spring which is a specific type of spring curved in an arc as opposed to your traditional coil. In short, when the clasp is open the spring is relaxed and as you close the clasp, the arced spring is put under tension. Once the clasp is closed and the strap ends meet, the spring is locked in place, keeping the watch on your wrist. Opening the clasp doesn’t require any buttons or levers because as you pull the clasp apart it will simply spring open.
On the surface the leaf spring might seem unsafe as there are no locking elements, no buttons to release, no magnets for security. Instead it uses good old fashioned physics to remain in place. However, it is in fact very secure. Plus, without buttons the leaf spring can often be smaller than other forms of deployant.
Sliding Clasp
The sliding clasp is one you don’t see very often, primarily because it’s best used on mesh style bracelets, which aren’t all that common in watch straps these days. Consisting of two components, the sliding element and the locking clasp. The sliding element moves up and down the bracelet so you can set it to the appropriate size. The locking clasp is attached to the other half of the strap and clips on the sliding portion to secure the bracelet in place.
The key benefit of the sliding clasp is the ease with which you can adjust the size and fit. Because the sliding element can be positioned at any point, unlike a pin buckle when pin holes are at set intervals, you are able to get the perfect fit with the sliding clasp. It’s also fairly dainty compared to a deployant so it scores well on comfort. The biggest drawback is simply that this clasp doesn’t work with many strap and bracelet styles and so unless you’re looking for a mesh bracelet watch you’re unlikely to come across the sliding clasp.
Velcro Loop
Velcro on a watch used to be something reserved for kids watches or the spare novelty space suit strap Omega sometimes supply with the Speedmaster. However, there’s a few more Velcro straps popping up these days, even Richard Mille offers a velcro on the RM27-03 Rafa Nadal. The Velcro loop consists of one short piece of strap with a loop on the end, the other piece of strap is longer and is passed through the loop to double back and secure with Velcro. Much like the Velcro on a pair of kid’s trainers.
Velcro and the Velcro loop are about as easy as it gets with watch straps. You also typically have lots more options with colours and changing a Velcro strap when it looks tatty isn’t a big deal or expense (Richard Mille exempt). Where Velcro will let you down is security, it’s not the safest way to secure your watch to your wrist. In the same way you moved up to shoelaces for your trainers.
Glidelock/Micro Adjustment Clasp
Rather than a uniquely different type of clasp, the micro adjustment is more of a feature you might find on a number of other clasps. Most commonly associated with bracelets, Glidelock is the name given the Rolex patented mechanism that allows you to adjust the bracelet without the need to remove entire links in the watch. This system allows for resizing of just a few millimeters and today most brands will offer their own version of a Glidelock or micro adjustment system. Typically these work by opening up your deployant, folding or butterfly clasp and locating a small button on the inside. This allows the end of the bracelet to slide up or down inside the clasp either reducing or extending it.
The ‘on the fly’ nature of the micro adjust means you don’t have to worry if your wrist changes during the day or between winter and summer. They are also perfect additions to dive watches where the bracelet extension can be used to help slide over your dive suit. Micro adjustment clasps have become not only desirable but a necessity in modern watches. A bracelet without micro adjustment will make many people think twice before they buy. Compared to deployant and folding clasps there are no additional negatives to the Glidelock or micro adjustment.
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